Through the generosity of the Nancy Germeshausen Klavans Foundation, the Women and Public Policy Program is offering scholarships for summer internships to Kennedy School students to support work of specified women peace builders. Specifically, the program will provide a $5,000 grant for the summer. Click here for application information.

Inbal Alon, Uganda
http://inbala.blogspot.com/

Inbal Alon is working in Northern Uganda with Betty Ocean Aol, a Ugandan member of parliament, to support former child soldiers’ education and protection. Inbal will design a study to assess the impact of the Acholi Bursary Scheme, a program for war-affected young people. The overall objective of the Acholi Bursary Scheme 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 has the potential not only to inform future phases of the program, but also to enrich the human rights discussion in Uganda and East Africa.

Francesco Ferretti, India
http://apassagetoindia-francescoferretti.blogspot.com/

Francesco Ferretti is working with Sister Sudha Varghese and another NGK Fellow, Myra Valenzuela, in Bihar, India. Sister Sudha is the founder of Nari Gunjan, a non-profit organization that promotes social, political, and economic empowerment for women and girls belonging to Bihar’s most backward caste. Nari Gunjan has 50 elementary education centers in Bihar and a residential hostel for girls to continue their education. The centers provide vocational training and micro-credit assistance for women. Francesco is assisting Sister Sudha in designing and starting a legal study group to analyze and increase women’s access to legal protection in courts. Francesco is also helping Sister Sudha to develop an English language curriculum for girls.

Molly Kinder, Liberia
http://mollyinliberia.blogspot.com/

Molly Kinder is working in Liberia with Antoinette Sayeh, Liberia’s Minister of Finance. Building on her core MPA/ID coursework in economics, Molly will work 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 focuses 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 serves as a formidable obstacle to essential social sector spending, while at the same time distracting limited human resource capacity from priority government tasks. Clearance of arrears and resolution of the debt problem is thus a top priority of the Ministry of Finance.

Tamara Klajn, Somaliland
www.southofaden.blogspot.com

Tamara Klajn is working with Ms. Suaad Ibrahim Abdi at the Academy for Peace and Development in Hargeisa, Somaliland. Ms. Abdi presently serves as the head of the Decentralization and Non-State Actors Project for the Academy for Peace and Development (APD). For the past five years, she served as the Chairperson for Nagaad, an umbrella organization working to advance the status of women in the nation. Tamara will work with Ms. Abdi to design policies that define local government roles and operations, and create accountability for the centrally-nominated district executive secretaries. Tamara will assist in evaluation of three key issues: 1) the development of a democratically agreed upon system for the future of the Guurti, or House of Elders; 2) the production of a single electoral law to govern the conduct of all future elections; and 3) the review of contentious elements of the constitution. Additionally, Tamara’s research includes assessing potential international engagement and the impacts of foreign involvement in a developing nation.

Zach Neumann, Liberia
http://www.liberia07.blogspot.com/

Zach Neumann is working as a protocol assistant for Liberian President Ellen Johnshon Sirleaf. As protocol assistant, Zach will have a range of duties, including: organizing the President’s schedule, arranging for international travel, coordinating meetings and preparing speeches and briefing materials. The position will allow Zach to interact with President Sirleaf and other senior officials on a regular basis. Not only will Zach be able to develop a deeper understanding of Liberian politics, he will also directly provide critical organizational support to the government as it continues to promote peace and sustainable development.

Roshan Paul, Colombia
http://roshanpaul.blogspot.com/2007/05/peacebuilding-in-colombia-wapp-ngk_30.html

Roshan Paul is working with Ana Teresa Bernal and her organization, Redepaz (Network of Peace), in Bogota, Colombia. Redepaz uses innovative strategies and mechanisms to mobilize civil society in Colombia to come together in non-violent opposition to the country’s five decade-long conflict. Ana Teresa Bernal and Redepaz have received several recognitions for their successful peacebuilding work, including the Ashoka Fellowship for social entrepreneurship and a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Roshan’s primary role is to help Ms. Bernal and the Redepaz senior management team develop a 10-year strategic plan for the organization.

