(l-r) Filippo Titi, UAlberta Law 2L student, and Robert Creamer, McGill University graduate student and fellow intern at CDD-Ghana
My journey to Ghana began after being awarded a 14-week internship by Canadian Lawyers Abroad-Avocats Canadiens À L'Étranger (CLA-ACE) to work with a Ghanaian NGO called the Ghana Center for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana). I was accepted to work as a research associate where I would be assisting CDD-Ghana with its major projects and acting as a liaison for the organization for offsite work. Since it was my first time travelling to a developing country I was both nervous and excited to set off for this brand new chapter of my life. Not knowing what to expect, my three and a half month-long adventure began that same moment I stepped off the plane and soon entered into the bustling streets of my neighbourhood called Osu.
My internship with CDD-Ghana officially started after a few days in the country. Still trying to adapt to my new environment, I was grateful to the locals who helped me navigate the city using Ghana's public transportation vehicles, known as the Tro Tro. Had it not been for the kindness and goodwill of the people, I likely would have found myself very far from the office on my first day of work. My internship with CDD-Ghana taught me a great deal about the country, and allowed me to complete a number of interesting projects. One of my assignments contributed to CDD-Ghana's project on the country's oil and gas industry. My task was to make a reader-friendly manual on oil and gas contracts in Ghana. The manual summarized the different types of oil and gas contracts, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, and then described Ghana's current oil and gas contracts regime. Another project I worked on dealt with youth unemployment in the country. One of my assignments for the project was to complete a literature review on youth unemployment and its relationship to poverty and the labour market. I also completed a number of small assignments, including a briefing paper on Ghana's Constitutional Review Commission's proposed amendments to the Ghanaian Constitution.
The most comprehensive assignment I completed was a consolidated report on Parliamentary Monitoring Organizations (PMOs) in Africa. My tasks were to collate the data from five separate regional reports and compose an analysis on the status of PMOs on the continent. The report was challenging because of some existing gaps in the data as well as some inconsistency between the reports. Nevertheless, the data was sufficient to enable me to present the available information in a fair manner. Importantly, the report was not meant to be a final word on PMOs in Africa, but will serve as a starting point for bringing PMOs across the continent together during a conference in the fall. The report was one my most meaningful accomplishments with the organization.
The gratitude expressed by CDD-Ghana colleagues and project supervisors served as a testament to the value they ascribed to my work. I was grateful for the kind words given when I left the organization. Not only was I thanked for the work that I had done for the organization, but also for establishing relationships with colleagues, and befriending other interns who arrived late into my own. I was able to learn a great deal about Ghana not only from my assignments, but also from members of the organization who took the time to discuss their research and personal views with me. It was also a major compliment to be invited back by the executive director if I ever decide to return to the country.
In addition to my time with CDD-Ghana, some of my most memorable moments of internship came from my travels within the country. Whether it was the Wli Waterfalls located in the Volta Region, or Ghana's Mole National Park, I was privileged to have the experience of immersing myself in nature. The opportunity to visit these natural landscapes in the country deepened my appreciation for the value of doing an internship abroad. I don't imagine I will soon again be able to contemplate policy issues with wildlife roaming fields that stretch out into the horizon.
The benefit of the type of internship offered by CLA-ACE is that it is an all-embracing learning experience. Working in another country enables you to learn about different issues both in an academic setting, as well as from your experiences interacting with individuals in an environment where those issues are readily visible. These experiences open you up to new perspectives about development, and introduce students to new cultures that he or she can embrace. In short, one is able to engage in learning through living; living in new settings and circumstances that could not be fully understood in the comfort of our university classrooms. I strongly suggest that any law student, or students in other disciplines who are interested in international work or development, take the opportunity to lend his or her abilities to NGOs in developing countries. NGOs are always in need of assistance and will certainly appreciate a student's skills and work ethic, which enables them to perform the important work they do. I am grateful to CLA-ACE for having given me this wonderful opportunity, to CDD-Ghana for allowing me to learn from the incredible tasks they provided, the CLA Student Chapter, and the University of Alberta, Faculty of Law, for making my entire internship and travel expenses possible through the Gerald L. Gall O.C. Global Community Service Grant.
Gerald L. Gall Global Community Service Grant: The Faculty of Law Global Community Service grant was renamed the Gerald L. Gall Global Community Service grant in memory of Professor Gall. The purpose of these awards is to provide financial assistance to students who wish to become involved in projects and activities that serve the larger community, either in Canada or abroad. First year and upper year students are eligible for these awards. The award is designed to permit students to pursue these activities during the summer months between their law studies at the Faculty of Law.
