“You cant change the world”

Prior to my experience with Duke Engage and the Foundation for Sustainable development, I repeatedly was told not to expect big changes, that as an intern here for only one summer that I wouldn’t be able to make any big changes.  Again and again I was told that as an intern any progress would be small, and would be slow. 

I understand why they sent us off with this message- they didn’t want us getting discouraged when we were unable to achieve big results.  Or worse, they didn’t want us to make the situation worse by charging in, seeing ourselves as the saviors, here to single handedly save the world.  I agree that it was important for us to come in intending to humbly serve, to come in listening to others instead of imposing our plans. 

But I think that it’s a careful line to walk.  It’s important to make sure that we come humble, but it’s equally important to strike a balance between humility and initiative.  I think between the Duke Engage Academy and the Foundation for Sustainable Development’s orientation, I came in a little too timid. 

The first week I just observed my organization like I had been told.  The second week I tried to start doing needs assessment, but didn’t push to get the necessary meetings with the people I needed. Some VIPs from Nairobi were visiting, and so I was unable to meet with anyone. I just sat back, careful to not impose myself on anyone.  I was taking a backseat, listening, observing rather than being proactive and demanding the meetings I needed.  As a result, by the end of the week I was not in a position where I felt ready to write down my work plan. 

If I were to go back in time, I would approach my internship more aggressively.  I would have been more assertive in the beginning.  With only 9 weeks in Kenya, being too hesitant, cautious in the beginning has made the last weeks of my internship jam-packed.  I needed to hit the group running, and I think that being told being told so many times that our time and effort here would result in only minor differences didn’t put me in a confident frame on mind.

Furthermore, I disagree with the notion that we’ll only be able to make small changes.  If I am successful in expanding the mushroom farming project, they will have a large, steady stream of income with which they will be able to pay school fees for disabled children, and fund other programs like VCT (voluntary counseling and testing for HIV/AIDS) for the deaf.  And I think that the other interns here have also done projects that will have a real impact, even larger than the mushroom business.  Nate has done a study examining the high rate of default within his microfinance organization, from which he has developed a set of policy recommendations to improve the unacceptably high default rate.  Arjun has trained the hospital staff in emergency medical response and equipped the hospital with the necessary equipment to respond to trauma cases.  Emily has started a program called pads for progress, where girls in the schools that her organization supports will receive reusable pads.  Sanitary napkins are rare and expensive, so most of the time girls end up missing school while they are on their periods.  Imagine how hard it is to stay up to date on your studies if you are missing one out of every four weeks.  With Emily’s program, these reusable pads are being made by a group of students selected from a millinery school, who will now have a source of income.  As a result of her program, not only are girls now able to keep up in school, but also another group of girls are now able to be financially independent. You can learn more about work at the hospital and pads for progress at their blogs (lskoiwenwag, and awoeingalskedng). 

I’ve really been impressed by the work that the other interns have done, and I think it was selling us short to repeatedly tell us beforehand that we would be incapable of making significant, lasting improvements.  It’s important to value even the tiniest steps forward, but that doesn’t have to come at the price of forgoing the bigger projects.