Student interns in Burkina Faso

Henna Wang ’10 recounts her life-changing experience of spending a summer in the West-African country

By Henna Wang
Contributing Writer

During the summer of 2007 I interned through a non-University program in one of the world’s poorest countries: Burkina Faso in West Africa.

I worked at Village Artisanal de Ouagadougou (VAO), managed by the Burkina Faso Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Crafts and the Luxembourg Agency.

Over a million people in Burkina Faso rely on artistry as their sole source of income. The “Village” was created to increase trade in handicrafts to ensure these people had a venue to showcase their work.

I worked closely with Peace Corps volunteers and managers to help find potential markets for a diverse group of artists and then brand their artistry.

Through my efforts, I helped contribute to the economic development of artisan communities in Ouagadougou. I taught English as a Second Language (ESL) and assisted with designing business cards for the artists and boutiques. Right in the midst of things, I redesigned the display area for the Village to enhance their exhibitions and improve their image.

Since I was basically on my own, I did a lot to prepare for this experience. I knew I was going to be dealing with Burkina Faso’s water shortage so I researched and read books such as “Thirst: Fighting the Corporate Theft of our Water,” by Alan Snitow & Deborah Kaufman with Michael Fox, and “Sahel” by Marc Francioli.

I consulted with biology professor Sixto Portilla at Dowling College and Mrs. Janet Fischer, the adviser for Model United Nations (UN) at Connetquot High School, and we discussed the possibility of Sayville Rotary sponsoring a water project in Burkina Faso. All this helped me understand the people, culture and conditions in the country.

When I arrived in Burkina Faso, I experienced the culture I had been so hungrily researching, and found myself open to so many hands-on opportunities.

My stay with native Burkinabes not only enhanced my knowledge of French, but also my understanding of the culture, people and the need for resources in that part of the world.

I learned about their humanitarian mission in the country at the Taiwanese Embassy. Accompanied by Mr. Boureima Balima, a member of Burkina Faso Senate, I met with Mme. Campaore, the President’s sister.

Chief Chen-Chung Lee, the “water expert” in Burkina Faso, shared his expertise with me. I later met with the president of Rotary in Burkina Faso, and discussed the water project with other Rotarians. I then visited fields where some water wheels were already in place and others were under construction.

Through my volunteer work at VAO, as well as my research, I have become committed to improving the lives of those less fortunate and I learned a tremendous amount, both in my internship at VAO and in efforts to connect Rotary in Ouagadougou with Sayville Rotary to start a water project.

I am currently preparing a presentation for Rotary International (Sayville Chapter) on a possible water project in Burkina Faso: I presented it to Model UN at Connetquot High School in January, and was invited to speak at St. John Episcopal Church in Long Island, New York during winter break.

Burkina Faso will be a place and an experience I will never forget. Their classrooms are built for 32 students, but more than 100 were standing to hear a lecture. I witnessed a doctor deliver a baby by flashlight because their hospital had no electricity.  It is a place where rich kids watch MTV all day while poor kids travel for hours to fetch water for their families.

A typical Burkinabe woman cannot afford luxuries like electricity or an au pair. She has ceased to compete for her husband’s love with the other wives because she is confined to a society where men have the right to love more than one woman.

I believe a summer internship like this could help others become better leaders, accelerate global education, and expand personal networks.

Study and immersion in a country other than United States is vital. My belief is each time we exchange knowledge and skills with the people of Africa and the world, we make a big step toward becoming global citizens —ones with compassion and humanity, both so needed today.