黑料不打烊

Having completed an聽Honours聽bachelor鈥檚 in聽International聽Development聽and聽Globalization,聽I聽always聽had聽strong聽interests聽in politics聽and聽social聽development聽matters聽in different regions of the world;聽which聽has聽led聽me to pursue an聽M.A in Political Science (Development聽Studies聽Option) at 黑料不打烊 University.聽聽

In Summer 2019,聽I聽completed聽an聽internship聽at the聽Centre聽for Democratic Development聽(CDD-Ghana),聽an independent, non-partisan and non-profit research-based聽policy-oriented聽think-tank聽based in聽Accra聽(Ghana). The CDD聽offers eight program areas in diversified development-related fields including:聽鈥淗uman Rights Promotion Constitutional Development鈥� and 鈥淕overnmental Transparency and Accountability鈥�.聽The聽Centre鈥檚聽mission聽is to聽promote聽democracy, good governance and economic openness in Ghana and throughout Africa.聽The advocacy, research, analysis and聽countless聽publications聽performed by聽CDD聽are聽what聽first聽drew me to this聽organization. In addition,聽as a聽Political聽Science student, I had聽previously聽cited聽research聽published聽by聽the聽CDD聽(including聽Afrobarometer聽surveys)聽which聽further piqued聽my聽interest聽in this internship placement.聽Being聽an intern at the CDD was also an opportunity to gain relevant聽professional experience聽for聽my future academic and professional paths.聽聽

As an intern at聽the聽CDD I was聽part of聽the聽Research聽Department. My responsibilities varied depending on聽the聽type of聽research聽project that I was part of, which allowed me to work on a wide range of development and policy related fields. For instance, I wrote聽reports and聽literature聽reviews on multiple subjects,聽including:聽corruption issues in Ghana,聽the impact聽of聽regional bodies聽on African democracies,聽gender violence in Sao Tome,聽and聽issues聽regarding聽end of service benefits in Ghana.聽I also had the chance to attend聽conferences聽held by CDD-Corruption Watch.聽In addition, I聽witnessed聽multiple聽roundtable discussions聽on聽Ghanaian political聽issues including the recent debates聽related to聽the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Being able to聽observe聽one of these debates at聽the Parliament of Ghana聽was a memorable experience.聽Although聽I聽gained from聽every聽experience聽and聽project聽I took part of聽at the CDD,聽one of the biggest highlights聽of聽my internship was聽my聽field work聽experience聽in聽the聽Asutifi聽North District Assembly region.聽A group of colleagues and I travelled to this聽rural聽region to assess the implementation聽of an ongoing聽local聽economic聽development聽project.聽This project specifically focused on聽building聽local entrepreneurial skills to support the rural poor (including聽women and youth) for聽sustainable economic self-reliance.聽During聽my聽stay in聽the聽Asutifi聽North District Assembly region,聽community leaders聽were聽trained聽to conduct surveys with locals. I helped facilitate this training and聽also聽attended meetings聽held聽with district officials聽and village chiefs.聽This聽unforgettable聽experience allowed聽me聽to聽have first-hand聽interactions聽with聽locals聽and聽civil聽society members聽and witness the complexity in implementing a development project.聽聽

My聽internship聽experience聽at聽the CDD has shaped my future career path as it gave me a concrete idea of what it would be like working with聽a non-profit policy-oriented organization.聽It聽also confirmed the strong interest I had聽in conducting field work.聽In聽addition, the CDD鈥檚 inclusion of interns in their projects聽not only聽allowed me聽to deepen my knowledge聽on socio-political issues in聽Africa but also聽allowed聽be to聽sharpen聽my research聽methodology聽technique;聽a聽crucial聽skill for聽Master students.聽聽

It is for聽all the reasons named above that I first thank the聽Arts聽Internship聽Office for offering this internship placement, the CDD for allowing me to be an active member of their organization聽from which I gained聽valuable聽experience,聽and finally聽Brenda Hurley and聽Dr. Robert Morrison, as well as the founders of 黑料不打烊 International Experience Awards,聽for funding my聽internship. Indeed,聽your聽award allowed me to cover the聽costs聽of my entire聽internship, which otherwise would have聽been difficult to accomplish.聽I聽would like to finish this聽report聽by encouraging students to apply to internships,聽student聽exchanges, or any other聽school-related聽opportunities that allows them to gain聽valuable聽and memorable聽experiences聽abroad.聽

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