" My internship with FSD was far more than I could have imagined. The wide range of experiences, many of which were outside of my comfort, helped me grow. Before my internship I was uncertain of my ability to learn a new language; I invested time to learn Luganda and reaped considerable benefits. I knew nothing about VSLAs or microfinancing prior to arrival. I consider my new knowledge as a helpful tool to combat poverty and prevent conflict in the future. My fondest memories will be the time I spent in Naluvule and with the FSD team. I was humbled by everyone I met. Learning Ugandan culture and exploring Jinja and Eastern Africa are things I never dreamt I’d do." I feel more confident and reaffirmed to take on project management following my graduation from Duke. I am adamant that my experiences will serve him well in life both personally and professionally.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this program in-person, despite all of the COVID-19 related challenges. Looking back on the past nine weeks, I am very proud of the work that has been accomplished, the skills and relationships I have been able to foster, and the way I have grown as a global citizen. Some of my favorite parts of my program have been FSD’s weekend retreat to Sipi, taking a boat ride on Lake Victoria and the Nile River, learning Ugandan sign language at Kyomya Primary School, exchanging recipes with my host family, and going on random adventures around Jinja. Getting to experience Uganda with all five senses, getting healthily pushed outside my comfort zone, and being fully immersed in a new culture has given me skills in cross-cultural communication, adaptability, open-mindedness, sustainable community capacity-building, monitoring and evaluation, and self-confidence that I am capable of growing wherever I am planted

The FSD Jinja In-person Internship Program was a life-changing experience that taught me invaluable lessons about the challenges and opportunities of social development in low-resource settings. Our program director wisely emphasized the value of learning from failures and obstacles in the field, even though I had trouble pursuing my learning objectives due to a lack of proper communication with our supervisor. The close contact with locals was one of the most enriching aspects of the experience. Working with locals has shown me the strength, creativity, and diversity of their culture. From these experiences, I learned the value of community-driven strategies and the significance of involving beneficiaries in decision-making for sustainable development projects.