Why We're There: Inspiring hope in South Africa

Today's guest blog is from Rob Friedman, senior director of executive communications at Lilly.This is the second of two blogs underscoring the importance of our corporate responsibility efforts alongside partners in economically challenged areas of the world. In his first blog, Rob details his first-hand encounter with people afflicted with tuberculosis in poverty-stricken areas of South Africa. Today's blog takes a look at rural and urban poverty and what Lilly and its partners are doing to improve diabetes care for those in need.

Last week, I wrote how a young South African tuberculosis patient's anguish over her disease and the recent death of her sister brought me to tears. A few days later, I felt tears again, but under very different circumstances. They reflected why, a week into my trip across South Africa, my outlook took a turn.

I’d seen poverty of a magnitude I’d never seen before in two different settings. Read more about Rob's experiences in Transkei and Zandspruit township.