In 2005, Redeemer University College joined an exciting new venture – Students for Development Internships, a program funded by the Canadian Government and managed by the Association of Universities and Colleges of Canada (AUCC). From 2005 – 2008, Redeemer sent several interns to Sierra Leone to assist with the development and delivery of literacy programs. Since 2009, Redeemer has been sending interns to Ghana to help facilitate programs that aim to improve adult female literacy education.
Redeemer has recently been approved for a multi-year internship program in Ghana which will provide funding for 20 interns over the next four years. These internships will build on the projects started by previous interns. The current project in Ghana focuses on developing and delivering programs that foster adult women’s literacy and sustainable economic growth. It is essential that the internship work is focused on local needs and that the interns work with people from the community to accomplish mutual goals. The work of the internships continues long after the interns leave as locals are invested in each project. This point is very important in addressing immediate needs and working towards a sustainable future. Dr. Mary Ashun, a Ghana native and professor in the Department of Education at Redeemer, oversees the internship program.
Leveraging the success of previous internships, future internships will work with local communities in Asamankese, Ghana and focus on building literacy and business skills among adult women, many of whom work in the local markets. Improving the literacy and business practices of the local female entrepreneurs will help empower these women and foster sustainable economic growth. Moreover, promoting education and economic development among the local women will set an important example for younger generations and help secure the future of children and youth. Interns will also continue to develop the programming into a model that can be modified and adapted for use in different regions of the country.
Redeemer University College aims to provide students with a holistic education rooted in God’s truth and love that transcends classroom walls. Redeemer hopes to inspire in students a deep faith that transforms them from the inside and overflows on the world around them; a faith that recognizes injustices in the world and seeks to eradicate them; a faith that inspires students to be agents of God’s grace and love in a broken world. These internships are one way Redeemer encourages students to express their faith in action.