International learning on placement in Vietnam

International learning on placement in Vietnam

On September 1, 2019, International Development student Shelby Woodall embarked on a seven-month internship in Hanoi, Vietnam. She spent most of her time working as a Program Support Officer for the Centre of Sustainable Rural Development (SRD). Shelby’s work focussed on a sustainable agriculture and livelihood project in Son La as well as general communications work and contribution to the creation of an annual report and 15th anniversary booklet.

Shelby, being one of the only native English speakers at SRD, found her input on technical documents very much appreciated. Her co-workers were eager to improve their English language skills, and they asked her to host English classes on Monday and Friday nights. This incredible opportunity helped her get to know her co-workers better, learn about Vietnamese culture, and even improve her own knowledge of the English language!

Shelby was involved with the Sustainable Agriculture team, given her interest in sustainable livelihood models. During meetings, she was encouraged to voice her ideas and opinions. She expressed her concerns over gender equality and inclusion for the next phase of the Son La project. The team encouraged her to prepare a list of questions and join them on a site visit to the province of Son La where she observed a series of workshops and interviewed some of the participants to better understand the gender dynamics of the community. From this experience, she created a report highlighting areas such as youth engagement and women’s entrepreneurship throughout the next phase of the project.

After studying development theory at University of Waterloo, Shelby found it eye-opening to finally see an non-profit organization in operation and to interact with project beneficiaries. She has found herself thinking about the complexities of running an organisation and realized this is something she might never have known without this international placement opportunity.

Shelby plans to further her education in the Master’s of Economic Development and Innovation (MEDI) program at the University of Waterloo.

Learn more about the International Development undergraduate program.