Robin Wiszowaty

Born and raised in Schaumburg, Illinois, Robin Wiszowaty currently splits her time between Toronto and her adoptive home of Kenya. A motivational speaker, community development worker and author, Robin has devoted her life to helping others.

Her curiosity about the disjoint between international development theory and fieldwork brought her to various villages, tribes and non-governmental organizations throughout Kenya and neighbouring countries.

Suddenly she found herself spending her days hauling water, evading giraffes and living in a tiny hut made of cow dung with her adoptive family in a Maasai village. Immersing herself in their culture and communicating solely in Swahili,

she was forced to face issues she'd never considered: extreme poverty, drought, female circumcision, corruption-and discovering a love for a people in the most unexpected places. Since then, Robin has made Kenya her home, serving as the Kenya program director with Free The Children to implement long-term development projects in partnership with local communities. She also leads hundreds of people on international volunteer experiences each year. Drawing upon her fieldwork experience, Robin is able to share stories about the lives of rural Maasai community members.

Her recent book, a memoir of her experiences called My Maasai Life: From Suburbia to Savannah, explores the personal side of many African struggles.