I started my internship with the Aga Khan Foundation U.S.A. (AKF USA) last September after completing my Master’s degree in International Public Policy at the University of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy. Before that I served two years in the Peace Corps in Ghana, which cultivated my interest in international development.

One of the most interesting aspects about working in AKF USA’s Program Department is that each day is different. My responsibilities vary depending on the department’s needs and whether a project has reached the end of a reporting period, or new project funding opportunities have been posted on grants.gov. Some days are filled with conference-call meetings with field offices overseas, while others are spent sitting at my computer, reading reports and accomplishing various administrative tasks.One of my main projects was helping to finalize the Program Operations Manual. That provided me with comprehensive insight into how the Program Department functions and an overview of best practices for grants management.

For the most part, all the tasks have been fascinating and have had great learning components. I have had the opportunity to assist with the mid-term evaluation of the USAID-funded Chitral Child Survival Program. I have also been given the responsibility to interact directly with project managers in the field, and have learned about potential challenges and obstacles they face, and have gained insight into the kinds of support required by the field.

My exposure to grants management and business development has been invaluable and provides a foundation for my career, just as my previous experience helped my understanding of AKF’s work. From my time in Ghana with Peace Corps, I could picture certain on-the-ground circumstances found when working in a country’s poorest and most remote communities. Granted, West Africa is very different than Central Asia, but without my Peace Corps experience I, like many Americans, would have a hard time picturing anything but stereotypes and generalizations about a developing country. It also helped me view development projects with a more critical eye, knowing how easily numbers and deliverables can be inflated from far away. (Happily, most AKF proposals are field-driven and implemented by locals who know circumstances on the ground.)

I’m not sure where I will be heading next but I hope to return to the field, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. I would like to help implement education or health projects. I believe that the combination of my education at the Ford School and my experience at AKF USA (and the Peace Corps) will enable me to achieve my career goals.