Norman Borlaug: My Profound Source of Inspiration



"... these places I have seen clubbed my mind, they are so poor and depressing. I don't know what we can do to help these people, but we have to do something."

"When I know our scientific facts are right, I am going to play that card, and play it hard"

These phrases revealed to me one of the greatest humanitarians of the modern world, Norman Borlaug, also known as the father of the Green Revolution and the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

How did I come across Dr. Borlaug? It was in the historic year of 2020—the Covid-19 pandemic—when I embarked on cultivating 'Chasing Health,' my lifestyle project as a community health worker and health educator. While seeking inspiration from quotes by humanitarian figures, I stumbled upon this comment: 'The destiny of world civilization depends upon providing a decent standard of living for all mankind" recalled by a businessman in a conversation with Dr. Norman Borlaug.

Since then, I have adopted these words as my motto, both in the workplace and beyond.

Norman initially captivated me with his contributions to the science surrounding genetically modified seeds, and as I continued watching interviews and documentaries about him, I became deeply moved by the values and vision of a good man with both brains and heart—a scientist in the service of humanity.

This admiration was amplified because it was in Mexico, my home country, where he embarked on the journey to combat hunger with a futuristic vision, wisdom, passion, determination, discipline, and kindness. And let's not forget his passion for baseball.

There is so much richness in his work and words that I can apply to my role as a CHW and health educator, and I would like to share. Stay tuned.


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