AIESEC VALUES -Our core beliefs

There are some values that we share as AIESECers, that is, they are what keeps us together as one unit- no matter from which local chapter one comes from. It is however surprising that most new-ees never get inducted into this values.the reason behind is perhaps because the values are not seen as being important in many local chapters.Today we shall out line these values:

            1.Activating leadership
            2.Demonstrating integrity
            3.Living diversity
            4.Enjoying participation
            5.striving for exellence
            6.Acting sustainably.



                     -The Kisumuboy T.L, comm & IM
         

Hellen Qwach's Experience as an Intern in AIESEC Egerton

Challenges
Even though I had researched about Kenya previously, I found it a bit hectic to get settled in the country. There was some difficulty in obtaining a visa in Australia prior to travelling and a number of vaccinations the government made compulsory and needed to be taken a month before leaving.

Arriving in Kenya, I was still unsure of transportation - which was the best method to get around, from the airport to the city and from the city to Nakuru. Once in Nakuru, things were much easier with AIESECers around to ask.

I guess because of the time frame that I went, there were not many set projects or an itinerary to engage in. Day to day tasks depended on what work was available. I would have liked to have more of a long term project with the community but that could not have been helped because of the timing.

I think the timing was also made difficult because AIESEC Australia works around the semester dates of uni students, while I left before the end of semester and due to the interview dates/visas/vaccinations things got quite last minute.

Achievements
It is hard to pinpoint a long term achievement because of these difficulties but I can definitely say I learnt a lot during my experience.

I met a lot of interesting people and personally I feel more aware of different cultures, but at the same time I find so many similarities between people across the world. This is such that I am more confident in my relationships with people and widening my horizons in the future.

The initial difficulties of settling in has made me more independent and resilient. For example, I would not hesitate traveling around a foreign country despite being a solo 18 year old, for my experience in Kenya showed me I can find friends anywhere, that transportation is at my fingertips if I simply ask, that I will grow more from an experience than simply reaching a destination.

From FAIR(Intern taker) I learned a lot about the treatment and strategies in place to assist local communities on health and social issues. For example, specifically relating to epidemiology, the difficulty of assessing effectiveness of Alcoholics Anonymous programs which by their nature cannot be quantified numerically. Education programs by FAIR also set a good example of preventing/mitigating the effect of health problems in communities - as they do outreach into members of the community acting as peers to others. I think this is much more cost effective and efficient than some other programs I have researched by other countries. This information is of course, invaluable to my future studies and career.

Improvements
I have mentioned some of the improvements previously - perhaps better support for interns first coming into Kenya. I think a lot of the ideas from the Kabarak meeting were excellent, such as Swahili lessons, welcome pack, discount safari and even internet modem were EXACTLY what I had been looking for. I am glad these are going to be incorporated into the AIESEC Kenya experience in the future.

But besides that, I think AIESEC Kenya at current does have many social/health related community experiences for interns and there is a huge market in many universities across the world for students such as myself who are interested in medicine/health in their studies. However, I feel that the programs raising awareness about health issues could be accompanied with more direct medical experiences - such as with doctors/hospitals. I am sure that many interns are willing to undergo the extra requirements needed to take on these experiences. I personally would.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience in Kenya and am looking forward to going back one day.

By Helen Qwach,

From Australia.