Opportunities abound for International Development student, Zack Ahmed

Zack Ahmed graduated in June 2020 with a Bachelor of Environmental Studies [Honors] from the International Development program. He completed a Practice specialization, and completed a minor in Public Policy and Administration, as well as a diploma in Environmental Assessment.

Zack had a very enriching and successful international placement during his final year of study. From September 2019 to March 2020, he had the opportunity to volunteer in Tanzania with the World University Service Canada’s local partner, JIVITA Foundation, as a Youth Engagement Advisor. This brought him into dialogue with youth, policymakers, and stakeholders in local communities. As a Youth Engagement Advisor, he took part in environmental issues in Tanzania and learned how to formulate environmentally focused strategies based on issues such as climate change adaption and sustainability initiatives.

This work, in connection with his leadership abilities, enabled him to be instrumental in the creation of the Tanzania Youth Climate Action Network (TYCAN), which is a nation-wide initiative to leverage youth voices towards action on climate change. TYCAN has been successful in environmental advocacy, motivating youth to embrace environmental sustainability initiatives, climate change mitigation and adaption. In the seven months, and through TYCAN, he took part in initiatives to plant over 3,000 trees across Tanzania, toured over 40 schools and mentored over 500 youth.

In addition to his environmentally focused work in Tanzania, he coordinated programs to empower vulnerable girls in schools by providing menstrual hygiene education. During this time, he applied for grants and organized fundraising in order to provide free sanitary pads to over 20,000 girls in Tanzania. Providing such supplies is indirectly important to the environment because these young women will be less likely to drop out of school from

health-related illness. Furthermore, Zack attended, facilitated, and co-moderated several youth-led seminars to discuss issues affecting youth in Tanzania. Through this, he had the opportunity to a be Member of Parliament (MP) for East African Youth parliament, where he debated, moved, and passed motions that seek to empower East African youths. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, his placement was cut short and Zack came back to Canada in March 2020 to finish his capstone project.

The International Development placement in Tanzania has become a life-changing experience for Zack. He gained practical, first-hand knowledge about the development challenges he had learned in the classroom. Zack says the INDEV program provided him with unique and interdisciplinary knowledge, and a comprehensive understanding of development issues through a multi-dimensional approach. Zack is now enrolled in the Master of International Public Policy (MIPP) program at the Balsillie School of International Affairs. Through the MIPP program, he hopes to augment his undergraduate studies by gaining a comprehensive understanding of international development issues from a policy perspective and hopefully develop core skills that would advance his studies and goals to pursue his career in development.