Ms. Jiske Siebesma, currently engaged as an Intern at SAATH joined the team in September and has been closely working with the program team to support the projects of SAATH. She is a student at Van Hall Larenstein College, University of Applied Science in the Netherlands, and is currently pursuing International Development Management. In this issue of SAATH Newsletter, Jiske shares her experiences from her engagement with us.

A Conversation with Jiske

1) Please introduce yourself and if you like, share one interesting fact about you.

Greetings,  I am Jiske Siebesma, a second-year student hailing from the Netherlands. I am currently doing a 10-week internship at SAATH. An intriguing fact about me is my passion for discovering different countries and immersing myself in diverse cultures. The act of travelling not only brings me joy but also invigorates my spirit. The exploration of new horizons, meeting people from different backgrounds, and delving into the richness of various traditions all contribute to my enthusiasm travelling the world. 

2) How did you learn about SAATH? Tell us what brought you to Nepal.

During my second year of study, I was presented with the task of securing a 10-week internship aligned with my areas of interest. I have developed a profound interest in matters pertaining to gender issues, my search led me to an organisation dedicated to advocating for women’s human rights. 
The journey that brought me to SAATH was actually an accident. I stumbled upon SAATH while pursuing a global map featuring various development sector organisations. There was an organisation SAATH, which was listed in India, with only a brief description saying: “livelihood improvement”. I visited their website, and everything I found resonated with me, leaving me with a positive impression. At that point, I reached out to them, without knowing I was actually contacting SAATH in Nepal. It was only later that I realised that the website I visited was already the website of SAATH in Nepal. 
From that moment onwards, I found myself immersed in the vibrant world of SAATH, located in Nepal. Nepal, with its unique charm, quickly captured my heart, and my association with SAATH became a source of genuine satisfaction. I am wholeheartedly committed to the organisation’s mission and find immense joy in being a part of it. 

3) You have been supporting SAATH activities during your engagement so far. Tell us about it.

During my time supporting SAATH for the last 5 weeks I engaged in a few different activities.Such as helping with their social media accounts, searching for stakeholders, doing research about gender differences in Nepal, explaining climate change to rural marginalised groups, writing recap reports, helping with organising a fundraiser and I created a 5 days Excel workshop for the children of the Hakuna Matata project. 
All these activities I am happy to do, they give me the feeling of really being part of SAATH and that my work is valuable.

4) What has been the main highlight of your engagement at SAATH?

A highlight of my engagement at SAATH has been the opportunity to conduct lessons for the Hakuna Matata children. These 5 lessons about the basics of Excel have been personally developed and delivered by me, providing me with the feeling of really contributing to the organisation’s mission. 
Working with the Hakuna Matata children feels like my little project here at SAATH. Having completed two lessons thus far, I can already see so much progress made by the children, which has been an incredibly gratifying experience. This project makes clear that even a small contribution can lead to meaningful change.

5. Do you have anything that you would like to share with the partners and friends of SAATH? Do you have any recommendations for SAATH?

I would like to emphasise that SAATH is an exceptionally diligent NGO with a team of remarkable, compassionate, and devoted individuals. The dedicated professionals at SAATH are highly motivated to bring about positive change in the lives of people here in Nepal, and their unwavering commitment is evident through their tireless efforts each day. 
My recommendation for SAATH is to continue the exceptional work that all of its team members are already dedicated to. I want to say thank you to SAATH for giving me this opportunity and wish them good luck with all their future projects.