Emerging Destinations Bids Heartbroken Farewell to Young Humanitarian

Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, was recently devastated by a four-day assault on a popular, upscale mall. The terrorist siege left many dead and many more wounded. Among those killed in the violence was a dear friend to the Emerging Destinations staff, Ross Langdon. The talented young architect and his pregnant girlfriend Elif Yavuz, a recent Harvard public health PhD graduate, were caught up and tragically killed in the shootings.

More information on Ross and the tragedy in Nairobi can be found at http://bit.ly/198OCpL.

Ross was a talented, passionate and kind young architect, who shared a love of Africa and helping Africans. His humanitarian efforts touched lives in Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania. This past year, Ross was featured at TEDxKrakow in Poland where he presented a project called the Rusty Roof Exchange. The purpose of the project was replacing the roofs of five impoverished family homes, two primary schools and one mosque in Kyambura, Uganda. He was described by colleagues as profoundly talented and full of life, enriching the lives of all those around him.

Ross at TEDxKrakow in Poland

Ross and Elif’s passion for Africa and helping Africans influenced many people across continents throughout their lives. A fund has been set up in their memory and honor through The Dreike Scholarship Fund. The fund supports a scholarship to further the studies and development of a Ugandan or Rwandan student in the creative fields. The donation site for the fund can be found here:

http://bit.ly/19RIza1
We at Emerging Destinations would like to extend our sincerest condolences to Ross’ family and friends and hope that his influence continues to spread the world over for years to come.

Thank you.