I volunteered with FSD in Kakamega, Kenya in the summer of 2012, working at a local sub-district hospital. FSD's sustainable development model, which teaches that social and economic change must come from within the community to work and last, forces interns to truly immerse themselves into their organization and community in order to identify issues and potential solutions. Even two years later I am still in touch with my host family and some coworkers from the hospital. The site team was supportive and enthusiastic yet also provided interns with space and independence. Overall, it was a great experience and I would recommend others to get involved with FSD if they are looking for an international service experience.

This past summer i had the opportunity to work at a sub-district hospital and live with a host family in the rural village of Shibwe, about 15km out of Kakamega. The experience was challenging but extremely enriching. FSD provides its interns with space and independence to pursue a project they feel passionate about, but is always there to provide support when needed. Over nine weeks I was able to form strong relationships at work and in my village, implement sustainable projects and learn important skills such as implementing a workplan and keeping a budget, learn to feel completely comfortable in my immensely new environment, and as a result of this all I grew tremendously as a person while making a difference (big or small) at Shibwe.