Hometown: Ithaca, New York, USA
Major and class standing: French, graduated
Where you interned: Free Haven Community Initiative, Livingstone, Zambia
What was your internship title and role/responsibilities?
As an intern at FHCI, I was responsible for designing workshops and performing research. This research mainly involved fundraising by identifying potential donors and reaching out to them and by finding and applying for government grants in the US and Zambia.
How did you obtain your internship? What resources did you utilize to secure your internship?
I participated in the Global Remote Internship Program. The company Connect-123 found internships that matched my interests and career goals and I interviewed with each remotely.
What did your daily routine include?
Each day I would log in and check for messages from my supervisor. She was in the UK so I would often already have assigned tasks by 7 or 8 in the morning. Generally, these tasks would involve compiling a list of resources or organizations we could use or work with or reaching out to different organizations via email or phone. I would spend the next 2-3 hours researching or writing and send out a progress report before the end of the day. About once a week I would submit drafts of projects for feedback.
What was your least favorite part of the internship?
The biggest challenge of this internship was working with a team from many different time zones. It was difficult to get timely responses to questions or concerns. There were also many cases of poor internet connection in more rural areas which slowed down projects.
What skills did you learn and/or build upon during your internship?
I learned to be more patient with others and also gained confidence in my own abilities. Because so much of my work was done independently and without a lot of feedback I had to learn to take initiative and trust my own work. I also learned a lot about fundraising and what goes into hosting an online auction.
What did you learn about the industry or your career path as a result of the internship? What are your future plans?
I went into this internship with a curiosity about NGOs as a career path but with a lot of uncertainty about what I could contribute to this field. Through this internship, I learned that it takes many different types of people to run a successful NGO. I discovered how to best share my own strengths and how to celebrate the strengths of others. After this internship, I am sure that I will be looking for jobs with NGOs or other charitable organizations as it was a truly fulfilling and educational experience.
