About me | Leonardo Solano

           Since the very beginning of my career in advertising and marketing, I felt empty professionally. While many of my ex-classmates were working happily in advertising agencies, designing materials to promote consumer products and services, I found myself constantly struggling with what it was that I truly wanted to do with what I had learned, and with my interest in communicating.

            After doing commercial work as a freelancer in both Costa Rica and later in Canada, I was given the opportunity to travel to Mozambique to work for a public health non-governmental organizations as part of a Canadian government cooperation project. My work in Mozambique was by far the most satisfying professional experience I have had. Long hours on unreliable public transportation to get to work, temperatures of over 40 degrees Celsius, and the need to learn Portuguese in order to function in a cultural context completely new to me allowed me to truly discover what it is that I know how to do, and how I could use my education and experience to do work that mattered. My work in Mozambique has played a crucial role in shaping my goals for the future, as it made it clear to me that my professional calling is to use my skills in the promotion of development. My only regret is that I didn’t realize it sooner!

           Currently I am working as a Content Manager for The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies in Geneva. We are developing a website made in Drupal that aims to be the main resource in shelter for people working in projects all over the world, including in the field. This website will have very innovative features for users and members when it goes live at the end of August.

I was born and raised in Costa Rica, so I am well acquainted with the realities of poor countries, especially the huge hurtles that exist in order for communities to overcome social marginalization. I also know that in the global south, our governments can often do very little in order to respond with long term, sustainable alternatives in the context of scarce resources and infrastructure. However, I strongly believe in the power of communication to reinforce initiatives the promote peace and development. My passion is social advertising and the power of bringing together my knowledge of design, advertising, communication, and marketing in order to work toward social change.