Samira, Economics and International Development,
Alternatives, Democratic Republic of Congo,
Solidarité des femmes pour le développement intégral (SOFEDI)
Having grown up in a country considered underdeveloped, I was quick to understand the contours and depths of this aid. However, in the course of my university studies, I developed a keen interest in gender studies, which led me to apply for an international internship with the NGO Alternatives in partnership with the DRC-based SOFEDI, which campaigns for the rights of women working in the mines and for access to sexual and reproductive health. When I learned that my application had been accepted, I was very happy and excited to begin this experience, which I personally called the ideal internship in view of my growing interest in gender relations.
Doing my internship remotely, due to restrictions linked to the Covid 19 pandemic, I had to ask myself what the ideal internship was for me, and I found myself listing these elements among others: having perfect communication with representatives of the local and Canadian NGO, having real-time information on the issues facing women working in a field considered masculine in the region where my internship was taking place, being involved in the development of procedures/programs concerning the NGO. For me, the ideal internship was a perfection that I had built up before I even started.
A little over a month into my internship, I can say that, beyond my own perfectionist expectations, adaptation has been my greatest asset. The representatives of the local NGO, the Canadian NGO and the faculty supervise us to the best of their ability, but I'd say that achieving the objectives we've set ourselves depends largely on our ability to go out and find the information we're looking for, and on staying motivated all the way, even when we're behind our screens.
The ideal internship is one where I can adapt.