I am an undergraduate student going into my second year, pursuing a Joint Honours in International Development and Environment. I moved to Montreal a year ago from Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, and I have been completing my internship remotely.
I completed my internship at People in Need (PIN) – Mongolia, a non-profit based in the Czech Republic with regional offices in various countries. PIN focuses its efforts on both emergency responses and long-term projects addressing poverty and supporting civil society. In Mongolia, PIN has carried out more than 12 major projects. These include advocating for greater access to healthcare for remote populations, educational programs for children with limited access to schools, and a fundraising campaign for vulnerable families during the pandemic.
I was interested in interning at PIN because I wanted to learn the logistical side of how projects go from an idea to being funded and implemented. I wanted to learn how their initiatives are evaluated and how their efforts translate to tangible results. Further, I wanted to gain insight into how international organizations work with local communities and governments. Through my courses at Ã山ǿ¼é, I have been introduced to development discourse that is disapproving of international institutions for implementing paternalistic methods of operation in the developing world. I wanted to recognize this discourse and have a critical and objective view of how an organization such as PIN fits into this conversation.
As an intern, my responsibility was mainly to assist the operating team of around a dozen people in the various projects, proposals, and campaigns the organization was carrying out. This included translation, editing reports, writing newsletters, and aiding in proposal writing. The main channel of communication between me and the PIN team was via email and Skype.
One highlight of my internship was attending some of the team’s weekly calls, where everyone gives updates on their respective projects and outlines the next steps. Though I found the pace of the meeting hard to follow in the beginning, I learned about meeting etiquette, flow, and moderation. It was also inspiring to see the variety and breadth of the organization’s work.
Another highlight of my internship was getting to know the team members personally, as one-on-one meetings allowed me to ask questions about why they chose to work in the non-profit sector and what they think of development discourses. These conversations were rewarding not only from an academic and professional perspective but also personally, as I navigate my own university career and start to plan for my future.
The main challenge that I encountered concerned communication. The remoteness and time difference made it difficult to collaborate efficiently, as my working hours were different from the office’s. However, I eventually settled into the rhythm of the office’s working hours and adjusted mine. Some of the team members were also accommodating to my working hours.
Another challenge I encountered was with doing busywork. Even though the organization operates in Mongolia, so much of the international funds they apply to or the organizations they work with communicate in English. This creates a lot of English to Mongolian (and vice versa) translation work to be done. Though a good exercise, it was not my favorite task. I got around this challenge by asking for more balanced tasks. For example, in one week, I would have a translation assignment and a report to look over.
I am not receiving credit for this internship, but it has definitely affected the path of my university career. I have confirmed my interest in the non-profit sector and found that the answers to the questions I had when I began my internship are not very clear-cut. The relationship between international organizations and host countries are so varied and context-specific that I cannot make generalized statements from this one example. What I can say is that everyone works passionately, and they have inspired me to put more of my heart into my work.
I have also gained an interest in public and global health during my internship, as I learned more about inequalities in access to healthcare. I’m taking PPHS 510 Introductions to Global Health in the fall semester as a result.
This internship experience would have been impossible if not for the funds provided by the The McDonald Currie Fund for International Management and Development Internship Award. Mr. George Currie, I am deeply grateful for your generous donation. I was able to focus on my internship even in these uncertain times when so many have suffered a harsh financial blow. Thank you also to the AIO for connecting me with such a wonderful opportunity.
