Priscilla Agyapong, 2015, Undeclared

Priscilla Agyapong ’15

In South Africa, NGOs like the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation are the primary undertakers of community building efforts, including the fight against HIV. I worked mainly as an educator in the computer lab of the DTHF Youth Centre in Masiphumelele. My internship was very open-ended; I was given leeway to develop and introduce a variety of activities from college application sessions to one-on-one computer skills development. I also served as a research assistant in a study on informed consent in HIV vaccine trials participation. The study assessed how teenagers aged 15-17 responded to different methods of information regarding their participation in vaccine trials. In an ideal world, such NGOs would be the best agents of change as they are in touch with the grassroots and can more easily identify problematic issues and contextualized solutions. But with issues of funding, lack of community involvement, and the slow pace of change implementation in such places, I learned firsthand the challenges involved in making a measurable difference in people’s lives. My internship solidified my career and academic interests in public policy in the developing world and steered me towards a more governmental approach towards sustainable health solutions, while maintaining a ground level connection.