Luke Brennan and Ellen McCourt arrived from the University of Notre Dame in the beginning of June to complete a two-month internship with BOSCO-Uganda. As their time comes to an end, here is what they have to say about their experience thus far:
Luke:
“When Ellen and I arrived in early June, we were warmly welcomed by the BOSCO team. Tonny walked us through the office and introduced us to all of the staff; the office was all smiles. The next week, Ellen and I met the other interns from both Gulu and Makerere University. Together, we were all formally briefed on company culture at BOSCO-Uganda
BOSCO is collaborative: teamwork and coordination are highly valued and recognized as key components to solving problems.
BOSCO is open and honest: mistakes are viewed as a step in the journey towards productivity and success.
BOSCO is family: inside and outside the office, I was included as a capable coworker and friend.
At my time at BOSCO, I have been included in a variety of projects. Most notably, I attended ICT Trainings in the surrounding communities and joined the technical team to establish and maintain WiFi connectivity throughout the expanding BOSCO network. Most recently, I have been working on a website that will use text messages to collect data on the status of boreholes in Paimol. So far, the project has been both challenging and rewarding; however, with support from the technical team, I hope to finish before my time here has expired. “
Ellen:
“To say my expectations of the internship have been exceeded is an understatement. From day one, Luke and I were welcomed with open arms into the BOSCO family. Since that day, BOSCO has become a home away from home that I will miss dearly when we leave. After completing two weeks of technical training alongside the interns from Gulu University, we were each given respective tasks and a choice of many projects to complete before the end of our internship. I have been working on developing a new website for BOSCO-Uganda, a project that required new skills in both web development and creativity! It has been a very enjoyable project to work on as I have learnt not only the basics of designing a website, but also the many aspects of BOSCO’s mission— past, present and future— and the variety of services it offers to the community of Northern Uganda.
We have also had the opportunity to travel into the field with various departments within BOSCO. Completing maintenance of current sites and establishing future sites with the technical team, helping at on-site trainings with the field coordination team, attending workshops and locations of the CE3 team, and instructing a Web 2.0 and Office Applications training with the help of the Bardege ICT Center team, have all contributed to an educational and enriching two months.
From PV systems, to IP addresses, I have learned many basic skills that have given me a better understanding of the ICT world in Uganda. The BOSCO trainings and practical experience have laid a solid foundation that I hope to build upon for the future so that I can return someday.
It has been a blessing to work with BOSCO-Uganda and I can’t thank them enough for sharing their knowledge, making us feel at home, and giving us the opportunity to be a part of their team.”