Obama-Chesky Voyager travels from Togo to Geneva to make a difference in health care

Liza Zaruba, a 2022–2024 Obama-Chesky Voyager, traveled from the small village of Agbelouve in Togo, a coastal country in West Africa, to Geneva, Switzerland, on a mission to tackle health inequality. This journey allowed her to deepen her passion for health care access and paved the way for her to bring change home.

Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky's $100 million donation to the Obama Foundation funds the Voyager Scholarship for Public Service Program, supporting U.S. college juniors and seniors pursuing public service careers. The program offers up to $50,000 in financial aid over two years, a $10,000 stipend for a self-designed Summer Voyage, and a 10-year travel stipend totaling $20,000, empowering recipients with financial relief, enriching travel opportunities, and a supportive network of mentors and leaders.

“Coming from a small town in Nebraska, my exposure to the world was limited,” she reflected. “This scholarship changed that entirely. What once seemed like a pipe dream became a tangible career path.”

Liza began her summer in Agbelouve, Togo, assisting Global Partners in Hope (Opens in a new tab) in distributing medical supplies. 

“The main purpose was to prep the clinic’s storage infrastructure and deliver materials to assist in the implementation of an operating room that can hopefully be used for C-sections at the clinic,” Liza shared.

Liza says the Voyager Scholarship broadened her horizons personally and professionally, connecting her with a network of changemakers.

“I leaned on my family and fellow Voyagers while navigating new countries and challenging issues. I realized that lasting change requires collective effort and engagement across sectors. This humbling experience gave me a new sense of purpose,” she reflected.

Her journey continued in Geneva, where she interned at Unitaid (Opens in a new tab), a partnership of the World Health Organization that provides new health products affordable and accessible in low- and middle-income countries. At Unitaid, Liza worked on intellectual property rights issues and access to medicines, focusing on creating a strategic framework to reduce barriers to affordable medicines.

“I was tasked with capturing Unitaid’s roles and results in eliminating intellectual property rights barriers to accessible and affordable medicines,” she explained. “In this role, I learned to advocate not only on the basis of morals, but also on the basis of development and economic incentives.”

Liza saw firsthand how both macro and micro-level interventions play crucial roles in public health. 

“In Togo, I grew immensely in my understanding of responsible international aid and creating sustainable health systems," she said. "Connecting my experiences in Togo and Geneva, I realized the importance of combining grassroots efforts with high-level policy changes.”

One of Liza's proudest moments during her Summer Voyage was presenting her strategic framework on reducing intellectual property rights barriers to the entire Unitaid staff and the Director General.

“I was amazed by the high attendance of the staff and the sheer amount of interest and inquiry my coworkers showed despite their decades of experience compared to me,” she said. “I remember thinking, as I presented the work and answered questions, 'This is what it feels like to hold a seat at the table.' A younger version of me would have never believed her life in that moment, and even now, I pinch myself in awe that I had that opportunity.”

Looking ahead, Liza plans to apply her skills in Chicago, where she will serve with Amate House and work as a health educator for Erie Family Health Centers (Opens in a new tab).

“After spending the next year working directly with communities, I plan to move to Baltimore to pursue a Master's in Global Health Economics from Johns Hopkins University," she said. "From there, I may pursue law school or a PhD, but I hope to ultimately work at an international agency or nonprofit to bridge countries together, creating more equitable trade agreements that lead to stronger and more equitable global health systems worldwide.”

Liza's advice to future Obama-Chesky Voyagers is to embrace the journey with boldness and humility.

“Be willing to step out of your comfort zone and ask questions, make mistakes, introduce yourself, ask for help, and come with an attitude of openness to it all," she advised. "This scholarship is a once-in-a-lifetime, entirely unique opportunity, so embrace it and be open to the ways it will shape you forever.”