A Voice For the Voiceless
The Advocacy Project helps marginalized communities to tell their story, claim their rights and produce social change. We recruit graduate students to volunteer as Peace Fellows with partners.
The Impact of Service
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> Fellow feedback 2008
"I am much more aware of what grassroots movements are truly capable of doing and I was proud to be part of this movement in Bosnia. Many of my friends from around the world were following my blog, and they too were very impressed at what LSN BiH was doing. They also wanted to know more about the current legal and political situation, and to what degree it was accommodating the rights of the disabled. Their interest made me understand how powerful and crucial information dissemination is." - Antigona Kukaj, Landmine Survivors Network (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
"The AP experience has given me another incredibly impactful experience in Latin America. It has given me an incredible story to tell, one that truly leaves people interested though unsure how to respond. I feel like I’ve gone through some pretty intense stuff, and I’ve come out of it stronger and more aware. I know I can handle tough environments, and work in a fast paced environment." -Ash Kosiewicz, EPAF (Peru)
"I felt that blogging and producing articles for the British media was one of the most important things I did, because while there is a lot of information available in Britain about the situation in Palestine, very little of it comes directly from people on the ground speaking about their own experiences. I feel this is a very important aspect of international advocacy." - Hannah Wright, WATC (Palestine)
"This was my first time being part of an activist movement, and it was an invaluable opportunity to gain perspective on the nature and interaction of concepts I usually deal with in a much more abstract fashion. It gave me more to think about when I hear or use words like as “grassroots, ” “ civil society,” and “international development.”" - Janet Rabin, The Women in Black Network (Serbia)
"It reaffirmed my belief in the similarities between the challenges facing community organizations all around the world as well as the knotty-ness of appropriately providing support for groups in the global south. It also reaffirmed my conviction that the only real way forward is in partnership with oppressed people and communities and that this is easy to talk about and hard to do." - Jennifer Tucker, Supporting Kids in Peru
"There are many other things I’ve gained from this amazing experience. I’ve definitely become more of a global citizen as this was my first time living in Asia. I have forged lasting friendships and have made professional contacts that will help me in the future." - Jes Therkelsen, JMC (Nepal)
"There are always benefits to these community connections: time and again, no matter who I talk with about my experiences in Africa, I hear the refrain, “It’s people like you who are helping people like me, one at a time, to understand what the world is like, and that there is a group out there (the pygmies) who are in deep danger and need assistance." - Juliet Hutchings, WPIO (Uganda)
"Working with Survivor Corps and the Advocacy Project has allowed me to learn more about Colombia’s armed conflict and political system, and to see some of the strategies for political change that NGOs here are pursuing. I have appreciated the opportunity to develop some practical communications tools here, to improve my Spanish skills, to get to know Bogotanos, and to see several parts of Colombia. It was a great experience." - Amy Offner, Survivor Corps Colombia
"The fellowship allowed me to widen my knowledge of different aspects of human rights, and renewed my sense of the role of civil society in making change. It decreased my faith in government to take these sorts of issues into their hands and protect the people, especially in El Salvador, where people with disabilities are seemingly everywhere, and the country lacks the basic services to allow individuals with disabilities to experience their human rights." - Larissa Hotra, Survivor Corps (El Salvador)
"More than anything, this summer I received a new level of understanding /appreciation for the complexity involved in “development” and “human rights” work…. Particularly being a foreign body trying to work in a new culture." - Nicole Farkouh, Uterine Prolapse Alliance (Nepal)
"I really felt like a journalist working in Kosovo. The experience was also amazing because of the people I worked with and it made a huge difference compared to previous internships/work I have done." - Nicole Slezak, Kosova Women's Network (Kosovo)
"This experience helped me understand India and Indian society and also gave me a greater appreciation of the enormous difficulties of development and grassroots efforts in particular." - Paul Colombini, Chintan (India)
