Empowering a village: MSW student’s mission shifts from education to rescue and recovery
When second-year Master of Social Work (MSW) student William Hall boards a plane for Sri Lanka in January, he’ll travel nearly 9,000 miles from his home in Akron. In many ways, however, he’ll be stepping directly into the type of purpose-driven work for which he has spent years preparing.
Equipped with lessons learned at the Jack, Joseph and Morton Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences, Hall teamed up with two friends—fellow congregants of the Cleveland Buddhist Vihara and Meditation Center—to organize a two-week mission trip to Boralanda, a small village that has long lacked access to basic resources. Their intended plan was to hike to the remote jungle village to deliver not just school supplies, medical equipment and hygiene products, but lessons in the English language—an asset many Sri Lankan youth rely on to pursue higher education.
“Learning English is statistically the greatest asset for youth in Sri Lanka,” Hall explained. “It’s what allows so many to pursue advanced degrees and eventually visas, jobs and higher education in the United States.”
A shift in focus
Everything changed in early December when Cyclone Ditwah roared through Sri Lanka, killing hundreds of people and damaging or completely destroying thousands of homes. In response, Hall shifted his team’s focus to rescue-and-recovery work—a feat for which he’s uniquely prepared as a U.S. Army veteran.
“The community lost footbridges, access points, and many homes,” Hall said. “Our team quickly realized that getting basic supplies in is no longer enough.”
With extensive training in trauma, CPR and first-aid, he will teach families and community members in Boralanda how to provide emergency care—vital skills in an area so remote that medical services could take days to arrive.
“In a disaster zone, basic knowledge can save lives,” he said. “Increasing community resilience is just as important as delivering supplies.”
Despite this unexpected shift in his mission, Hall remains focused on his initial purpose, which is also what inspired him to pursue his MSW: international social work and community development.
“Even now, in the aftermath of disaster, this isn’t a story about deficits,” Hall said. “It’s about capacity. This is a village where an extraordinary number of people who immigrate eventually earn PhDs. The potential is already there—we’re just supporting access and opportunity.”
Applying lessons
Through the MSW program, Hall’s participation in a field placement with the SISGI Group—a national nonprofit focused on asset-based community development—has reinforced that philosophy. Under Managing Partner Cynthia Brown, PhD, Hall has helped expand remote ESL partnerships and build sustainable educational support systems.
Although his January trip will mark his first journey to Sri Lanka, Hall hopes it is the start of a long-term relationship—one that supports educational access, strengthens community networks, and builds bridges between Northeast Ohio and Sri Lanka.
“International work allows us to zoom out,” Hall said. “It helps us reframe how we can use our profession, how we can strengthen communities—not just at home, but globally.”
Hall sees the mission as both deeply personal and firmly grounded in his academic calling.
“It reflects everything the MSW program stands for: community support, asset framing, global perspective and real, tangible impact,” he said. “I’m grateful to be part of it.”
