I mentioned in my previous post that I am currently interning here in Dakar. I am working with Caritas Pari, an organization that welcomes immigrants and refugees. The organization seeks to provide people with basic services they may need upon their arrival to Dakar; things like doctor’s visits, school enrollment and maybe housing.
I have been working with them since mid-September and have learned a lot. I have been fortunate in being able to interact with people directly. My first couple of weeks, I helped at the front desk. At the front desk, we greet people as they walk in, take their information down as well as the reason they are visiting. Then, they wait to speak to one of our staff members. If it is their first time visiting Pari, we have to interview them to create a file and figure out the best ways to help.
I have taken part in some of these interviews. The interviews can be hard to conduct but I am always glad to listen to people talk and get them through tough times. It is wonderful to see someone you interviewed, come back for whatever they need and form relationships with them. You can see them as they grow and become more adjusted to Senegalese life, even over the course of a couple weeks.
We have immigrants and refugees from all over the world. They are mostly people from other African countries, but we have had people from countries as far as in South Asia. Most come because they are fleeing conflict and want a better life for themselves. Some are not necessarily facing violent conflict but may need to leave their country for a number of reasons. Most speak French, but some only speak English. In those cases, I am very helpful to Pari.
Interning at Caritas has allowed me to connect some of the work I have done at home with immigrants. Meeting people, talking to them and forming relationships with them is so great. It is better than sitting in a classroom and learning about these issues. The people who visit our office have their own ideas about how to help people forced to flee their homes, I think it would be wonderful to listen to them.