Satya Byock '04

In December 2004, Satya Byock was at her grandmother’s home in San Diego, “ninety-nine percent of the way through Anna Karenina,” when Sri Lanka was devastated by a massive tsunami. Satya had earlier taught at a Buddhist preschool in Sri Lanka, and the disaster served as a wake-up call, spurring her to action and giving her a newfound purpose.

Satya, along with several other freelance aid workers, focused her relief efforts on a remote village on the island’s east coast. Although their lack of experience in aid work made the task extremely difficult, Satya and her team are proud of their accomplishments, which included pumping wells clear of seawater and moving refugees back into the village.

Previously, Satya worked in a prison in Bogota, Colombia, with Afro-Colombian prisoners on issues of nonviolence, black history, self-respect, and personal empowerment. In 2002, Satya spent a season in Sri Lanka volunteering at a Buddhist temple preschool, where she taught English-immersion kindergarten and English classes for adult villagers. Satya is currently the vice president of Education for Development, an organization committed to empowering individuals across the globe through educational programs.

(Posted August 2005)