VIDEA's International Internship Project supports developing country partner organizations in Zambia, Rwanda, and Colombia in achieving objectives that include reducing poverty, promoting human rights, achieving gender equality, promoting basic education, and creating the conditions for sustainable development.
Click on the Canada Helps logo to support the international internships or to support a specific intern. Once you are at the Canada Helps website, under the category fund/designation, choose international internships from the drop-down menu. If you would like to donate to a specific intern, please indicate the intern's name in the message/instruction box. Charitable receipts will be issued for donations over $10.00.
Sergio Vidal - Fundraising Researcher - La Iniciativa de Comunicacion (CI LA)
Sergio graduated from the University of Victoria with a BA in Political Science and Hispanic Studies. From a young age Sergio knew that he wanted to get involved in international work, and is pleased to be a part of VIDEA's international internships.
La Iniciativa de Comunicacion is a Latin American communication for development web based platform that reaches over 36,000 community and development workers who are members of the CI LA partnership network. CI LA researches, writes, and hosts web content to build its members capacity to implement best practice in development and to effectively bring about social change. While in Colombia, Sergio will assist CI LA in leveraging potential sources of financial support for the communication, TV, and multimedia projects of the organization.
Laura Shugar - Shelter Support Worker - Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA)
Laura Shugar has recently graduated with a Master of Social Work, specializing in children and families, from the University of Toronto, Ontario. Her work experiences include counseling and play therapy sessions with children and adolescents with various disabilities, those who have experienced domestic abuse, those affected by cancer, and those who have mental health issues. Laura is eagerly anticipating her upcoming internship in Zambia, Africa where she will pursue her passion for social justice and working with children in need.
YWCA works to empower Zambians, especially women and children, through the promotion of human rights for the development of the community. While in Zambia, Laura will be working in the YWCA’s Child in Crisis Centre, which provides protective shelter to abused children. The centre aims at restoring the lost self esteem in children due to the abuse they have experienced, through play therapy, counselling, recreation, and the reintegration of children back into their family and community.
Melanie Solterbeck - Traditional Leaders Assistant Project Officer - Women for Change
Melanie Solterbeck has a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Political Studies from Queen's University and a Master of Arts in Political Science from the University of Victoria. Her thesis research focused on the politicization of humanitarian aid, specifically the European Union's aid programs in Kosovo. She is currently the Co-chair of VIDEA's Breakthrough for Africa-Victoria, a community group building sustainable linkages to foster development in Zambia.
Women for Change works to empower Zambians, especially women, living in remote rural communities to contribute to sustainable development and poverty reduction. While in Zambia, Melanie will be participating in the delivery of a Human Rights education project that aims to enhance traditional leaders' knowledge of basic human rights and give them the skills to manage their affairs in a democratic and gender sensitive manner.
Heather Rilkoff - Capacity Building and Advocacy Officer - The Zambia Land Alliance
Heather graduated from the University of British Columbia in 2007, receiving a BA in International Relations and a Minor in African Studies. She has previously volunteered as a research assistant for the Canadian Red Cross' Community Outreach Department, as a writer/advocate for STAND (Students Taking Action Now: Darfur) Canada, and served 2 years on the executive of the UBC chapter of Oxfam, during which time she helped coordinate several fair trade campaigns. Heather has also studied abroad for a year at the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where she developed a strong interest in community development and socio-economic rights in developing countries, and is thus very excited to return to Southern Africa to intern with the Zambian Land Alliance.
The Zambia Land Alliance advocates for land policies, laws, and practices that are gender sensitive and just, and works to empower Zambians, especially women, living in remote rural communities to contribute to sustainable development and poverty reduction. While in Zambia, Heather will be working to strengthen the capacities of District Land Alliance members and rural/urban communities and will contribute to democratic social change through training and awareness-raising activities.
Click here to learn more about The Zambia Land Alliance.
Logan Brockeart - Youth Educator and Marketing Consultant - WE-ACTx
Logan grew up in a very small town in southwestern Quebec, the youngest of four children. She moved to Montreal when she was eighteen and returned to her very small town six years later with an MA in African History, a love for The Economist magazine and Paul Simon. In 2007, she volunteered in Ethiopia and discovered a passion for donkeys, minibus rides and development work. Logan hopes to continue to indulge these passions with VIDEA in Rwanda.
WE-ACTx (Women's Equity in Access to Care and Treatment) works to increase women's and children's access to HIV testing, care, treatment, support, education and training in resource-limited settings at the grassroots level. While in Rwanda, Logan will assist in the design, structuring, and implementation of a youth program at Umuhuza, an emerging HIV support group that works with WE-ACTx. Logan will assist in the development of income generating projects for the youth, and will help with marketing techniques for the goods being produced.
VIDEA's internship program is part of the International Youth Internship Program (IYIP) funded as part of the Youth Employment Strategy (YES) of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).
Laura Shugar has recently graduated with a Master of Social Work, specializing in children and families, from the University of Toronto, Ontario. Her work experiences include counseling and play therapy sessions with children and adolescents with various disabilities, those who have experienced domestic abuse, those affected by cancer, and those who have mental health issues. Laura is eagerly anticipating her upcoming internship in Zambia, Africa where she will pursue her passion for social justice and working with children in need..jpg)
