Stephanie Mann

Location / Country: Jakarta, Indonesia
Organization: Millenium Challenge Corporation

MANN: "This summer I worked for three months as the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) intern with Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in Jakarta, Indonesia. Millennium Challenge Corporation is a U.S. foreign aid agency with a unique approach to foreign assistance. The MCC Board uses independent and rigorous policy indicators to determine a country’s eligibility for a fixed five-year compact. MCC also requires selected countries to identify their own priorities for achieving sustainable economic growth and poverty reduction. The Indonesia Compact entered into force in April 2013 and is currently in its final year. The Government of Indonesia (GoI) established its three development priorities in the fields of procurement modernization (PM), improved community- based health and reduced childhood stunting, as well as environmentally sustainable, low carbon economic growth (GP). As the M&E intern, I worked mostly with the PM project, in addition to some work with the GP project. ”

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PM Project & Mentoring Sub-Activity

“The Procurement Modernization (PM) Project is designed to accelerate the Government’s procurement reform agenda and transform the operation of the public procurement system in Indonesia. The objective of the project is to support the implementation of the procurement function within the GoI by establishing Procurement Service Units (PSUs) resourced with systems, processes, and skilled procurement professionals as per Presidential Regulations No. 54 introduced in 2010. The expected results of building this capacity within the GoI will be cost savings and efficiency improvements on procured goods and services, while assuring their quality satisfies the public need and that the goods and services are delivered to the public as planned. These savings should lead to more efficient provision of goods and services to the economy, potentially enhancing economic growth.”

Impact:

“In order to carry out the implementation fidelity study, I first attended some PwC trainings to make to establish contacts with the mentors that were involved with this activity. After establishing a rapport with the mentors, I set up times to travel with them for their mentoring activities at various PSUs. I traveled with four different mentors to six different PSUs located on three different islands. I conducted 14 standardized, open-ended interviews with sixteen individuals across the six PSUs. The interviews conducted with mentors discussed their general experience with the mentoring program in all their PSUs, with specific experiences from individual PSUs elaborated on occasionally. The other 10 individuals interviewed were various leaders and structural officers from within the PSU. As the intent of this case study was to document how the mentoring was implemented and the impact of mentoring on the organizational development of the PSU, I interviewed the relevant leadership who worked most closely with the mentor.

I compiled my findings from my interviews and mentoring observations in a twenty-five page report that was used for internal review by MCC’s M&E team and the senior technical advisors of PwC.”

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GP Project

“The Green Prosperity (GP) Project promotes environmentally sustainable, low carbon economic growth as set forth in the Government’s medium- to long-term development plans (RPJP and RPJM), the National Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Action Plan (RAN-GRK), and Regional Spatial Plans (RTRW) (each a “Plan”). The GP Project will provide a combination of technical and financial assistance to support rural economic development that raises real incomes of Indonesians in a manner that reduces reliance on fossil fuels, improves land management practices, protects natural capital, and complements efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation and environmental degradation. “

Impact:

“I worked with the “Window 2” umbrella project, which involved community-based natural resources management (CBNRM) intended to fund smaller-scale projects that promote enhances management of watersheds and forests to improve the sustainability of renewable energy and/or agriculture investments and support rural livelihoods and economic development.”

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Conclusion

“Taken together the internship with MCC Indonesia was an enriching one where I had the opportunity to build upon my background in Indonesia and enhance my language skills in addition to learning about a vast array of new sustainable development issues and cultivating field research skills. Furthermore, the internship has led an employment opportunity for this year. I will be staying on with MCC as a government consultant focusing on the GP project and continuing to travel out to Indonesia during holiday breaks to help with project site visits and assessments. Considering the prodigious expenses of an international unpaid internship, I could not have afforded this opportunity if it were not for Jerry Blakeley’s generosity with the Blakeley Fellowship. I very much look forward to discussing the projects I had the opportunity to be involved with over the summer and thanking Mr. Blakely in person.”

Chuck Dokmo

Country: Chad
Organization: Enterprise for Vocational Development (ENVODEV)

Chuck Dokmo acted as a market researcher, networker, strategist, project Designer & Manager for ENVODEV, a small start-up NGO with vocational and energy projects in southern Chad. He was responsible for growing a network of contacts within N’Djamena, conducting market research on charcoal in the region and assessing the sustainability and scalability of ENVODEV’s charcoal project. His findings helped to determine the course of ENVODEV’s future strategies for meeting urban demand.

Chuck also led a team of 5 to develop two new models of clean, efficient cookstoves, and worked with the International Director to explore several new partnerships.

Chuck: “This internship was a landmark experience in my life. It pushed me well outside of my comfort zone, and I enjoyed the numerous challenges we faced. Most of all, I thoroughly enjoyed the people with whom I worked.”

Katie Walsh

Country: China
Organization: China Sustainable Energy Program (CSEP)

Katie Walsh’s responsibilities ranged from working on research and grant reporting in Beijing to participating in site visits to southern China relating to urban planning practices and opportunities

Katie: “The experience provided me with insight into the realities of urban planning and successful efforts in supporting sustainable development in China… and will help me make informed decisions about my next steps.”

Meghan

Country: Nicaragua

Meghan conducted the Program Evaluation of a microcredit and sustainable agriculture program in Leon, Nicaragua for SosteNica, a U.S.-based nonprofit that funds sustainable agriculture and development initiatives in rural Nicaragua . As the Evaluation Consultant, Meghan developed and conducted an assessment of the socio-economic and environmental impact of this pilot program on its participants.

Qiamuddin

Country: Afghanistan

Qiamuddin researched the prospects for small renewable energy enterprises and the role that micro-finance can play in providing capital to small entrepreneurs to develop this industry in Afghanistan and provided recommendations to First Micro-finance Bank.

Sarah Jones

Country: Tanzania

Sarah worked with African Wildlife Foundation (AWF) to empower communities in wildlife areas to engage in alternative livelihoods that not only have minimal environmental impact but allow them to see tangible benefits from conservation. Projects included helping women setup handicraft businesses and tourism for sustainable development.