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From: Constance J. Freeman, Regional Director, IDRC
Date: 09 Aug 2007
Time: 03:37:46 -0400
Remote Name: 41.194.23.67
As the Regional Director of IDRC in the East and Southern AFrica Office located in Nairobi, I worked closely with Luis for six years. He was a wonderful colleague; wise, compassionate and very committed to his work. His passion for participatory development ran very deep. He understood better than many that participation takes time and patience -- qualities he diligently applied to the process. Luis was viewed by many as a father figure. He helped to found a number of organizations in East Africa including ASARECA and ECAPAPA. He had a strong influence on the African Highlands Initiative. Luis was a good and patient leader in his program of People, Land and Water but his real joy was was found in working directly on research management and development; work he did as a Program Officer. I never saw him happier than when he put down the mantle of "leadership" and reverted to doing the substantive work he liked best. We have missed having Luis with us during the last year while he bravely fought cancer in Chile but we still benefited greatly from him virtual inputs. Its hard to accept that those emails will no longer pop into my box. But I know that Luis's spirit is with us; urging us to keep faith with the participatory approaches he so strongly endorsed and to continue promoting the best kind of sustainable development. You are with us still Luis, and we hear your voice and advice as we continue the fine work that you began. Connie