This week, I started my remote internship with The Hunger Project (THP), a strategic, non-profit organization that works to end chronic hunger and extreme poverty by launching sustainable, grassroots, women-centered strategies and advocating for their implementation globally. Going into this internship, I really didn’t know what to expect. On the first day, I met with my supervisors to discuss a general schedule and to become oriented with The Hunger Project’s communications. As the week has progressed, I began filling out and editing an intern orientation booklet that was designed by a group of previous college interns from Sweden. The booklet delves into The Hunger Project’s unique approach to solving world hunger.

Although I am familiar with some of the work The Hunger Project, after going through the booklet, I have learned quite a lot about the organization’s vision, mission, and approach. One of the major things I’ve learned is that The Hunger Project recognizes that persistent hunger is fundamentally a human issue, not a technical or financial one. Another takeaway I have is The Hunger Project’s three standardized approaches that every community within their programs adapts. The first approach is to empower women as key change agents. This is an essential part of ending hunger because women bear the major responsibility for meeting basic needs, yet are systematically denied the resources, freedom of action and voice in decision-making to fulfill that responsibility. The second approach is to mobilize communities into self-reliant action. Rather than providing handouts across the globe, The Hunger Project’s strategies seek to build people’s capacities, leadership, and confidence. It equips communities with the skills, methods, and knowledge needed to take self-reliant actions to improve their own lives and conditions in their communities. The last approach is to foster effective partnerships to engage local government. The Hunger Project works in partnership with local government bodies to ensure that they are effective.

In addition to reading filling out the intern booklet, I had the chance to observe a West Coast Leadership Team meeting over zoom. During the meeting, various THP fundraisers and leaders shared their experiences and thoughts on COVID-19 and emphasized the importance of facilitating interconnectedness and engaging creatively with investors. Coming into this meeting, I had little background knowledge and I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to understand the conversation at hand. However, I found the meeting to be extremely insightful because it gave me an inside view of some of the lives and experiences of THP members across the country. This meeting made me realize that The Hunger Project is not simply a non-profit organization. It is a family of passionate leaders who constantly connect and engage with each other despite the current circumstances.

So far, my week has been really interesting and engaging and I am looking forward to learning more next week!