SPARKS Committee

Our committee is aimed at linking the activities of the non-profit organization called SPARKS International with Pangea's initiatives of promoting active citizenship and global awareness.

Projects
Afghanistan • Argentina • Mexico

In collaboration with Pangea, Why Me? and SPARKS International, the Institute for Global Leadership (IGL) brought Mr.Arthur Serota to Tufts University on Nov. 17. Mr. Serota is the Executive Director of the organization United Movement to End Child Soldiering (UMECS). UMECS publicly advocates for the rights and well-being of children and youth worldwide through a variety of activities, which includes giving lectures and workshops to raise consciousness on the issues of child soldiering, empowering communities at the grassroots level by supporting former child soldier organizations and groups supporting the needs of children affected by conflict and also conducts research in support of campaigns to stop the flow of arms to regions of conflict. Mr. Serota spoke on the issue of child soldiering and more specifically on the conflict in Northern Uganda where he visited this past August in order to address these issues that are currently taking place.

Together with the suport of the IGL, UMECS, and the Tufts University College of Citizenship and Public Service (UCCPS), Pangea is working on creating a yearly student internship opportunity through an Ugandan, community-based organization called Friends of Orphans (FRO). FRO advocates for, rehabilitates and protects former child soldiers and children who have suffered from conflict in Uganda. The summer internship program will be aimed at furthering these goals in three program areas: peace building, community building and immediate survival needs.

We are also working on three summer internship programs in partnership with SPARKS international. The internship program will see current students and recent university graduates placed in internships in Afghanistan, Argentina and Mexico. Brief project descriptions are shown below:

Afghanistan
Running for the second time, the internship in Afghanistan is organized in partnership with the Government of Afghanistan, and will see interns placed in various Ministries to support the work of the Afghan Government. There may also be opportunities for placement within the NGO community in Afghanistan. Students with a wide range of interests - from macroeconomic planning to public health to education to foreign affairs - are encouraged to apply.

Argentina
Participants will work with the Provincial Secretary for Minors, Women, and Family ( Dirección Provincial del Menor, la Mujer y la Familia ), which offers aid to children and mothers in poverty through its attention centers. These centers attempt to mitigate the immediate and long-lasting effects of extreme poverty such as malnutrition, lack of education, etc. The interns will be directly involved with all aspects of the centers. Tasks include direct child supervision, recreational activities, monitoring of children's nutritional and medical charts and progress, family assistance and support, and organization of workshops for mothers in a diverse number of topics. Students who are interested in health, nutrition, education and poverty alleviation are encouraged to apply. Note: Applicants must speak fluent Spanish for this internship.

Mexico
Running for the second year, the internship in Mexico is organized in partnership with the Mexican Ministry of Governance (SEGOB - Secretaría de Gobernación), which will accept interns to work on different projects throughout Mexico City, with possible linkages to the NGO community. The internships will focus on protecting human rights, developing policies for the development and control of natural disasters, and enhancing political development through increased participation of citizens, among other issues. Students with an interest in protecting and promoting human rights, civil society and public policy are encouraged to apply. Note: Applicants must speak fluent Spanish for this internship.

For more information about the internship summer programs please visit http://www.sharethespark.org/internships

Contact information

Committee head: Mary Langan
Alternate: Floor Deruyter