Year and programme of studies: 4th year. International Development and Globalization
Canadian host organization: AFS Interculture Canada
Local host organization: Center for Sustainable Transformation (CeST)
Job title: Intern
Host city and country: Accra, Ghana
Working in a foreign nation for three months has been one of my most adventurous decisions, and it has given me one of the most rewarding experiences in return. The local NGO - Center for Sustainable Transformation (CeST) that I intern for aims to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Ghana with a focus on the environmental aspect. Since I’m only volunteering there for a short period, I don’t have a specific role and mainly help out in all departments as much as possible.
For instance, in my third week of interning, I helped the operator of the eco-school and eco-campus program by researching the topic of SDG11- Sustainable Cities and Communities. I highlighted some points she could use for her presentation on the current situation of human settlement in Ghana and created and revised the comparison photo sets on sustainable housing, vehicles, and energy in Ghana for her presentation with descriptions for the photo sets. Sometimes, I assist with the organization’s social media page by editing short videos and posting captions. In one case, I edited videos on the adaptation of green energy in the Eco-schools, where a new member of the program has adopted a recyclable biogas system on their campus. The system uses the biogas produced by food waste for heating and could be installed on other campuses in the future. On Fridays, I go to a local elementary school in Gbekebii Jamestown to help with the teaching curriculum, where we raise students’ awareness of biodiversity through lectures and group projects.
In my spare time, I put my academic writing and research skills to use and produce articles on educational and environmentally related issues in Ghana for Young Reporters for Environment News (YRE News), which is one of CeST’s programs to engage with future journalists who are interested in environmental issues. I also took online courses on the Foundation for Environmental Education Academy (FEE Academy) website and tested my curriculum knowledge by posting discussion threads and completing quizzes. As a global resource platform for educators, the FEE Academy has equipped me with knowledge on outdoor learning, climate change, and biodiversity and helped me immensely in assisting with Friday’s teaching. However, professional engagements only scratched the surface of my experiences in Ghana, and more of the culture was shown to me when I took the trotro (local small bus) to work or went to the local markets to shop.
Overall, this international internship exercises me on multiple levels and broadens my perspective. Whether working on eco-school projects, helping at a local elementary school, or writing articles for the NGO’s news program, every facet of my stay in Ghana increased my perspective on global challenges. Beyond professional development, I also grew more independent and developed my risk management skills to avoid hazards. Personal contacts, such as riding trotros and exploring local markets, also increased my awareness of Ghanaian culture. This experience allowed me to see firsthand the complexity of identity intersectionality. Despite the difficulties of negotiating cultural differences and confronting preconceptions, the compassion and support from people around me made my stay unforgettable.