Five summer interns bring new energy to URF

July 14, 2010  |   Filed under: Blog  |   Posted by:

 “They (URF) are teaching the people how to help themselves and I thought it was important to be a part of this work.”–Graham

Harry, Katherine,John Mary, Graham

URF is rapidly growing and the demands on the administrative end have increased. This summer we have been blessed with five energetic young interns working with John Mary at our Richmond office to ensure smooth running of the organization and provide strong support for our programs staff in Uganda. Below you will find reflections about their involvement with URF.

Graham Myers received his B.A from the University of Virginia.  He worked for a year as an Office Manager for America Votes and is currently working on an M.A degree in International Administration at the Josef Korbel School for International Studies in Denver, CO.  Katherine Krudys is currently a rising junior at Freeman High School in Richmond. He hopes to venture into a career in a field related to International Affairs. Harrison Gill is a recent graduate of E. Mills Godwin High School inRichmond and is heading to college this coming fall hoping to major in Pyschology.

In addition, Amy Norris and Tiffany Ma are assisting us remotely from Texas and Chicago respectively. Amy holds a B.A in International Development, an M.A in International Affairs with a concetration in International Poverty studies, and is enrolled at the University of Oregon Law School. Amy is helping with grants research. Tiffany holds a B.A in Communications and Frech and is currently pursuing an M.A in Journalism at Roosvelt University in Chicago. Tiffany is assisting with PR and URF Campus Chapter program.

Graham Myers, URF 2010 Summer Administrative Intern

a.How or why did you decide URF would be a great organization to get involved with? i.e. what attracted you to URF of all the hundreds of charities out there?
I became interested in URF because of the close work they do with the local community and it’s message of self-empowerment. A lot of charities just give handouts, but Uganda Rural Fund actually prides itself on educating the local people, especially the children. In a country with such a high population of children, it is important to focus on primary education and healthcare and URF achieves this through its Hope Integrated Academy, vocational programs, and men and women’s empowerment programs. They are teaching the people how to help themselves and I thought it was important to be a part of this work.
b. How do you like your work at URF and what projects have u worked on so far?

My work at URF has been quite interesting so far. As a student earning my master’s in International Administration, I have found the work to help me apply practically what I have learned in the classroom. From working on expense reports, to organizing a fundraiser and creating a powerpoint presentation the work has been absorbing.

c. How do you see your work at URF contributing to your future career? Where do you see yourself in five, ten years from now?

My work at URF is helping to prepare me for the dedication, hard work, and time it takes to run a non-profit NGO. In the future I hope to either manage a non-profit or create my own, hopefully with the goal of integrating impoverished children from different countries to attend a no-cost school.  My work at Uganda Rural Fund is preparing me for the managerial and administrative aspects of this career.

d. Briefly share one or two things you would like others to know about URF or Hope Academy and perhaps inspire them to get involved?

One thing people may not realize is that Uganda Rural Fund will have far-reaching consequences for the people of this world. Of course, the work is worth it as long as one child who normally would not receive an education, has an opportunity to attend school.  Yet, URF provides stability and opportunity for a country and region impoverished, and the more opportunities available, the less chances there will be for the people to become disillusioned and radicalized. Terror organizations recruit from impressionable and impoverished children who have no other options.  Uganda Rural Fund provides these options.

Kathleen Krudys, URF 2010 Summer Administrative Intern
 
a.How or why did you decide URF would be a great organization to get involved with? i.e. what attracted you to URF of all the hundreds of charities out there?

I became interested in URF because I wanted to volunteer for an international cause while still in the United States.  I was drawn to the area of Uganda because it is an area in desperate need of attention, which it does not always receive.  At the same time, Uganda also has a lot hidden potential.  I decided to volunteer with URF as opposed to other organizations because as grassroots organizations, URF has been able to set up effective programs that help Uganda learn to help itself.
 

b. How do you like your work at URF and what projects have u worked on so far?

I have just started working with URF, so after learning and researching about URF and Uganda in general, I have researched possible corporate donors and possible partner organizations.  In addition, I have worked on spreadsheets with past donors.  Overall, I enjoy my work with URF.  Although, I do not get to witness the benefit that my work gives to Uganda, I realized that even while typing spreadsheets I am helping people in a different area of the world who are in desperate need.  

c. How do you see your work at URF contributing to your future career? Where do you see yourself in five, ten years from now?

In five years, I will only be in college, but in college, I plan to major something along the lines of international affairs. In ten years, I am still unsure of where I will be, but I plan to be helping other areas of the world.  My work at URF teaches me about Uganda and running a nonprofit.  In addition, I am learning about how to help impoverished communities because many people and organizations have a desire to help but they are unclear on the best way to do this, and my work with URF is helping me realize the best ways that nonprofits can achieve success..  

d. Briefly share one or two things you would like others to know about URF or Hope Academy and perhaps inspire them to get involved?

URF might be small, but it is effective.  URF has already established various programs that have benefited the people of Uganda.  In the United States, we have a sense of security along with so many opportunities for success.  URF is working so that the people of Uganda may have this same sense of safe security along with a future that is bright as opposed to bleak.

Harry Gill, URF 2010 Summer Administrative Intern

a) Why did you decide URF would be a great organization to get involved with? i.e. what attracted you to URF of all the hundreds of charities out there?

I first heard about URF through my mother, who had previously worked with Brother John Mary and helped with URF. When I decided to dedicate part of my summer to doing community service I thought that URF would be the perfect solution. URF is a great organization to work for because it helps underprivileged children in Uganda with no underlying intentions of converting their religion. 

b) How do you like your work at URF and what projects have you worked on so far?

I enjoy my work at URF because I get a switch around what projects I work on. Some of the projects I’ve worked on so far are contacting local schools and rotary clubs, as well as colleges in order to gain support for URF.

c) How do you see your work at URF contributing to your future career? Where do you see yourself in five, ten years from now?

I don’t really know what I want my career to be. All I know is that I want to do something that makes a difference in people’s lives. URF is a perfect example of how one man can help thousands of people with just the power of determination and self-will. Five years from now I see myself in the Amazon Rainforest teaching the natives about farming techniques to increase their food production. Ten years from now I have absolutely no idea where I see myself, hopefully living a simple and happy life somewhere in a city.   

d) Briefly share one or two things you would like others to know about URF or Hope Academy and perhaps inspire them to get involved?

There is one thing I would like to share with anyone interested in getting involved with URF. Hope Academy all started with nothing but a vision by John Mary Lugemwa. With constant fundraising and funding from various schools across the country they have been able to pay for Hope Academy’s construction. Five years after that vision and they now have an entire school built with 134 students enrolled in the Academy.