Jessica Reitz, Sudan
http://loololan.blogspot.com/

Jessica Reitz is working in Sudan with Fahima A. Hashim, the Salmmah Women’s Resource Centre, and women legislators to help Sudanese women actualize and implement the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) signed between the north and south of Sudan. She will focus on helping women do capacity building work, developing political strategy, and teaching campaign and advocacy skills. Jessica is working particularly with Darfurian women to advocate to legislators in Khartoum, members of the African Union, and leaders of other international organizations for women’s participation at all levels in the Darfur peace process.

Emily Stanger, Liberia
http://emilyinliberia.blogspot.com/

Emily Stanger is working 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 will conduct 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 will contribute 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. Emily also looks forward to applying her previous experience with domestic violence shelters by collaborating with the Ministry and various women’s organizations to develop safe houses for women and children victims of violence.

Anne Sung, Nepal
http://emptysuitcases.blogspot.com

Anne Sung is working with Sarita Giri, central member of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party and Director of the Center for Women and Politics (CWAP) in Nepal. To support CWAP’s efforts to educate and empower women and other historically-marginalized groups in the upcoming Constituent Assembly elections, Anne will research and report on best practices utilized by women in other countries with experiences relevant to Nepal’s evolving circumstances. In addition, she will develop strategy and materials for providing support, training, and relationship-building among grassroots leaders who organize women across Nepal.

Myra Valenzuela, India
http://myrasadventures.blogspot.com/

Myra Valenzuela is working with Sister Sudha Vargehse and another NGK fellow, Francesco Ferretti, in Bihar, India. Sister Sudha is the founder of Nari Gunjan, a non-profit organization that promotes social, political, and economic empowerment for women and girls belonging to Bihar’s most backward caste. Nari Gunjan has 50 elementary education centers in Bihar and a residential hostel for girls to continue their education. The centers provide vocational training and micro-credit assistance for women. Myra will assist Sister Sudha in fundraising efforts, developing an English language curriculum for the children, and training the staff to assist women’s Self-Help Groups in the various villages where Nari Gunjan has a presence. 

Karina Weinstein, India
http://karinaweinstein.blogspot.com/

Karina Weinstein is working with Shaheen Mistri, an Ashoka fellow and the founder of Akanksha, in Mumbai, India. Akanksha is a grassroots community organization whose mission is to empower children and youth from slums in Mumbai. The organization runs 37 after school centers and works to reform public school education with a mission to maximize the potential of each child and to provide unique learning and leadership opportunities. Karina will help with the Teachers Program as well as the Learning to Lead program, training teachers as well as providing leadership workshops to the youth. Additionally, she will engage the children in a creative project using visual art around the issues of violence and community security. Karina looks forward not only to learning from the founder of Akanksha, but also from the children who participate in the programs.

The following students were awarded NGK Fellowship stipends for the summer of 2006. Click on their names to access a description of their projects and reports.

Desiree Allen (MPP2) served as a Special Assistant to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, where she identified opportunities for the development of a viable Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) market.
Desiree's blog

Karolina Dryjanska (MPP2) worked with Justine Rukeba Mbabazi, a Rwandan human rights attorney and founder and CEO of Next Generation Connect (NGC) in Kigali, Rwanda.

Joanne Kubba (MPP2) worked with Nathalie Cely in Ecuador at E. Ducate, an innovative technology-based learning program designed to give students ages 10-16 the skills they missed in primary school.
Joanne's blog

Serah Makka (MPP2) worked with Hassina Sherjan at Aid Afghanistan, a school for women and girls, and at Boumi design firm, which provides employment opportunities for Afghan women.
Serah's blog

Funmi Olorunnipa (MPP2) worked with South African Women's Legal Centre Attorney Sibongile Ndashe to expand the centre's model of gender-related advocacy to neighboring countries of Botswana, Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Funmi's blog

Sarah-Catherine Phillips (MPP2) conducted interviews with women leaders in Khartoum under the supervision of Dr. Sidiga Washi at Ahfad University and assist Jemma Kumba, MP.
Sarah-Catherine's blog

Mark Richards (MPA/ID) worked with Senator Rafael Pardo of the Congress of Colombia and Luz Piedad Caicedo Delgado, a Colombian anthropologist whose previous research includes the impact of paramilitary demobilization on the life and security of women.
Mark's blog