My DOT's Internship Journey: Giving Back To The Community, A Hidden Secret For Growth

I learned that doing something for the community you live in and returning the favor to those who have helped you are strong motivators. Everyone, rich or poor, intellectual or illiterate takes from society, and giving back is one way to show a sense of appreciation. With a vision to become a global citizen who can change the world, I became motivated to acquire 21st century skills that matter today. After joining DOT-Rwanda in August 2012 as an intern, I found myself in an environment that stimulated me to grow.

My name is Clet Iyamenye Nibeho. I hold a Bachelors degree in Food Science and Technology. I heard about DOT Rwanda for the first time in February 2012 through a friend of mine who was completing this exciting internship with DOT and I discussed with him about DOT and what does it deals with.  He explained in details DOT's mission and vision and all ongoing programs. It was my final year, he then encouraged me to stay tuned and apply online in June the same year when DOT was going to recruit a new wave of interns. I was excited and searched the web to know more about DOT. After I went through a rigorous recruitment process, I successfully passed both the written and oral exams. An online learning and face-to-face trainings were provided before being deployed on the field at GSK center in Musanze district in September 2012. 

 

Left: Clet delivering "Mapping your assets" module at GSK. Right: Graduation Ceremony at Busogo Community Telecenter

I found the DOT internship very amazing and every day has been an opportunity to gain skills, knowledge and expertise. Today, I consider this opportunity as the best learning and transforming experience I ever had because through it, I managed to grow and develop both professionally and personally. I learned to carefully listen, interact and build strong and long-term networks. In addition, The DOT internship enabled me to interact with several people from different backgrounds and different views. All of these helped me to develop a good and strong personality. 

One of my great achievements in DOT was a developed strong partnership with GS BUSOGO (I) where I negotiated a new host center that helped us to deliver the ReachUp! I was able to train more than 250 beneficiaries through the DOT training and their success stories are overwhelming, from young people who decided to go back to school to pursue higher education, others started small-scale businesses to support themselves and their families and also who have experienced livelihood improvements due to a buildup of their self-confidence.

 

  One of my participants called Kayitera Jean found an amazing job in a Tigo Service center located in Musanze District.

Some remarquable impacts of the ReachUp! program 

ReachUp! program has not only changed participants' lives, but also it has greatly changed mine. In DOT, I found a new passion for ICT and experienced how the uses of technology do not only create interesting opportunities but also helped me to acquire different skills and build my capacities.

DOT helped me to become a lifelong learner since the introduction to online learning where we were taught how to blog, different social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, among others that people use and different tools available. This has inspired me a lot and I have managed to find an amazing online training on Web2.0 and Social media for development organized by a Netherland Organization called CTA.

 Clet awarded a CTA certificate on Web2.0 and Social Media for Development

From these online experiences and participation, I started to try different online opportunities like call for applications provided to young people especially from developing countries, the first best result was the time I won the competition and selected as one of eight Rwandan Topic Champions to participate in the first DOT's Youth and Learning UnConference held at Kenyatta University at Nairobi (Kenya) in May 2013 and I got the opportunity to share ideas and experiences with many people from different corners of the world on youth issues. I had an opportunity to present my paper about "Youth empowerment" and exchanged experiences with others people from around the globe on how young people in developing countries can be empowered to achieve a sustainable development.

 Clet presenting his poster on Youth empowerment during the DOT's UnConference at Nairobi

With all the skills I gained in social media, I easily built my network and I was able to keep in touch with other DOT Interns from other countries where DOT operates, through sharing contacts, starting discussion and to learn more from the DOT platform. This experience showed me the power of global networks and the positive impacts when people come together to share experiences from all over the world.

Last but not least, through my interests in different online opportunities, in July 2013, I was selected among 25 people from 331 candidates to participate in the first African Internet governance school organized by APC (Association for Progressive Communication) in partnership with NEPAD e-Program which took place at Durban in South Africa. I have been excited by winning such great learning opportunity where we discussed a lot about how government, private sector and civil society should be engaged together with partners in developing and applying policies, rules and principles which can shape the evolution and the use of internet in our countries and the whole Africa. This conference was very interesting and I felt honored to be selected as a DOT Intern.

 Class of the 1st African school on Internet Governance at Durban in South Africa and Clet while sharing his experience.

Briefly, DOT has provided me with the opportunity to learn and develop as a young person and enabled me to provide the same opportunity to other young people in my community. DOT is a leading global organization that I am proud to be part of.

I am grateful to DOT for giving me an opportunity to serve my community, since helping others made me feel good about myself; I know I am doing something for someone that I know they couldn't do for themselves. A smile from a thankful person shows you're really making a difference in someone's life, and that's the greatest feeling in the world.