Manchester Magazine manchester magazine fall 2019 for joomag | Page 21

MU | F e a t u r e s
“I find the region extremely fascinating,” from foreign policy
to humanitarian issues. “There’s
so much need and there’s so much
worth engaging in.”
Most of all, the people inspire him.
“What I find most remarkable is
their resilience,” says Wagner. “They
might have lost a lot but they get on
with their lives. It’s what makes the
work we do important. Knowing
what can happen if the right
investments are made, it’s awesome.”
It’s an unlikely journey for a
Manchester-educated accountant,
but one Wagner says he chose
because of his Manchester
experience and friends like Lohitai.
“It’s the diversity that exists at
Manchester, diversity of thought, diversity of pretty much
everything. Manchester was instrumental in opening this door
and, for that, I am super grateful.”
By Melinda Lantz ’81
Michael Wagner ’04, ’05 M.Acct., (pictured on Page 19) works in international development and
humanitarian assistance in Africa and his photos provide a snapshot of his experiences there. Clockwise
from left: South Sudanese use a hand pump to collect clean water; a settlement camp of displaced
persons in South Sudan; a classroom in Kibera, the largest slum in Nairobi, Kenya, and the largest urban
slum in Africa; Sudanese refugees waiting for planes to drop food commodities; and Michael awaiting his
next flight with the United Nations Humanitarian Air Service on an airstrip in South Sudan.
Manchester | 21