“Like many of my uOttawa peers, I was hoping to do an in-person international internship in my host country.”
Paige, International Economics and Development,
Canadian NGO: Centre d’étude de cooperation international (CECI)
Local NGO: Nepal Agriculture Cooperative Central Federation Limited (NACCFL)
Travelling to Nepal would have been a dream, but I knew that waiting for COVID-19 restrictions to lift could leave me without doing an internship during my undergrad altogether. After considerable experience working online in school and my co-op placements, I was confident I could handle an online internship as well. I knew this was a unique hands-on opportunity to learn about the international community while exploring my own interests and skills. So, I took the plunge and applied!
I’m currently enjoying my studies in International Economics and Development, and I was lucky enough to find an internship placement with the Nepal Agriculture Cooperative Central Federation Limited (NACCFL) which offers a mandate that closely aligns with my interests. The NACCFL primarily focuses their work on partnering with local smallholder farmers and encouraging their productivity and value-chain integration through agriculture, business, and technology training programs. They’ve also made considerable strides in policy lobbying for small farmer rights and the development of community welfare programs.
I strongly believe that dignified and community-based initiatives that can help all citizens access safe economic opportunities is how we can start to tackle the enormous global wealth gap we see today. International cooperation allows for idea and skill-sharing that can help ease these economic transitions. However, for this to be achieved, an intersectional approach must be taken. I’ve been blown away by NACCFLs commitment to inclusive and accessible community development. They are working diligently to ensure their programs target the most marginalized groups in Nepal (namely women, low-caste groups, LGBTQIA+ people, and Muslims). By taking a stance to minimize these exclusions, NACCFL is molding the social environment in Nepal into one that can offer more well-rounded prosperity.
While I’ve only completed 5 weeks of this internship so far, it has already opened my eyes to Nepal’s specific social, political, and economic environment. I have been working as a Documentation Officer to help guide efficient project management and reporting, as well as helping with their communications efforts–producing and distributing promotional materials. I took part in extensive trainings with my host-country colleagues who made me feel comfortable entering such an unpredictable online work environment. I’ve felt supported and appreciated every step of the way. I’m looking forward to continuing to help expand the size and scope of NACCFLs fantastic work!