Report

Asian Credit Fund (ACF), the localized offshoot of Mercy Corp’s efforts in Kazakhstan, is headquartered in Almaty, Kazakhstan.  High unemployment and deteriorating social services have polarized the country’s society into a wealthy minority and a poor majority.  These high levels of unemployment mean that destitution in Kazakhstan is on the rise.  Widespread poverty and weak social cohesion has intensified problems that lead to bad health and risky behavior, with symptoms as diverse as poor nutrition, unsafe sexual practices, and drug abuse.

The concept of community self-help is a popular one around the world for poverty alleviation; however, a motivating jump-start is often necessary along with support along the way.  Coordinating just such a community outreach project was the most personally rewarding experience of my summer working with Mercy Corps and ACF in Almaty.  I also had many other roles in these humanitarian organizations.  I worked on building the internal capacity of the small business development organization, ACF.  I negotiated partnerships between ACF and the local Coca-Cola bottler.  I coordinated and implemented an information service library for small-business clients.  I fulfilled three of the goals of ACF’s 2003 public relations plan by creating the 2002 annual report, building a website (www.asiancreditfund.org), and publicizing the community outreach program.  I also implemented an information delivery system designed to safeguard confidential client files.  It was a busy summer.

The most important professional development for me came from my interaction with the senior management team.  I was able to interact with AFC’s directors and managers as an equal rather than as an intern.  Also, I was allowed to participate in negotiations with USAID, the US Ambassador, and various organizations of the national government in ACF’s efforts to foster transparency and democratization in Kazakhstan.  This enabled me to observe the policymaking process of donor organizations such as USAID.  As a student of international development policy, this firsthand experience has helped me expand my understanding of the case studies and theoretical frameworks I studied in my coursework.  Before going to Kazakhstan, I knew that context mattered; now I know how context matters.

My summer in Kazakhstan was a formative experience for me, both personally and professionally.  In addition to the work experience, I also met many kind and interesting people whom I am happy to now call my friends.  I also had the opportunity (and necessity) to learn Russian—something that would have been much harder to do outside of an immersion experience.  In fact, it was in practicing Russian that I had the best interpersonal experiences.  It’s amazing how much communication can take place when two people genuinely try, despite my poor vocabulary and broken grammar of an absolute beginner.  I think that was the best lesson of all.

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