Sustainability lessons from London and the Pandemic
20 June 2020
Helen’s book inspired by UCL course
![Helen’s painting based on the poem and sketch she made for her last post for Africa's Water Women Sustainability lessons from London and the Pandemic](https://www.ucl.ac.uk/geography/sites/geography/files/styles/large_image/public/sustainability_lessons_from_london_and_the_pandemic.jpg?itok=BoqhcWxE)
In the autumn term of 2019, Helen De Graaff was at UCL as an exchange undergraduate student from Utrecht University.
Professor Richard Taylor’s course, 'Water and Development in Africa', including the experience of writing a continuing blog, convinced her that there are many ways to engage the public with science.
So, in response to a creative challenge from her Utrecht honours programme:
‘‘I decided to write a book from a very personal perspective, to try to engage readers and the public with sustainability and other life lessons in a new way.
"At university, I normally write essays and papers, but writing this book showed me new perspectives on how to share experiences.
"Thank you for the inspiring course, and the opportunity to write a blog about Water and Gender"
The book, 'We, Together, and I', is a stream of consciousness reflecting on life and lessons on sustainability from 2019 London, Helen’s period at UCL, and the 2020 corona pandemic, also exploring her imaginations about the future.
The paperback version of the book is available at bookstores in the Netherlands and Belgium, and the e-book is available at Kobo.