"We shall not cease from exploration
And the end of all our exploring
will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time”
                            T.S. Elliot


It was kind of a last minute decidion, it was decided out of the initial planning. But it was also almost a natural decision to extend my trip a little more to the African continent. Since I left India, I have been thinking, how would life be like in Africa? And thinking that if I left Brazil with the clear objective to learn as much as possible about social development and the various manifestations of poverty, nothing is more obvious than to bring back some of the African experience.

So last month I started to organize my route through the East Africa. Taking advantage of some contacts of NGOs, public projects,  international relief agencies and friends that I've made during this period of travels, I set up a roadmap for East Africa. The idea is to get out of Israel via Egypt over the Sinai desert towards some Egyptian cities and from there fly to Ethiopia, where  I'll begin my journey by land. Meanwhile, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are in the script.(Rwanda is a strong candidate)

I do not want to exaggerate the length of this additional part of the trip, because I know that my  capacity of absortion is slowly being limited. So, I made a script that fits my current situation, but I hope to become very profitable. I'm sure the script created and the planned dates will undergo several changes over time. I intend to continue writing here on the blog and updating other materials.

I invite everyone to enjoy the Project page on Facebook and participate in this initiative with comments, suggestions, ideas and in the future, building on some of what we've learned in practice.

More than just a research trip, I’m proposing a different perspective. We often travel and are exposed to experiences around us with certain indifference. We focus mostly on what we’re living rather than on what’s happening around us.

Today, I believe, we have in our hands most of the skills and knowledge to solve a myriad of social problems. The Government, Non-profit Organizations, Corporate Businesses and Institutions are not the only ones responsible for what’s wrong out there. We all are. After all, these organizations are built of individuals whose personal decisions are, ultimately, the influential factor that leads to a positive or negative result.

Therefore, I believe in the importance of our individual training as a means of social change. What we see, feel and think directly influences what we do. I chose to be exposed to different experiences, seeking a better understanding of what living in poverty is, and of what it means to lack the most basic resources we take for granted in our lives. Not because I believe that right now I have the ability to make a difference, but because I'm interested in my development as a person, regardless of what I may do in the future.

I believe that the interactions with the people who cross my path on this trip are crucial to the success of my experience. And the sharing of ideas, thoughts and learning, an opportunity to meet more people who, just like me, feel dissatisfied with what they see out there, but don’t necessarily know how to make a difference. I left not necessarily looking for answers, but rather for more elaborate and concrete questions. Questions easier to be converted into actions.

I’d like to suggest that we open our eyes to what’s simple around us. That we demystify the problems that seem insoluble. That we dissect reality to its most simple component. And just then we’d be ready to act. Not far from our personal interests and not far from our skills acquired so far. My suggestion is to channel the good we have within - individually and collectively - to better serve our social needs.

This is why I carry on my "Social Backpack” some learning and some practical experiences that I intend to share with people everywhere I go, both physically and virtually. Gradually I will elaborate on it, always hoping that the Internet connection ensures my regular updates.

Oh, just a detail for those who might ask: I do not want to work with poverty in the future. I do not wish there would be poverty in the future.