World Class: Pablo Saavedra Plans to Leverage a Prestigious Job to Help Poor Countries
During his stint as a banker in Bolivia, one of Latin America’s poorest countries, Pablo Saavedra gained an intimate understanding of the economic challenges facing the developing world. He learned that one of the biggest problems for many nations is the concentration of resources in politically influential urban areas — resources that aren't often shared with poorer, more remote sections of the country.
Motivated to help Bolivia and other developing nations, Saavedra earned a master's degree in 2001 from Georgia State's Andrew Young School of Policy Studies and plans to complete a doctorate in public policy this spring. But Saavedra is now more well-positioned than ever to effect change after becoming the first Georgia State student to win a coveted spot in the Young Professionals Program of the World Bank — a development organization that provides loans, policy advice and other resources to more than 100 countries.
Competition this year for the prestigious program was fierce: Out of 9,300 applicants from around the world, only 35 people made the cut. "It's a great honor," says Saavedra (M.S. '01), who moved to Washington, D.C., for the job with his wife, Victoria (M.S. '04), a native of the former Soviet republic of Belarus. "In the field of development, the World Bank is one of the best places to be. You just may have the chance to make a difference."
Though aid to poor countries often arrives as food or medicine, Saavedra's studies have taught him that the most efficient way to help these nations is to change how their governments function. For example, helping nations fix their budget processes can reduce corruption, leaving more money with the people, he says. As part of the World Bank program, Saavedra is helping such countries as Russia, Bulgaria and Uzbekistan with fiscal decentralization, the fair and equitable distribution of funds from central to local governments.
Though he plans to continue working for the World Bank, Saavedra hopes to spend at least a few years helping the Bolivian government. "When you work in economic policy," he says, "it's important to give back to the government of your own country."