"I feel that because my life there was so completely outside of the world in which I had previously inhabited here in the States, I had no choice but to let go of my previous life entirely and really dive into Nepali life without a single anchor to hold me back. I adapted to the culture in as many ways as I could – the clothes, the food, the behavior, the expectations – everything. And because of that, I feel that I really became Nepali while I was there – my mind changed from an American mind to a Nepali one, and because of that even my thought and behavioral patterns changed. The intensity of this only became clear to me upon my return to the U.S., when I found myself on the verge of tears at my first step on American soil – I felt that I’d come to a new country, leaving my home behind." - Raka Banerjee, NESPEC (Nepal)
"I could not have gained the deep level of understanding that I have developed of this region and occupation (it is hard to simply call it a conflict now) without this fellowship. It has proved to be worth more than my academic education thus far since it brought me back to reality and the importance of the actual events on the ground." - Rianne Van Doeveren, The Alternative Information Center (Palestine)
"I feel that so many people still do not know about the magnitude of what happened in Bosnia and the effects that still make the lives of so many in Bosnia so difficult. There are still many eyes to be opened – something the Advocacy Project has learnt how to do well, and so yes, I do feel that there is a message that needs to be made heard, and supported, with AP’s help." - Shweta Dewan, BOSFAM (Bosnia)
"In the development sector, I reminded myself of the practical limitations in achieving ones desired outcomes, and the need to work within the environment presented to you. I also re-observed that each country has unique limitations to be addressed. I gained huge insight into transitional justice issues, as well as the overall political climate in Nepal. I questioned the impact of donors and free labour from the West in developing countries that have traditionally been extremely donation and volunteer dependent." - Shubha Bala, COCAP (Nepal)
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Fellow feedback 2008
In 2008, AP sent out more than 30 Peace Fellows to 21 countries around the world. This page hosts some of the feedback about their fellowships.
"The best part of my fellowship was visiting the few survivors I had the opportunity to visit, as well as spending time with the youth during the summer camp. Every person I met was so positive and confident, and definitely taught me to appreciate what I have and who I am." - Krystal Sirman, Survivor Corps (Jordan)
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"I am much more aware of what grassroots movements are truly capable of doing and I was proud to be part of this movement in Bosnia. Many of my friends from around the world were following my blog, and they too were very impressed at what LSN BiH was doing. They also wanted to know more about the current legal and political situation, and to what degree it was accommodating the rights of the disabled. Their interest made me understand how powerful and crucial information dissemination is." - Antigona Kukaj, Landmine Survivors Network (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
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"The AP experience has given me another incredibly impactful experience in Latin America. It has given me an incredible story to tell, one that truly leaves people interested though unsure how to respond. I feel like I’ve gone through some pretty intense stuff, and I’ve come out of it stronger and more aware. I know I can handle tough environments, and work in a fast paced environment." -Ash Kosiewicz, EPAF (Peru)
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 "This Fellowship has deepened my understanding of the kind of cooperation and teamwork that is needed to effectively operate a grassroots organization, to successfully work for a cause that not too many people are familiar with. LSN-V is special in that it works closely with individuals at all community levels, from survivors to government officials. From these close working relationships, I had to opportunity to learn about how LSN-V works on an operational level while forming interpersonal relationships at the same time." -Chi Vu, Landmine Survivors Network (Vietnam) |
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"I felt that blogging and producing articles for the British media was one of the most important things I did, because while there is a lot of information available in Britain about the situation in Palestine, very little of it comes directly from people on the ground speaking about their own experiences. I feel this is a very important aspect of international advocacy." - Hannah Wright, WATC (Palestine)
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"This was my first time being part of an activist movement, and it was an invaluable opportunity to gain perspective on the nature and interaction of concepts I usually deal with in a much more abstract fashion. It gave me more to think about when I hear or use words like as “grassroots, ” “ civil society,” and “international development.”" - Janet Rabin, The Women in Black Network (Serbia)
|
