Seeing Zambia as a whole picture: Inside Our Zambia Internship

There’s often a lot of misunderstanding, mythologizing, and mystery when it comes to Africa.  Is it a land of desperate need or idyllic beauty?  Is it the next tech frontier or full of undeveloped thatched villages?  The reality is that Zambia, like the rest of Africa, is in some senses, all of the above.  Our interns learned that firsthand when they served alongside Zambian leaders making a difference in their own communities, stayed with host Zambian families or our Zambian staff, and visited the beauty of Victoria Falls and Chobe National Park across the border in Botswana.

That whole picture is an important part of the internship experience, because internships are an opportunity for students to experience the complexity of the world and how their skills fit into working toward a goal in the midst of that complexity.  We take that opportunity seriously, and we want our interns to see and experience the nuance and complexity and beauty of Zambia while they are with us.  Our education interns spent time working with a variety of local organizations who focus on street youth, either inviting them into a drop-in center, or having a location where vulnerable youth can stay, receive food, shelter, education, and emotional & spiritual care.  Our mental health interns utilize our one-of-a-kind Literacy-Free 12 Step Expressive Arts Therapy curriculum with many of those same street youth as well as at the national mental health hospital, including the women’s prison arm.

Our interns this year reported how impactful this experience was.  Sultan, one of our education interns, said, “Although these children have experienced more hardship than most of us could ever imagine, they are some of the most inspirational people I have ever met. They taught me that resilience, kindness, and hope can be found even in the most difficult circumstances.” Intern Tzeniah had been working toward this experience for over a year and said, “Zambia was the experience of a lifetime.  I could only imagine making it to a country in Africa, but to have lived it?  Can you say God is good?! Meeting so many wonderful people and working with the various programs opened my eyes to a different way of thinking, such as uplifting and showing up for those in my community.” Sage, one of our mental health interns, said, “It was a life changing experience that I’ll be forever grateful for.  I was able to help people in a way that I never have before, it was special.  It’s inspired me to think about what I want to do with my life in a new light.”

For interns from a faith background, some of our partner organizations are also faith based and invited them to share, with intern Alexis reporting her favorite memory as leading a Bible study with the women’s prison at Chainama and intern Justin saying, “My experience in Zambia was an enlightening one, seeing how Christ transcends throughout the world, as I was able to see my calling for ministry internationally and domestically. Sparking a flame to meet those hearts here in my own university, and to continue working for the Kingdom!”

Our goal remains the same – to help students see the world with open eyes, to have an opportunity to help in areas of need, using the skills they already have (plus a little training).  The reality is that there are needs all around the world, including in our own back yard, and we can choose to become jaded or we can choose to jump in and help.  These students chose the latter, and we anticipate it will be just one of many steps they take into being of service for the good of others!