I have officially started interning full time now that rural week and classes are over. This past week I have taught the three hour English class to the level three students each day, helped them to memorize and recite poetry for a competition and performance in December, worked with participants more on the newsletter, edited program reports, and worked on organizing files for the case-management team. Being at Heshima everyday has really allowed me to get more fully involved with the organization and get to know the participants, especially my students, better. From practicing conversations with my group and hanging out with several students after class, I have gotten to know more of their stories, their aspirations, and their daily lives. I have also gone from being “Mzungu” to being Bailey or Teacher. As insignificant as this may seem, I truly see it as a transformation. Just them knowing my name or my position in the organization, I am seen as a person to be respected rather than the random white girl that used to be there one day a week. Progress. I still have a long way to go in doing something tangible for this organization, but I definitely feel like I am on the right track.
During this week I have I have also gotten a better glimpse into some of the inefficiencies and frustrations of working for a nonprofit in a developing country. During the past week there were two days that my internship boss just did not show up and did not let any of the other staff members know. Her absence changed the way a lot of the daily programs had to be run and made it really difficult for me to do my work. She is the only one with keys to the resource center, where the computers, books, textbooks are kept. Without access to these I had to come up with a three-hour English lesson on the spot and had to cancel the journalism group since they couldn’t use the computers to type their stories. It also resulted in a lot of time when I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. But during this time I have gotten to know the Case-Management team and was able to help them out a little. There have definitely been frustrations but overall I am loving my experience and am so excited to have the opportunity to work on the ground with the kind of organization I would love to work for in the future. This experience has definitely shaped the specific direction of my interests and I hope to be able to pursue the gendered nature of refugee issues and the development and rebuilding that comes after displacement more in my studies and in my work experiences.
During this week I have I have also gotten a better glimpse into some of the inefficiencies and frustrations of working for a nonprofit in a developing country. During the past week there were two days that my internship boss just did not show up and did not let any of the other staff members know. Her absence changed the way a lot of the daily programs had to be run and made it really difficult for me to do my work. She is the only one with keys to the resource center, where the computers, books, textbooks are kept. Without access to these I had to come up with a three-hour English lesson on the spot and had to cancel the journalism group since they couldn’t use the computers to type their stories. It also resulted in a lot of time when I had no idea what I was supposed to be doing. But during this time I have gotten to know the Case-Management team and was able to help them out a little. There have definitely been frustrations but overall I am loving my experience and am so excited to have the opportunity to work on the ground with the kind of organization I would love to work for in the future. This experience has definitely shaped the specific direction of my interests and I hope to be able to pursue the gendered nature of refugee issues and the development and rebuilding that comes after displacement more in my studies and in my work experiences.