Leftovers from Christmas dinner were still in the fridge at my home in Philadelphia when I arrived in Addis Ababa , Ethiopia, to begin my 3-month internship. The Ethiopian Airlines jet had departed from Dulles Airport, full of nationals anxious to return to their rich heritage, colorful city, and beautiful land.
I was headed across the Atlantic to work for the Gaia Association , a Non-Governmental Organization NGO with various projects in Ethiopia, including one that promotes the use of alcohol fuels as household cooking energy for low-income urban households and refugee camps. However, since the program does not begin until April, my first three months were freed up for, as it happened, the experience of a lifetime. I was given an enthusiastic welcoming nod and provided the contact information for the Gaia Association, an NGO with whom she had been working on a renewable fuel project.
From that point on, it was up to me to follow through. After securing the internship, the next challenge was preparing my family and body for three months in "Developing World Africa. After plane tickets had been purchased and my parents were reassured and reassured regarding my safety, I could finally take a deep breath, close my eyes, and try to imagine the sights and smells of Ethiopia. I have finally become familiar with the fascinating and, at times, frustrating interplay between the Ethiopian government, international NGOs, aid organizations, and local cooperatives.
I'm working on many different projects, writing reports for submission to the US Environmental Protection Agency EPA and UN High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR , researching feasible income-generating activities IGA to implement in the refugee camps, and managing a promotional campaign for an ethanol fuel alternative to current biomass and kerosene burning household stoves.
Working for an NGO in its local setting is invaluable to understanding the importance of geography, politics, and financial support — all significant obstacles sustainable development initiatives face. Buildings are painted in colorful geometric patterns, and neighborhood roads are lined alternatively by gated white mansions and decrepit shanties.
