It’s a long way from Williams Lake to Uganda — 13,592 kilometres in fact.
And for Angie Hare, a skills co-ordinator with the Northern Secwepemc te Qelmucw (NStQ), it will be the farthest she’s ever been as she is doing an internship in the African country and flies out from Vancouver on May 24.
“I’ve never even been on a plane before,” the 24-year-old told the Tribune.
During the four months of the International Aboriginal Youth Internship, Hare will be living with local residents and is one of eight people chosen in Canada by the First Nations Forestry Council to attend.
“It’s through the Jane Goodall Institute Uganda,” Hare said.
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She leaves Williams Lake on May 21 for a few days of training in Vancouver until she flies out to Uganda.
While there she will live with locals who run a school for the first part and at a boarding school for the second portion of the internship.
“We will be teaching them what is called, “Roots and Shoots,” an environmental education program. We will be teacher’s assistants.”
Hare grew up in Williams Lake and before working at NStQ was working at Boston Pizza.
“We are going to be teaching them our culture and we get to learn their culture. We will be living with them, going to church with them, everything they do, we will be doing with them,” she said.
Hare is learning the Secwepemc language and just finished her first six-month language course at Thompson Rivers University Williams Lake.
“I work for the communities with my job and we do drum making and rattle making, which I know how to teach.”
Hare’s boss, NStQ executive director Christie Smith said she is proud of Angie for applying and being a successful candidate.
“The NStQ will be following her travels and posting updates on our Facebook page when she sends them our way,” Smith said.
The International Aboriginal Youth Internship is now accepting applications from Indigenous Youth! If you're interested in #internationaldevelopment, #sustainability initiatives & traveling to #Uganda, you should consider applying! Deadline April 15:https://t.co/b6ystmvrPa pic.twitter.com/2YYpHZlnbZ
— Jane Goodall 🇨🇦 (@JaneGoodallCAN) March 1, 2019
Smith said she was able to listen to Hare’s final interview with the program committee.
“She was concerned about leaving her fish for the four months … we assured her between all the staff we can take care of her fish.”
Hare said was contacted on Facebook by a woman from Kamloops who is also going on the internship.
“I have been living on my own, but I am going to be moving some of my stuff back into my parents’ home so I don’t have to pay rent the four months I am going to be away,” Hare said, with a smile.
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