On March 9, 2023, Aspire Institute Alumni Ambassadors alongside Dr. Kiran Agarwal-Harding hosted a gathering in Lilongwe. 19 alumni and five current participants came together for our inaugural in-person event in Malawi and the African continent. Many traveled from outside of the capital city for the chance to engage with their peers and Dr. Kiran Agarwal-Harding, co-founder of Harvard Global Orthopedics Collaborative, which builds orthopedic capacity through research, advocacy, and education in resource-limited communities in Africa and India.
Dr. Kiran J. Agarwal-Harding specializes in orthopedic surgery based in Boston, Massachusetts and affiliated with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. He is also Founder and President of SONA Global, an initiative supported by surgeons, traumatologists, engineers, global health specialists, students, and innovators who believe that safe and high-quality trauma and orthopedic surgery should be available to all people worldwide, regardless of country or context. They supply devices that help surgeons provide essential trauma care to the poor and vulnerable.
At this event, Dr. Agarwal-Harding and his colleagues spoke about their path and the journey of bringing business ideas to fruition, particularly in the realm of Public Health. They outlined their goals for the Harvard Global Orthopedics Collaborative, which is to be a leading non-profit organization in the effort to save lives and prevent disabilities by expanding access to acute fracture care. The team intends to continue building hubs for innovation. This includes establishing environments for education, advocacy, training and mentorship for young minds interested in medicine around the world. The hope is to develop systems that nurture local talent and empower them to deliver trauma care and services in low and middle income countries.
Through research grants, clinical training, and other career advancement opportunities, Dr. Agarwal-Harding and his local partners will bring modern fracture care to marginalized populations. Many of these communities are affected by loss of income due to injuries and disabilities caused by treatable bone fractures.
“It was so profound; very interactive and inspiring,” said Martin Manyozo, Aspire Leaders Program alumnus ‘22
Dr. Agarwal-Harding and his team encouraged the young Aspire alumni to support their local communities and spent the afternoon discussing their local context in further detail. It was an inspiring and encouraging day for everyone, including the alumni who organized the event.
