Evidence for Hope

6

Change that works, sometimes

Richard Sandbrook

Where to begin? The answer cannot be at the beginning for that would lead to a chronological discourse that is not intended. Rather, with an incident – for events illustrate the crazy life led by those concerned with ‘change’.

The incident was in Vancouver in 1976 shortly after I had joined IIED. The institute members were there in force – all eight or nine of us to organize a ‘high-level seminar’ to give the UN Habitat Conference a lift. Barbara Ward was the host. She had just completed the book The Home of Man and was busy on a crusade for clean water for all that incidentally led to the ‘international drinking water decade’. Barbara was many things including a publicist. I was asked to help ...