Tufts Blogs

Aside from the beautiful landscapes and scenery of Urubamba, Sacred Valley, the lush green Amazon forest, and the magical Macchu Picchu- a city built in the sky by Peru's Inca civilization- there was something special and extremely important to my stay in Peru. The civic semester program allowed us to visit a variety of non-profit organizations that were involved in amazing community development projects in education, healthcare, agriculture, and arts and culture. The success stories about the impacts of Sacred Valley Health and many other Peruvian organizations are just a sample of what non-profits are doing to leverage communities and address equality. This experience piqued my interest in working in the non-profit sector regardless of my career path. 

When I returned to campus, I had to decide on my summer plans. At first, I had two options: look for a paid internship in the United States or return to Kenya and assist my parents with the normal responsibilities of a nomadic pastoralist child. Going home was not the best option because the plane ticket was very expensive and I was only on financial aid at Tufts. Traveling halfway around the world couldn't be as simple as it sounded. 

However, I was intrigued enough to jot down my options in my journal. And as I was flipping through the pages before jotting something down, I came across a promise I made to myself while in Peru to work with a non-profit. That's how I ended up applying for an internship with Cross World Africa. And when I received the acceptance letter, I didn't hesitate to sign an agreement to work with them because this was going to be the best opportunity I could get to change lives as a freshman Jumbo.

It was a thrilling moment. Despite the fact that the internship was unpaid, I was determined to make it work. I needed to come up with a funding strategy. I knew Tufts had unpaid internship programs. Tufts Career Center never fails to send out emails to undergraduate students about their exciting opportunities. I made a bold move by applying for Tufts grants for unpaid internships, which provide several options for funding for unpaid summer internships, individual research, and international projects. The application process was not easy, but the excitement of the opportunity motivated me to persevere. Finally, my efforts paid off, and I was awarded the Tufts grant. 

As I prepare to embark on this exciting new adventure with Cross World Africa, I'm looking forward to the professional and career development opportunities, as well as the opportunity to connect with the entire Cross World Africa team. When I return from Kenya in August, I can't wait to share my experiences with the Tufts community.

As for any student interested in doing some volunteer work in a non-profit organization, or a Jumbo who wants to make a difference in any community but is concerned about financial difficulties, you should consider applying for this fantastic funding opportunity. 

More information in this link: https://careers.tufts.edu/channels/internship-funding/