Marc-André, International Development and Globalization
Mines Action Canada
Afghanistan, Afghan Landmine Survivor Organization (ALSO)
As a student in International Development and Globalization, I am extremely happy to have secured an internship as part of my international study program. With the help of the Faculty staff, I obtained an internship with Mines Action Canada, which aligns with my particular interest in the Middle East and Asia. I have the opportunity to be a program support officer for the Afghan Landmine Survivor Organization (ALSO). I am currently in my sixth week of remote internship. The following paragraphs will allow me to describe my experience since the beginning of the process.
First of all, even before my internship started, the Faculty organized several meetings to clarify the structure and expectations for each intern participating in the program. I had no idea what to expect from this internship. However, after the meetings organized by the Faculty and Mines Action Canada, I had a clear idea of where to start. During these meetings, we covered topics such as learning work ethics, how to react in certain situations, how to manage stress, what to do if we run out of work, etc.
However, due to COVID-19, fully experiencing an internship abroad is almost impossible. This greatly affects the understanding of the challenges faced by the organizations that interns work with. In my case, I work with an organization that supports people with disabilities in Afghan society. ALSO has to intervene in situations that are quite uncommon for a Canadian citizen (for example, an Afghan woman who has repeatedly had rocks thrown at her by children because of her disability).
For now, the international internship has given me the chance to learn a lot about how an NGO operates and all the organizations involved in international disarmament. Moreover, this internship allows me to apply the knowledge gained during my undergraduate studies in a concrete and enriching situation.