Joy Adams - Cultural Bridge Fellow ‘05

SUDAN | School of Family Sciences at Ahfad University

Project Description:

Joy Adams worked with Dr. Sidiga Washi, NGO consultant and Dean of the School of Family Sciences at Ahfad University for Women in Omdurman, Sudan. In Sudan, Joy designed and conducted a women’s leadership program for Ahfad University students and the greater community. In addition, she hosted a peace-building session with a focus on Darfur. Upon her return to the Kennedy School, she has been writing articles on her experience in Sudan for submission to various academic journals and reviews.

“I took many of the lessons I learned in Sudan back to the USA. In addition, I was able to direct some resources back to the project that I worked on in Sudan. For example, a friend traveling to that area was able to do a media training session at the University. Many women expressed the need for more media training.”

Inbal Alon – Cultural Bridge Fellow ‘07

UGANDA | Ugandan Parliament

Project Description:
Inbal Alon worked in Northern Uganda with Betty Ocean Aol, a Ugandan member of parliament, to support former child soldiers’ education and protection.  She designed a study to assess the impact of the Acholi Bursary Scheme, a program for war-affected young people.  The overall objective of the program is to facilitate reconciliation, reintegration and reconstruction of Acholi’s war-affected districts by improving access to education for adolescents.  Since its inception, the program has assisted 5,500 war-affected young people, mostly former child soldiers, to go back to secondary school or vocational institutes.  Inbal’s study not only informed future phases of the program, but it also enriched the human rights discussion in Uganda and East Africa.

http://inbala.blogspot.com/

“My experience in Uganda was a tremendous learning opportunity for me. I worked in a supportive environment where I had opportunities to try new ideas and learn from the process of implementing them. I learned so much from my colleagues, the students we served, and the community members I interacted with. I believe these experiences have enriched my perspective and have allowed me to have a more analytical perspective on development and education work.”

Kyle Dietrich – Cultural Bridge Fellow ‘08

BURUNDI/BOSTON | Peace in Focus

Project Description:

During the summer of 2008, Kyle worked with Peace in Focus (www.peaceinfocus.org), a non-profit organization that he co-founded in 2007. Kyle conducted two photography and conflict transformation workshops with underserved and at-risk youth: one in Boston, Massachusetts in and one in Bujumbura, Burundi. Each workshop lasted roughly two weeks and brought together 15-20 youth from diverse backgrounds in each community to learn the power of photography and healthy relationships in engaging their communities in a dialogue for peace. The workshops aim to facilitate learning through self-expression, creative non-violence, cross-cultural sensitivity and leadership with the goal of building a constituency of youth and youth organizers working to advocate for social change in their communities. Kyle also conducted thesis-related field research and a summative evaluation of the workshops through focus groups, one-on-ones and surveys.

http://peaceinfocus-kyle.blogspot.com/

“The funding and support I received from the Cultural Bridge Fellowship were instrumental to launching our programs in Boston and Burundi. As a result of the support we received from WAPPP, our startup organization was able to hold three photography and conflict transformation training workshops for more than 50 underserved youth in Boston and Burundi, including former child soldiers, orphans, refugees, and inner-city American youth. Our hope is to continue to develop our programs in Boston and Burundi, while expanding to other overseas locations.”

 

 

Molly Kinder – Cultural Bridge Fellow ‘07

LIBERIA | Ministry of Finance

Project Description:
Molly Kinder worked in Liberia with Antoinette Sayeh, Liberia’s Minister of Finance.  Building on her core MPA/ID coursework in economics, Molly worked closely with Minister Sayeh to support the Ministry’s work on a diverse range of development-focused policies such as private sector development and employment creation, investment code and tax reform, fiscal policy and budget allocations, and preparation for arrears clearance and debt relief.  One of Molly’s primary projects focused on the issue of Liberia’s burdensome debt and the pursuit of urgently needed debt relief from the donor community.  Liberia’s mammoth outstanding debt of nearly $3.5 billion served as a formidable obstacle to essential social sector spending, while at the same time distracting limited human resource capacity from priority government tasks. 

http://mollyinliberia.blogspot.com/

“Working in the Ministry of Finance in Liberia gave me an invaluable insight into how foreign aid works (or doesn't!) in developing countries -- a perspective that I draw on frequently in my role at the Center for Global Development.”

Above: Molly with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Left: Molly with Finance Minister Antoinette Sayeh

 

Sheila Lalwani – Cultural Bridge Fellow ‘08

INDIA | State Department and Human Rights Network

Project Description:
Sheila Lalwani worked at the State Department and Human Rights Network.  Her internship provided a unique opportunity to affect policy related to women. During her time at the State Department and Human Rights Network, she primarily focused on the following areas: human trafficking, girls’ education and marriage rights.

“The Cultural Bridge Fellowship has been life-changing and has set my career in gender-related work. Through the fellowship, I was able to gain a better understanding of the issues that women around the world face. Truly, I cannot imagine my Kennedy School years without that summer.”

Luc Roullet – Cultural Bridge Fellow ‘05

WEST BANK | Middle East Non-Violence and Democracy (MEND)

Project Description:
Luc Roullet worked with Lucy Nusseibeh, 2005 WAPPP Fellow and Founding Director of Middle East Non-Violence and Democracy (MEND). Luc integrated a microfinance element into MEND's program that complements their main activity of non-violence training. Luc also sought to engage in partnership with other organizations and advocacy at the political level to promote the integration of microfinance in development projects.

“My work during the summer of 2005 helped me realize the need for better and more creative leverage and leadership at all levels of the Palestinian and Israeli societies in order to invent a future out of their long-standing dysfunctional status-quo. Many of the tools I developed in Y-Motions are a direct result from the intensity of the experience I went through while based at IPCRI, Jerusalem, and touring the West Bank, North to South, West to East.”

Emily Stanger – Cultural Bridge Fellow ‘07

LIBERIA | Ministry of Gender and Development

Project Description:
Emily Stanger worked in Liberia with Vabah Gayflor, Liberia’s Minister of Gender and Development, supporting the Ministry’s work to formulate a national action plan addressing gender-based violence.  Through cooperation with the Department of Research and Technical Services, she conducted data analysis on the prevalence and profile of gender-based and sexual violence in Liberia.  In addition to informing the nation’s action plan, mandated by the interim Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper, this assessment contributed to the continued efforts by the Liberian government and international development partners to tackle issues that constrain women’s involvement in Liberia’s development process. 

http://emilyinliberia.blogspot.com/

 

“As I am now working full time for the Ministry of Gender, my experience as a fellow had a substantial impact on my career choice post-graduation. The experience showed me just how much I enjoyed working in the fast paced environment of policy-making and showed me the importance of taking courageous steps to accomplish your goals. The fellowship gave me the opportunity to test out a new sector, an experience that has definitely changed the way I view my future career. Additionally, the mentors that I developed through the program, particularly the women I worked with in Liberia, continue to inspire my day-to-day work.”