Shelly Juurlink, Intern 2004-2005
Background Bio:
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Born and raised on a small, family operated dairy farm in Nova
Scotia, I have developed a love for farming life and a desire to
assist in developing and maintaining sustainable farming systems.
During my undergraduate degree in agriculture, I took a special
interest in organic dairy farming and explored the feasibility of
transition from conventional farming techniques in my final year.
During my graduate research, I explored how changes in feeding management
affected greenhouse gas emissions from dairy systems.
Education:
M.Sc., Dalhousie University
B.Sc. (Animal Science Major, Agribusiness Minor), Nova Scotia Agricultural
College
Host Country:
the Gambia
Internship Experience:
Summarizing six of the most incredible months of my life in a few
paragraphs is definitely a challenge. I'll give it a try. The structure
of my placement consisted of two weeks language training in the
village, two weeks of cultural integration in a neighboring village
five months in Njawara village at the Njawara Agricultural Training
Center (NATC) in the North Bank Division of the Gambia. During my
homestay, I lived in a family compound in a village called Kerr
Ardo. My days were spent in the field with the men, cooking with
the women, playing with the children and working with the farmers
on the Gambian Ecological Agricultural Development project. It was
not always easy, at first. The transitional phase between letting
go of the western culture I was brought up and absorbing and understanding
the culture that presently surrounded me was something I have never
experienced before. The day that I understood that they were not
laughing at me, that they were in fact laughing with me and that,
I too, could laugh freely with them was the day it all changed for
me. That was the day the Gambia became my home and the Gambians
became my family.
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The
role I played professionally in the village was to assist the project
with trainings, to write reports and training modules, and to work
with and learn from the farmers in the field. This was the most
satisfying work experience I have ever had. At the end of the day,
instead of a pile of papers on my desk after 8 hours in front of
a computer screen as I would have had as an accomplishment in the "Western
World", I was able to feel like I have contributed, in a small way,
to something more profound. To food security, to poverty alleviation,
to the promotion of environmental awareness and preservation. At
the end of the day I directly helped, with my bare hands, to put
food on a family's table. How incredible is that?
I was fortunate to have the opportunity to play a part in the development
and production of the Mayon Turbo Stove in the Gambia. Working with
local engineers and a technical welding shop, we were able to modify
REAP-Canada's existing MTS to meet Gambian cooking requirements.
Driving in a truck, through upcountry West Africa, after weeks of
hard work in the research and development, with a load of the first
MTS in the country on the way to the villages for distribution was
an extremely satisfying experience. It is impossible to describe
in words the feeling of knowing I was able to contribute to the
global village, to have a part in preventing deforestation, to help
the environment and to assist in preventing potential respiratory
illnesses in women.
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On
a personal level, I wore many hats with the villagers. Friend, sister,
niece and daughter. Those people did not take long to find their
way into my heart. They were my family. I have never met more caring
and open people ever, nor can I imagine finding people like that
anywhere else in the world. They were so easy to love. I learned
so much from them. These people just took me in as if I was one
of their own. They taught me to eat with my hands, to scrub my clothes
in a bucket, to grow traditional crops, to take bucket showers and
cook traditional food. They taught me the importance of sharing,
patience and the value of unconditional acceptance. I feel very
fortunate to have had this experience and to have been given to
opportunity to learn so much about another culture and even more
about myself.
Thank you Gambia.
Sean Sloan, Intern 2004-2005
Background Bio:
![](images/staff/intern04_05_b1.jpg)
It
is my sincere desire to work towards promoting sustainable development
and alleviating poverty. My education and work experience in Latin
America and the South Pacific has allowed me to gain a rich background
in participation and development. I have conducted research work
in examining land redistribution and peasant resettlement after
having done field work in Guatemala. On a Rotary Foundation scholarship,
I also completed a Post-Grad Diploma in Development Studies from
the University of the South Pacific, Fiji, where I researched on
traditional land tenure. I hope to conduct further research either
in Fiji or Gambia to complete my Master's Degree in Development Studies. Between studies, I have
volunteered in Costa Rica, twice in Guatemala, and in the Pacific
in the areas of rural development, women's micro-enterprise, land
redistribution and land tenure policy. I am excited to embark upon
my experience in Gambia and hope that it will provide ideas for
future research.
Education:
B.A. (Geography, honours), Lakehead University.
Certificate in Social and Environmental Impact Assessment, Lakehead
University
Post-Grad Diploma, Centre for Development Studies, The University
of the South Pacific.
Host Country:
the Gambia