I currently work on a development program in Afghanistan where one of my colleagues is called Sharif. I don’t know his last name but that’s not really important. What I do know is that he started working with us as a cleaner. For some reason he applied for a job as an admin clerk. He was interviewed and was offered the job.

It’s been a long time since I have seen anyone being this excited about landing a job as an admin clerk. I wish him all the best, but equally importantly I wish that more people in the West would ever be this excited and so proud about the opportunity to have a marginally better job and a chance to prove themselves and look after their families.

We can all learn so much from Sharif.

 Dr Natalie Schoon, CFA