By Rachel Yordy, MEDA Egypt intern
It all started in May 2007. A friend and I were visiting her new in-laws in rural Tibet when I woke up one morning reeling from a vivid dream. In it, I was at an internet café scanning the Canadian Government’s Youth Internship website. In waking life I had been checking this website regularly, looking for a position for the fall of 2007 in non-formal education, youth empowerment, or child rights in Africa. In my dream, MEDA had posted their internships, and there was the ‘perfect’ one for me. I needed to apply for it… urgently!
It was two days before I made it to an Internet café, but, to my amazement, everything began to unfold just like in my dream. I came across MEDA’s child rights research associate position with the Promoting and Protecting the Interests of Children Who Work (PPIC-Work) Project in Egypt, and was immediately interested. I applied for it on the spot. Within 24 hours I heard from MEDA, and had an interview lined up. Weeks later I was making plans to move to the land of the Pharaohs to help establish programming for working children in Cairo—enhancing enterprise-based learning, making their work safer, and providing them with access to non-formal education classes. I joked with my family about how this dream was leading me to Egypt, just like Joseph.
I have now been in Egypt for a little over six months, and, after completing the initial internship, am happy to be extending my contract until December 2008. I continue to feel that this is where I should be right now, and I am deeply enjoying connecting with working children, developing research skills, and exploring the possibilities of socially responsible microfinance with an incredible team. I am looking forward to spending time with another MEDA tour group this fall, and am grateful for all of the support and opportunities MEDA and PTE (Partners in Technology Exchange) have given me already. Shokran Gezelan! (Thank you very much!)
Find out more about internships offered by MEDA.
