The third cohort of virtual internships has come to its end and we are sooo proud of all 23 INCREDIBLE Indigenous interns who came ready to learn, create, share, connect, and have fun!!
For three months, this amazing cohort worked with our Zambian partner organization, Women for Change. They learned about the work Women For Change does in Zambia, had field days in Lundazi and Mumbwa, took Nyanja language lessons, and had culture-sharing sessions. The whole team pulled out all the stops to make this internship exciting, engaging and education!
✨We are so looking forward to welcoming cohort 4 next week, who will be working alongside Ugandan partner Environmental Women for Action in Development. We can’t wait to share their journey with you, but first, let’s look back on cohort 3✨
The interns jumped right into it! They got to know each other by playing language bingo, participating in wisdom sessions with Elders, creating River of Life drawings, and hanging out at Storytelling nights.
The interns got to learn from so many incredible people, including Paula Tait who led a powerful Indigenous Governance workshop.
Women for Change took the interns on tours of Mumbwa and Lundazi, sharing their knowledge, culture, and daily lives! The interns were total champs with the early wake-up calls, open and ready to soak it all in.
“With complete confidence, being an intern this summer was a paramount experience in my life on many fronts. I got to learn, explore, and meet other folks from the African continent that I only had the opportunity to dream about until the internship. I also got to unpack aspects, qualities, and values regarding myself. As youths, we are perplexed by questions of “who we are” and “what we want to do in life.” Although I have yet to figure this out entirely, I view myself as someone who desires to extend compassion and empathy; I am motivated to pursue a career that aligns with what I have realized through the internship. Most significant for me were the new friendships. No one is alarmed by the reality that we are amid a global pandemic. The products of the pandemic have impacted every one of us. For me, I struggled profoundly with isolation. The internship facilitated a space that not only cultivated new bits of knowledge but also fostered a safe space to form connections with folks who I can now proudly call my friends. Thank you to everyone who was a part of this internship!”
“I would say, the internship is a unique opportunity to grow personally and learn of world issues. Being knowledgeable about the three main cross-cutting issues is an opportunity to participate on the international stage. While at the same time, can allow someone to be mindful of the impact of the three cross-cutting issues has on a person’s own community.”
We are sending a HUGE congratulations to Cohort 3!! We are SO PROUD of you all and we wish you all the best on your journeys! 🧡
