During my internship with Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalization (GWED-G), I traveled to remote villages in northern Uganda with a team committed to amplifying unheard voices and challenging cultural norms around gender-based violence, reproductive rights, and HIV prevention. This work closely aligned with GWED-G’s mission to advance the rights of women and girls through economic empowerment and education. By providing information about family planning; addressing teenage pregnancy; encouraging girls to stay in school; and offering resources, such as seeds for small-scale agricultural businesses, GWED-G strives to improve the lives of marginalized communities. Witnessing how the organization works across villages, builds trust, and reminds communities that support is available and their voices matter was an honor.

My project expanded my understanding of global health beyond what I had gained from studying biology and political science. Reading about health issues in Africa could not compare to witnessing them firsthand. Each time we went into the field, I wrote detailed reports on what we observed and documented the key messages the GWED-G team shared on gender-based violence, family planning, teenage pregnancy, and HIV/AIDS prevention. My background in scientific writing taught me the importance of clarity, honesty, and directness, which helped me communicate these sensitive topics respectfully and truthfully.

What struck me most was seeing midwives improvise with limited resources while providing antenatal care in remote villages. They had to determine pregnancy stages, assess the health of mothers and children, and insert long-term birth control—all using only a few tools. Each step required careful precision and constant awareness of contamination risks. Their adaptability and dedication, despite scarce supplies, left a lasting impression on me.

I admired how GWED-G addresses deep cultural barriers related to gender roles, equality, and women’s economic development in rural communities. In many villages, poverty forces young people to leave school early to work, and adolescent marriage is often seen as a necessary path for survival. Some community members still believe that having many children leads to prosperity because those children can contribute labor and support the household. During community sensitization sessions, the GWED-G team discussed family planning and helped villagers understand that they could choose to have only as many children as they could support. However, birth control is still surrounded by stigma, myths, and resistance from men. Some women shared stories of their husbands refusing contraception and, in some cases, of being diagnosed with HIV without being told their partner’s status, often due to infidelity. Because men hold more social and institutional power, many women cannot speak up. When they try to report violence or abuse, male-dominated police forces often dismiss them or even blame them. This is why GWED-G keeps returning to these communities—not to deliver a message once, but to build understanding over time. They teach that gender-based violence includes physical, emotional, economic, sexual, and cultural abuse. They discuss what healthy relationships can look like, especially during the dry season when financial pressures increase tension and violence. The team’s recognition that these barriers do not disappear after one conversation stood out to me. Change takes time; it comes from consistency, from showing up again and again, and from making resources visible and accessible.

This internship was an incredibly valuable learning experience academically and personally. Academically, I deepened my understanding of global health by seeing how public health initiatives are implemented in resource-limited settings. I gained practical experience in field reporting, data collection, and community health education. More importantly, I learned the power of resilience, empathy, and cultural humility. Working alongside the GWED-G team taught me that progress is not always immediate, but persistence and trust-building can spark meaningful change. I returned home more grounded, patient, and aware of my privilege. I learned to lead by listening and understood that sustainable development comes through empathy, trust, and persistence. This internship changed how I think, act, and plan to serve others in the future.