Meera Mahadevan internship experience

As someone interested in Environmental Economics and Climate Change, I had always lamented the fact that they did not figure in my Development Economics curriculum at university. So when I found out about the 'Richard Sandbrook Scholarship', I thought it would be a wonderful opportunity to learn about these issues. Well, it was, and much more.

The internship started with a three-week stint in Senegal, where I reviewed an ongoing project on community-based adaptation with a sister organization of IIED, IED Afrique. After returning to London, I was involved with writing a background paper for a report on the Green Economy to be authored by Mr Steve Bass. This was supposed to mark the end of my two-month internship, but in a display of generosity and compassion, which only IIED can boast of, Mr. Saleemul Huq offered me a further three month internship with the Climate Change Group. Rather unfortunately, I had to leave one month into that because of securing full time employment elsewhere.

I have done several internships in my student life and am employed at the World Bank at present, but it is no exaggeration on my part to say that my experience with IIED was the finest of them all. Not only was I given a free hand in my work in Senegal and London, the several interesting talks and debates I attended, and my conversations with various members of the staff have helped me grow a lot in the short time I was with them. I have come to appreciate more and more the gentle and amicable atmosphere that every member of IIED, as well as the beautiful red and blue walls, seems to exude.

It is and will remain a very happy and rewarding time in my life and I am grateful to IIED for that.

Meera Mahadevan, January 2010