Shuhan Shi, Honours Bachelor of Arts in Psychology
Internship country: Ghana
Canadian NGO: AFS Interculture Canada
Local NGO: Fafali Organization
When I first came to Ghana for my internship, I expected most of my learning to happen through formal activities, discussions, and the responsibilities assigned to me at my host organization. Instead, some of my most meaningful experiences have come through something much simpler: participating in sports activities with children and young people.
During my internship at Fafali Organization, I became involved in Fit4Fun, where physical activities and sports are used to engage children and young people. Fafali describes sport as an important part of its approach to youth development, using physical activity not only for fitness but also as an entry point for broader educational and social engagement.
For me, sport became particularly interesting because it creates a very different environment from a traditional classroom. During a game, participants have to communicate, cooperate, make decisions, respond to mistakes, and encourage one another. These interactions happen naturally rather than because someone is explicitly teaching a lesson about teamwork.
As a psychology student, this made me think about concepts that I have encountered throughout my studies, particularly motivation, confidence, social interaction, and group dynamics. These concepts can sometimes feel abstract when discussed in a classroom. Seeing them emerge naturally during a sports activity made them much more concrete for me.
I also noticed that sport can create opportunities for people with different personalities and abilities to participate in the same activity. Someone may not be particularly comfortable speaking in a classroom, but they can become much more engaged once they are moving, playing, and interacting with others. The activity provides another way for people to communicate and connect. My experience with sport also made me think about empowerment, particularly in relation to the Girls Empowerment program at Fafali. Currently, sport is part of the activities I have participated in through Fit4Fun, while the Girls Empowerment program has focused more on topics such as equality and emotions. I started wondering whether sport could eventually become another way to explore these topics with girls.
For example, I became interested in the possibility of introducing volleyball into Girls Empowerment in the future. I see volleyball as more than simply a physical activity. It requires communication, cooperation, confidence, and trust in other people. These qualities could potentially complement discussions about equality and emotional development. At the same time, I have learned that having an idea does not necessarily mean that it should immediately be implemented. As an international intern, it can be tempting to arrive with ideas based on my own experiences and assume that they will automatically be useful. My experience at Fafali has taught me that meaningful contribution requires first observing what is already happening, understanding the goals of an existing programme, and listening to the people involved. This has changed how I understand my role as an intern. At the beginning, I thought that contributing meant bringing something new to the organization. Now I am beginning to see contribution differently. Sometimes it means introducing an idea, but sometimes it means participating in an existing activity and thinking carefully about how my own skills and interests can complement what is already there.
Sport has also helped me connect with people beyond formal working relationships. During my internship, I have spent a significant amount of my free time with international volunteers and students from different countries. Some of them have only joined our projects temporarily, but participating in activities together has created opportunities to connect very quickly. A shared game can make differences in language, culture, and background feel much less significant.
This has been particularly meaningful to me because I came to Ghana not only to gain professional experience, but also to learn how people from different backgrounds interact and build relationships. Sport has provided a very natural way of doing that. You do not necessarily need a long conversation to connect with someone; sometimes communicating through a game, encouraging a teammate, or simply celebrating a successful play is enough to create a connection. Ultimately, my experience with sport has changed the way I think about its role in community work. I used to primarily see sports as something I enjoyed personally. Now I see that it can also be a tool for participation, connection, confidence, and empowerment.
My biggest lesson so far is that meaningful contribution does not always begin with introducing something completely new. Sometimes it begins with participating, observing, listening, and understanding what is already there. Only then can I begin to think about what I can genuinely add.