Interning in Rwanda Through the JKW Fellowship (and meeting baby elephants!)

Fatu Amara, Verrazzano Class of 2020, Completed Major in Chemistry with Minors in Psychology and Political Science

Through the Jeannette K Watson Fellowship, I had the incredible opportunity of interning in Rwanda with the AVSI Foundation. I have a strong interest in working with a non-profit global health organization, and I knew Rwanda was the perfect learning environment to contribute and learn from different projects aimed at promoting public health and development initiatives.

AVSI Foundation is an international NGO that has operated in Rwanda since the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis. One of the projects I worked with was the UNICEF Early Childhood Development Project (ECD), and this project was established to prevent stunting and promote child rights in tea plantation areas in Rwanda. Conducting field visits to the ECD centers to ensure that they were implementing AVSI guidelines regarding health, nutrition, child safety, and protection was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my internship. I also enjoyed working on my writing and administrative skills through research, field reports, and public health outreach.

I worked with the Monitoring and Evaluations office to get a projection of the UNICEF Early Childhood Development Project’s impact in Gicumbi and Ruhango. I analyzed data from the field through the AVSI OVC Database system which was very insightful. These projections are critical in analyzing the potential of the project in reaching their targeted goals, and reasons for specific outcomes. Working with the M&E team was a great opportunity to explore different career options within the non-profit field. I learned tremendously from working with the Distance Support Project which aims at supporting vulnerable children with education, healthcare and all the resources needed for them to reach their fullest potential, as well as the CHE/RASKOB Project which aims at supporting vulnerable teenage mothers within rural Rwanda.

The people and work culture was the most magical part of interning abroad. Imagine living and working in a country you’ve never lived before and all the challenges that come with navigating life. However, the patience of my neighbors and co-workers tremendously supported me in understanding the Rwandan culture and navigating my way around the city. It took me a while to get used to taking the motorcycles to work every day, saying thank you in Kinyarwanda “Murakoze”, and comfortably eating isombe, but every moment spent in Rwanda was worth all the challenges. Visiting Akagera National Park in Rwanda, and Sheldrick Wildlife Trust in Nairobi was such an insightful experience regarding climate change and promoting efforts aimed at protecting endangered species.

Feeling homesick and experiencing language barriers were few of the culture shocks, but I developed so much growth, independence, and resilience due to these experiences. I’m still in awe of this amazing exposure, and I’m very grateful for such an enriching experience!