¡Hola! My name is Erin and I’m a third-year student majoring in Political Science with a concentration in Comparative Politics and minoring in Geology. Throughout my coursework, I have completed several data analysis and research projects that focused on governmental instability as a contributor to and cause of human rights crises. Notably, the semester before applying for this internship, I created a research report on the threat of drug cartels to state sovereignty in Mexico and Colombia and the human rights and human migration implications of these organizations. Thus, when I saw an opening to work with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Guatemala City, I was interested in working on the pragmatic side of a topic that I was academically familiar with. I was also interested in working in Spanish. I grew up outside Chicago, so, I have a strong base in the language, but I was interested in an opportunity to learn more and use the language in a professional context. Thankfully, my interest in the position showed in my application, and between May and July 2023, I served as an intern in the Cash-Based Interventions (CBI) Unit at the Guatemala City field office for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
Cash-Based Interventions is a unique and relatively new arm of the UNHCR. The program's goal is to promote financial inclusion, autonomy, and access among populations of concern. The CBI process allows each household to choose how to use their financial assistance to best meet their individual needs. The way it works is simple; UNHCR representatives use a standardized assessment to determine eligibility for the program, households that qualify are prioritized based on demonstrated need and a varying number of new households are enrolled in the program each month. Once enrolled, the head of household will receive a debit card that they can use at designated locations to withdraw their financial assistance, in cash, for the month. As a remote intern, my ability to facilitate the process was limited, so most of my duties were in data management and analysis. At the start of each month, I combined personal information for each enrolled household into one location to facilitate the creation and mailing of acceptance packets and debit cards. Throughout the month, I completed biweekly analyses to verify the status of each entitlement. Finally, at the end of the month, I compiled a monthly demographic analysis to quantify the gender, citizenship, geographic location, and age breakdown of our beneficiaries. There were many highlights of the internship most importantly, working with and learning from the CBI unit: Hiram and Manuel. It was a privilege to step away from theory for the summer, see the impact of humanitarian work, and get to know the individuals who work for UNHCR year-round. Another highlight came in the pragmatic aspect of the work, it was rewarding to know that our work was directly benefitting those in need. Finally, a last highlight was gaining a better understanding of the UNHCR, through our all-staff meetings and reading updates from headquarters I got to understand the organization's day-to-day work.
Of course, challenges occur in any new position; I struggled to stay motivated while working remotely, especially since I was two hours ahead of the office, and sometimes it was hard to feel connected. Eventually, the time difference became appreciated as I developed a new schedule and was able to go to the gym and have quiet mornings before starting the rush of work. The challenge of not feeling connected was harder to solve, but my supervisor made sure to include me in every meeting that he could and I more frequently reached out to my unit and asked if I could help with anything which led to me feeling more involved. Although I am not receiving academic credit for this internship, it has helped me learn more about the practical application of my academic work and showed me new and rewarding career paths that I had not previously considered.
Finally, I would like to thank Mr. Levy and the Levy Family for their generous donation to the Arts Internship Program. As an international student, it is difficult for me to take on unpaid internships, no matter how rewarding I think they would be. Thanks to your donation, I was able to participate in this internship and gain incredible insight into humanitarian work and UNHCR. I am deeply grateful for your generosity, without which I would not have been able to have this impactful experience in my life. ¡MuchÃsimas gracias por todo!
