Life After USAID/DELTA’s Internship Program: From Learning to Earning!
Nearly a year after completing the USAID DELTA MEL Internship Program, the first cohort of interns reflects on how the program launched their careers in Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL). This article revisits their experiences and journeys, highlighting insights from four alumni—Clarence Powell, Valayee Dukuly, Alfreda Yeanue, and Charles Pewee—and the supervisors who witnessed their growth firsthand.
Building Local MEL Capacity
IBI, in partnership with local subcontractor PERT Consultancy Inc., is implementing the DELTA MEL Internship Program to strengthen local MEL skills and create sustainable job opportunities for young Liberians. The program demonstrates DELTA’s commitment to development led, managed, and driven by Liberians.
The interns credit PERT’s onboarding and refresher trainings for their successes. Valayee Dukuly, MEL Officer for the USAID Education Systems Strengthening Activity (ESSA), emphasized how these trainings bridged knowledge gaps and encouraged peer learning.
Hands-On Experience and Skill Development
During their placements, interns fully integrated into the daily operations of their host organizations, taking on roles such as data collection, analysis, and developing tools like KoBoCollect. Supervisors challenged them to explore unfamiliar tasks, which boosted their independence and initiative. Clarence Powell, now a MEL Assistant with USAID/Liberia’s Food Security, Nutrition, and Resilience Activity, highlighted how trust from his colleagues strengthened his confidence, especially when developing his first KoBoCollect tool.
The program equipped interns with technical skills that benefited them both professionally and personally. Charles Pewee, for example, learned about Collaboration, Learning, and Adapting (CLA) approaches during his placement at Population Services International. He now applies these methods in his role as a Learning and Development Officer at the European Institute for Corporation and Development, using CLA for curriculum development and training. Charles also relies on evidence-based decision-making, a core CLA principle, to effect positive change to his personal life.
Career Success and Supervisor Support
Strong performances led to full-time positions for several interns, including Alfreda Yeanue and Clarence Powell, who secured jobs with their host organizations. Yeanue also earned an invitation to attend the African Evaluation Association’s conference in Kigali, Rwanda.
Supervisors proudly shared their experiences mentoring these young professionals. Alda Leesolee, Dukuly’s supervisor at ESSA, praised his quick response to feedback and his contributions to the project's success. She predicts a bright future for him as a MEL Specialist and encourages him to stay innovative and proactive, and to serve as a role model for future interns. Similarly, Oscar Flomo, MEL Director for the TESTS Activity, highlighted intern Abraham Jallah’s swift adaptation to his role, which led to a job offer after his internship. Mr. Flomo expressed gratitude for the program’s support, noting that TESTS would gladly welcome more interns in the future.
Empowering Local Youth
The DELTA MEL Internship Program is helping young Liberians build essential skills and confidence, allowing them to pursue ambitious career paths. As Pewee put it, "Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime" — a testament to the program's enduring impact on their professional journeys.
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