Anne Kauhanen (Finland)

Jul 11, 2016, 1:11 PM | Volunteers

I started my eight weeks long internship at CBM in June 2011. I had heard about the work of CBM while I was doing an internship at another local organization in Mitrovica in spring 2010. Actually I think that you cannot visit Mitrovica, especially the NGO circles, without hearing about the work of CBM. The fact that ethnically mixed staff is working together across community lines for a better and joint Mitrovica, caught especially my attention.

I came to CBM with many expectations and they were all excelled. I received my own assignment evaluating CBM’s projects with women. I had the chance to structure and to do my work self-dependent, at the same time knowing that if I would have problems, my colleagues would help me. CBM also granted me the time and the space to collect material for my PhD-thesis about Mitrovica during my internship.

To have CBM as a working environment was a truly interesting experience. The working days were full of pleasant surprises and I had the possibility to meet different people from local and international communities and attend various meetings. I also had the chance to go to a retreat, which helped me to receive a good overview about CBM’s structures and projects.

My wish to do another internship at CBM speaks for the facts that my stay at CBM was instructive, challenging and interesting, that I enjoyed the atmosphere in the office and that I had lovely colleagues.