"It reaffirmed my belief in the similarities between the challenges facing community organizations all around the world as well as the knotty-ness of appropriately providing support for groups in the global south. It also reaffirmed my conviction that the only real way forward is in partnership with oppressed people and communities and that this is easy to talk about and hard to do." - Jennifer Tucker, Supporting Kids in Peru
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"There are many other things I’ve gained from this amazing experience. I’ve definitely become more of a global citizen as this was my first time living in Asia. I have forged lasting friendships and have made professional contacts that will help me in the future." - Jes Therkelsen, JMC (Nepal)
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"Working with Survivor Corps and the Advocacy Project has allowed me to learn more about Colombia’s armed conflict and political system, and to see some of the strategies for political change that NGOs here are pursuing. I have appreciated the opportunity to develop some practical communications tools here, to improve my Spanish skills, to get to know Bogotanos, and to see several parts of Colombia. It was a great experience." - Amy Offner, Survivor Corps Colombia
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"The fellowship allowed me to widen my knowledge of different aspects of human rights, and renewed my sense of the role of civil society in making change. It decreased my faith in government to take these sorts of issues into their hands and protect the people, especially in El Salvador, where people with disabilities are seemingly everywhere, and the country lacks the basic services to allow individuals with disabilities to experience their human rights." - Larissa Hotra, Survivor Corps (El Salvador)
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"The various opportunities that I had to actually meet, talk to and interact with the waste pickers in their communities were the best for me—this was the most real, the most valuable in terms of information gathered [not just data, but the chance to make observations about sights, smells, emotions, etc, involved with their lives that helped me to understand their points of view and experience]." - Mackenzie Berg, Chintan (India)
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"More than anything, this summer I received a new level of understanding /appreciation for the complexity involved in “development” and “human rights” work…. Particularly being a foreign body trying to work in a new culture." - Nicole Farkouh, Uterine Prolapse Alliance (Nepal)
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"I really felt like a journalist working in Kosovo. The experience was also amazing because of the people I worked with and it made a huge difference compared to previous internships/work I have done." - Nicole Slezak, Kosova Women's Network (Kosovo)
|
"This experience helped me understand India and Indian society and also gave me a greater appreciation of the enormous difficulties of development and grassroots efforts in particular." - Paul Colombini, Chintan (India)
|
"I feel that because my life there was so completely outside of the world in which I had previously inhabited here in the States, I had no choice but to let go of my previous life entirely and really dive into Nepali life without a single anchor to hold me back. I adapted to the culture in as many ways as I could – the clothes, the food, the behavior, the expectations – everything. And because of that, I feel that I really became Nepali while I was there – my mind changed from an American mind to a Nepali one, and because of that even my thought and behavioral patterns changed. The intensity of this only became clear to me upon my return to the U.S., when I found myself on the verge of tears at my first step on American soil – I felt that I’d come to a new country, leaving my home behind." - Raka Banerjee, NESPEC (Nepal)
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"I could not have gained the deep level of understanding that I have developed of this region and occupation (it is hard to simply call it a conflict now) without this fellowship. It has proved to be worth more than my academic education thus far since it brought me back to reality and the importance of the actual events on the ground." - Rianne Van Doeveren, The Alternative Information Center (Palestine)
|
"I feel that so many people still do not know about the magnitude of what happened in Bosnia and the effects that still make the lives of so many in Bosnia so difficult. There are still many eyes to be opened – something the Advocacy Project has learnt how to do well, and so yes, I do feel that there is a message that needs to be made heard, and supported, with AP’s help." - Shweta Dewan, BOSFAM (Bosnia) |
"In the development sector, I reminded myself of the practical limitations in achieving ones desired outcomes, and the need to work within the environment presented to you. I also re-observed that each country has unique limitations to be addressed. I gained huge insight into transitional justice issues, as well as the overall political climate in Nepal. I questioned the impact of donors and free labour from the West in developing countries that have traditionally been extremely donation and volunteer dependent." - Shubha Bala, COCAP (Nepal)
Back