John Snow, Inc. - Day in the Life

Letter from the President

Day in the Life of JSI In recognition of JSI's 25th birthday, staff from every JSI office were invited to submit a personal story about what they accomplished and felt during one work day in March 2003. The writers also provided photographs from their offices and field sites that help to show how each person at JSI contributes to advancing public health worldwide.

In the world of John Snow, Inc. (JSI) there is neither a typical employee nor a typical day. The stories within were written by JSI staff from 44 projects in 24 countries and, I believe, convey the purpose, the passion, the dedication, and the many flavors of the work that we do.

This timeline highlights our growth and accomplishments, beginning with JSI's incorporation as a stand-alone institution in 1978 through 25 years of projects and events to 2003, our anniversary year. Projects that JSI staff have written about in detail below have been left off the timeline, to make room for some of the many other JSI efforts that could be mentioned.

Wearing sandals or snowshoes to meet extremes of climate and culture, and traveling by airplane, jeep or donkey cart, hundreds of JSI staff have ferried technical skills and expertise to areas of the world where public health needs improvement. Day in the Life of JSI They are working in the United States and points around the globe to empower and guide nations and communities to explore and implement effective, local solutions to their unique, critical health care challenges. For a quarter of a century, these dedicated, talented people have driven and shaped JSI into a dynamic organization whose impact can be seen in the improved health of many people living in many places worldwide.

Within these pages are many versions of a "day in the life" of JSI. These represent but a limited palette of the experiences our staff could share. However, please do not find here only a testament to the range of JSI's reach around the world, or even the diversity of projects we undertake across the field of public health. Enjoy this sampling of the depth, breadth, and energy of our staff who make JSI a valued, effective change agent wherever we go. To quote Robert F. Kennedy, "Some see things as they are and say, 'Why?' I dream of things that never were and say, 'Why not?'" It is with great pride that I cast my lot with you, the dreamers and the doers,

Joel Lamstein, President
June 2003

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