Mental Health Center, a local medical
center that works with mental health
patients in Addis Ababa, Blen Biniyam,
an intern, says, “One of the many positive
aspects of my internship was the fact
that I got to work in a field I am planning
on pursuing in the future. In addition,
the staff was extremely supportive
and welcoming the entire time which
made me as well as my classmates feel
comfortable. Amongst other things, I
learned that psychology is definitely my
main interest and something I want to
study in depth.”
Jonathan Toll, another student who
interned at UNHCR Supply Section
reflects, “I learnt much during my week
on how the supply section functions and
had insight of work within an office. [I
also] had the opportunity to attend an
official AU conference.”
With an aim to share their learning, the
students were consistently tweeting
about their week and their learning
experiences. “We designated a specific
hashtag, #ICSintern19, for all the students’
tweets related to their internship,” Siham
explains. The tweets helped the students
share their learning among each other
as well as the community. At the end of
the internships most of the students had
a briefing session within their respective
organizations in which the summarized
and presented their learning from
their internship.
The students will now choose three of
the seven designated learning outcomes
of the internship and compose an essay
reflecting on their experience against the
outcomes they choose. “Internships are
very important helping students define
their passions and identify their career
path and to give real life experience,”
notes Siham.
25