Natalie, Political Science
Country: Ghana
Canadian NGO: AFS Interculture Canada
Local NGO: Human Rights Advocacy Centre
WOW! Here we are, halfway through this incredible adventure, and if there were only one word to describe my experience so far, it would be... unexpected!
Don't get me wrong, the university has more than prepared us for this internship. Among other things, with the pre-departure training courses and by facilitating communication with one of the trainees from previous years. But I believe that the only real preparation for the unknown is to have solid contacts with what you know, and that's exactly what the university did.
Rapid communication with the University of Ottawa's internship supervisors ensured that we weren't totally unprepared for the experience. So even though we were plunging into the unknown, we knew that the people in charge were there, like pillows, to cushion the blow. The first six weeks were full of adjustments at work, where we were given new projects almost every week. I also had the opportunity to attend the wedding of my host family's only daughter. I realize that here, the church is a very important social network. In fact, it's at church that I've met most of my friends outside work. They have enriched my experience enormously, introducing me to all the local restaurants, universities and their Bible school, which is located in a mountainous area on the outskirts of the city, where the climate is more moderate and you can stargaze away from the city's light pollution. There's even an alligator cage and a land tortoise enclosure.
Honestly, I don't think three months is nearly enough time to get the full experience. In three months, we barely have time to establish a routine. I'm just getting used to this new life and now I have to leave! From a business point of view, three months doesn't give us enough time to start and complete a project. To carry out a project in the sphere in which our organization operates, we have to research the problem we're trying to solve. Then, with the data gathered, apply for a grant. Unfortunately, quarterly internships are a great help in launching initiatives, but they don't allow interns to see the final results. I'm really grateful to be able to do a field internship rather than a virtual one. It gives me a better understanding of the work my host organization does.
I'm an intern at the Human Rights Advocacy Centre (HRAC). It's an organization that fights for human rights. In my host country, there isn't much data and statistics available on these subjects. So, for each new project HRAC undertakes, it must first carry out in-depth research into the phenomenon. As a result, they've been trying to build a database on LGBTQ+ minorities for several months now. They are also doing research into gender-based violence (GBV) to better direct their future projects. I had the chance to meet friends who work for a marketing firm who informed me that the lack of data is something that complicates the realization of advertising for them too. I've also met several religious leaders in a church that collects a lot of data, and I've seen how not only do their projects move quickly, but they're also perfectly adapted to their needs, which means success is almost guaranteed. Being in the field allows me to better understand the “why” of the organization, and why the NGO works the way it does. It's a source of motivation for me to get fully involved in the “how” of solving the problem.