Emily Patrick is pursing her Master's in Public Administration at the Monterey Institute.  This past summer, Emily interned in Namibia as part of the Development Project Management Institute Plus (DPMI Plus) program.

Through DPMI Plus, Emily was connected with Root Change, a social change organization based in Washington, D.C. Root Change found work for Emily with the Legal Assistance Centre, a human rights organization in Namibia. She worked on an international child labor project aimed at eliminating the worst types of child labor in Namibia, such as prostitution and human trafficking.

Part of Emily's job was working with community monitors who were looking for children in child labor or at risk of falling into it.  When the monitors found these children, they had to fill out forms that were complicated and hard to understand. Emily developed a "wheel" that made it easier for the monitors to get the relevant, accurate information that was needed from the children so they could get them out of child labor and into school.

Emily says it was a great experience because she got to use the skills she learned in the classroom out in the field.  She feels that she is now better prepared to go out into the real-world and make a difference.

Emily says that she would recommend DPMI Plus to anyone interested in working in developing countries.