Johania, International Studies and Modern Languages
Country of field placement: Bolivia
Canadian NGO: Center for International Cooperation Studies (CECI)
Local NGO: Instituto de Formación Feminina Integral (IIFI)
From January to April 2023, I had the chance and opportunity to do an international internship for an NGO through the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Ottawa. Certainly, during this period, I worked for an organization called “Instituto de Formación Feminina Integral” or “IFFI”. For those who haven't heard of it, IFFI is a non-profit organization that works mainly with women in the working-class urban areas of the Cochabamba metropolitan region in Bolivia. Indeed, it is renowned for its work on women's economic, social and political citizenship, political and social advocacy, and a gender-based approach to local management and development.
During my internship, I was able to gain both professional and personal experience. Firstly, from a professional point of view, my direct tasks consisted of updating the organization's website and updating the Facebook page for one of their campaigns. Also, indirectly, I acted as support for the organization when there were events such as workshops for women or a conference they held on Women's Day. It was an enriching experience! By working with this organization, I was able to learn a lot about women and their living conditions in Bolivia, and I was also able to share my knowledge. Indeed, as a newcomer with little information about the country when I arrived, I had a lot to learn. By understanding their culture and women's daily lives, I was able to better understand the organization I work for and their mission. In return, I was able to share my knowledge of technology and of Canadian operations and standards.
On April 8, we held a walk for women who do housework. It began with a conference with women sharing their experiences. There was a play demonstrating the inequality of women seeking work, and we ended with the city-wide march you can see in the photo on my blog.
During the presentation, IFFI Director Juana Olivera shared data on women during the COVID-19 pandemic. Basically, she shared a survey in which most women admitted that they did more housework during confinement, and that they were more tired staying at home than when they went to paid work. Then she discussed the importance of taking care of yourself, even if it's only 15 minutes a day. During her message, you could see the women's heads bobbing in agreement. There were also some who weren't so convinced, because after all, they thought, if they don't do the work, who will?
Finally, although we work five (5) days a week, weekends are our own and we can do a bit of sightseeing. If you go to Bolivia, I strongly advise you to do some sightseeing on weekends. In fact, Bolivia has some very nice tourist spots and beautiful views of nature, so make the most of them!