As most of you have probably heard by now, I have been accepted to a six month internship program through an organization called the Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD). They offer a few different programs, but the internship appears to be very comprehensive with a combination of education, training, and hands on practical experience. In mid-September, I will arrive in Masaka, Uganda in Eastern Africa and will be there, working with a local NGO until March 2014. From the information provided to me so far by FSD, upon arrival an orientation week will occur for myself and the other interns in our area. This orientation week includes basic language training, information about the destination, safety and security training, and basic training in some areas of development that we will be exposed. After that first week, the other interns and I will be placed in our homestays and our host organizations (one intern per NGO) where we will conduct interviews of the employees to discover their mission, goals, and any issues they face in their work. This first 'work' week will also include training on developing a needs assessment that will be used to formulate a work plan for the project(s) I wish to pursue. Week 3 will include further training on writing grant proposals and will be spent finalizing the work plan for my remaining 5 months.
Although the interns will work at different locations, we will have regular meetings and a mid-term retreat together to discuss the work we and our organization are doing, brainstorm solutions to any problems we are facing, and discuss how best to ensure that our projects remain sustainable, both in the short-term while we are there and in the long-term after we've left. We will also be provided with various educational workshops and cultural activities to ensure we make the most of our time in country.
As my internship nears completion, I will be creating a final report that evaluates my project(s) in general and assess their impact, sustainability, and possibilities for expansion. This internship is an amazing opportunity for me to get valuable, hands-on experience in the field while also having the support of an established organization which will provide me with the education necessary along the way. This is going to be a very independent kind of job so it will test my critical thinking, creativity, and flexibility. Thankfully, I think that a lot of the experiences I have had so far, both in school, work, and everyday life have prepared me well to face these challenges.
My main goal throughout this internship will be not only to assess my personal strengths and weaknesses while attempting to make a difference in the community, but to get a realistic view of development work and whether it will be a feasible career option for me. As I've discussed with many of you, I am very interested in the field but worry about the logistics, politics, and general outcome of this type of work.
I think that's a long enough post for now so I'll end off with a hope that you can help me on this journey by donating some money using the donate button above. The donate button will redirect you to PayPal where you can use your bank account or credit card. I know most people don't have a lot of money to spare and I appreciate any amount you can give, whether it be $2 or $200. My program fee (which covers my homestay and meals, education and support materials, support from the organization, insurance, and a small seed grant that goes directly towards the project(s) that I implement is $8000 and I'm hoping I can raise at least half of that. For US citizens, FSD is a registered charity so any donations are tax deductible. If you wish to donate directly through them to receive a tax receipt, please let me know and I'll provide you with the necessary information on how to do that (do not donate through PayPal). I will be sure to keep this blog up to date so that you can see where your valuable money goes to along the way. Thank you for taking the time to read this and for all the support I've received so far!
