About two years ago, I first found myself alone in the bustling Andean city of Cochabamba, Bolivia, starkly outside the comforting familiarity of Rice. Yet, what I carried was curiosity.

As a Loewenstern Fellow with Fundación Banco de Alimentos de Bolivia (BAB), I supported the foundation’s efforts to rescue surplus food from farms and factories and redistribute it to vulnerable families. I immersed myself fully in the organization’s operations, from late nights in the warehouse to early morning trips to rural regions. By the end of the three-month fellowship, I felt too deeply connected to leave, embraced by a community that had welcomed me into their homes and hearts.

This sentiment — the feeling of being pulled toward something larger than yourself, across borders — is not mine alone. Through programs like the Loewenstern Fellowship, Rice empowers students to pursue a global education, connecting us with leaders doing extraordinary good worldwide. I have friends developing water purification systems in Mexico, peers addressing malnutrition in rural India, and classmates researching sustainable agriculture in Colombia. These global experiences leave an indelible mark; they change how you move through the world and see yourself fitting into it, and they don’t have to end with your flight home.

Returning to Rice, I stayed in close contact with the food bank, continually seeking ways to support their work through awareness and fundraising. I was later able to return this past January to collaborate with the foundation again, documenting 100 interviews with Indigenous Quechua beneficiaries. The interviews explored the philosophical and economic dimensions of food aid across the rural-to-urban gradient. The team generously offered their time and support, allowing me to connect with resilient women who, despite immense challenges, work tirelessly to feed their families.

Every moment of this research felt deeply meaningful. My first interview was in the highlands of Misicuni with a young mother cradling her six-month-old baby, her responses translated by a dear friend from the food bank. Another took place at Oficina Jurídica de la Mujer, a food bank partner providing support to women facing violence. There, a mother of six, three with disabilities, conveyed an unshakable determination, explaining that the food aid helped her feel less alone as she focused on building the best possible future for her family.

In the urban community of Tikallajta, one of my last interviews was with a grandmother. With tears in her eyes, she expressed gratitude for the food bank’s aid, which eased the financial strain caused by her son’s cancer diagnosis. She described the carrots we had delivered — recovered just days earlier from a nearby agricultural community — as a blessing. She chopped them finely to fry, so her grandchildren believed it was meat, a luxury they could no longer afford.

Hearing these stories affirmed a core truth: we all hold immeasurable potential to profoundly better the human experience. My connections here are everlasting. What started as a three-month fellowship quickly became a lifelong commitment to the people and place that changed who I am. Now, graduating from Rice, I hope to return to live and work in Cochabamba, Bolivia. I am deeply grateful to be part of a university that not only nurtures our minds but also encourages us to be compassionate global citizens who better society across all borders.

-Neha, Lovett ‘26 (Published on 11/18/2025)