Malawi 2004-2005

 

From August 2004 to January 2005, I was a CSIH intern in Lilongwe, Malawi. My experience was enriching and exciting.  During my placement with the Salama SHIELD Foundation (SSF), I co-managed a popular education project with faith based organizations, in the area of HIV/AIDS.

 

...My CSIH internship has provided me with the opportunity to develop a range of professional skills as well as personal growth, not to mention travel to a great part of the world. Living and working in Malawi has proven to be challenging, revelatory and rewarding.  I have gained a greater appreciation for the struggles faced by people that are often only read about in newspapers, or seen on TV.  I have also developed excellent on-the-job trouble-shooting skills that can be applied to any setting. I am grateful to CSIH and SSF for the experience and the skills acquired during my internship

 

Lorenzo Nicolet
Malawi, 2004-2005

 

...Personally, I can say that I learned a lot during those 6 months – about HIV/AIDS, about Malawi and southern Africa, about International Development, and about both human suffering and human strength and will.  I certainly have a lot more to learn, and the experience has made me decide that I want to pursue a career in International Development. It has also given me some practical experience and has reconfirmed my interest in learning about, and living in, other cultures. I am now considering some post-graduate programs that will help me to specialize in particular areas of development work ... I believe that my internship will help me as I pursue these experiences, and as a word of advice to upcoming interns, if you want to continue in International Development as a career I advise that you try to take advantage of any opportunities that you may find while away on your trip. The more skills gained (and the more time you spend “in the field”), the better.

 

Danielle Cullimore
Malawi, 2004-2005

Thailand 2004-2005

 

"My internship with the UNDP South East Asia HIV and Development Programme (UNDP-SEAHIV) was an invaluable learning experience. I was fortunate to work with - and learn from - highly knowledgeable and dedicated experts in the field of international health and development. A major highlight was the opportunity to represent UNDP-SEAHIV as a delegate at the XV International AIDS Conference in Bangkok, Thailand, where I attended presentations by some of my most admired leaders, including Stephen Lewis, Sonia Ghandi, Nelson Mandela, Kofi Annan, Mary Robinson and Paul Farmer."
 

Jessica White
Thailand, 2004-2005
 

 

Mali 2004-2005

 

 

 "In May, 2004 I accepted a CIDA-funded internship with the Canadian Society for  

 International Health to work in Bamako, Mali with the Association malienne pour la

 protection et promotion de la famille a grassroots reproductive health NGO. My role there  as "Youth HIV/AIDS Advisor" was to guide young adults in HIV/AIDS and reproductive  health education.

 ... Having studied International Public Health, this internship was a fantastic opportunity to  be able to apply my theoretical knowledge and to gain insights into the challenges that  face small-scale NGOs. I hope to be able to take the experiences gained in West Africa  and apply them to future jobs that I hold both in Canada and abroad."

 

Kim Rotstein
Mali, 2004-2005
 

Paraguay 2004-2005

 

 

"Ce fut pour moi un privilège de participer au Programme de Stages Internationaux. En faisant partie de la prestigieuse organisation qu’est l’Organisation Panaméricaine de la Santé (OPS/OMS) au Paraguay, j’ai non seulement eu la chance de travailler conjointement avec des professionnels de la santé dont l’expérience en Amérique latine est impressionnante, mais cette opportunité m’a également permis de mieux me découvrir en tant que professionnelle.

 

...L'expérience m’a aidée à mieux comprendre mes propres valeurs professionnelles, mes attentes ainsi que mes critères de satisfaction, ce qui a conséquemment contribué à me connaître davantage et à renforcer ma confiance en moi."


Sophie Roy
Paraguay, 2004-2005
 

 

Ethiopia 2004-2005

 

"The opportunity to work with the International Organization for Migration in Addis Ababa was invaluable both educationally and in providing me with further career skills and direction ... Educationally, this experience forced me to translate my very theoretical university education into practical terms. I gained invaluable insight into the realities of working in the field of human rights at both the grassroots and large organizational level and my career goals have become much clearer to me ... Participating in this internship enhanced my cross-cultural understanding and communication in the workplace, flexibility and patience when carrying out work-related activities and a more holistic understanding of development and human rights issues at the implementation level. I grew both personally and professionally through this internship and would recommend this program to anyone looking to begin their career in this field."


Kate Baillie
Ethiopia, 2004-2005

 

CSIH