Experiences

"My name is Elisabetta and I am a first-year student in the Master's program of Natural Resource Management for Tropical Rural Development at the Università degli Studi di Firenze.

I have chosen this program because of my genuine interest in forestry and environmental sciences and, more specifically, because of my recent experience in Mozambique as a young forestry technician. I come from a small village of the Dolomites, in Northeastern Italy. Since childhood I have felt a strong connection to the land, especially when I am outdoors doing manual activities. I enjoy working outside and taking care of plants and animals.

Connecting to a place means connecting with the land as well as with the people who inhabit it. I am keen on taking the time to hear the stories and understand the traditions of the people. 

I believe that even the most insignificant corner of the earth has the potential to be a mirror of the world and a theatre of humanity.

I’m strongly convinced in the authenticity and power of the rural areas. And I do think that a real change and development will occur only if the science and the knowledge is truly spread among the people, starting from the latest." 

My name is Eleonora Forzini, I am a student of the Master course “Natural Resources Management for Tropical Rural Development” of the university of Florence.  I’ve chosen this course because I’m very interested in ecology, sustainable development and I love discover cultures and learn languages different from mine. In particular, I chose the curriculum “Land and Water” because during an experience in Tanzania I was very impressed by the difficulty in accessing fresh water. I believe that guarantee this right to everyone is as important as urgent, and this objective can be reached combining new technologies with traditional techniques that characterize the various regions of the world.

Water harvesting has always aroused my curiosity, so now I am developing my MSc thesis about fog water collection for domestic purposes in a rural area of Bolivia, with which I won also the “Giovanni Lorenzin Award” for thesis related with projects of water management in developing countries. I look forward to discovering how to apply what I studied and to learn more about these relevant topics.