Confronting abject poverty in LMICs can be humbling,
highly distressing, and overwhelming. V.L. struggled
with seeing very young, disfigured children begging for
money, and S.P. encountered challenges coping with
the high infant mortality rate that affected friends and
colleagues. For all authors, the stark contrast between
the “haves” and the “have-nots” was profound.
Although extremely difficult, witnessing the effects of
poverty firsthand can strengthen one’s resolve and add
enhanced purpose and meaning to the research
project.