Viola Demba Internship Reflection

Viola Demba is a 22 year old final year student,at the Thika School of Medicine & Health Sciences pursuing Counseling Psychology.She interned at WOVOP mental health department as a counseling psychologist .Viola is passionate about mental health because she believes it is the path to experiencing the wholeness of life.

Viola shares her experience with us here:

My internship experience was nothing short of exceptional.The insight and power of exponential learning exposed me to an array of experiences that I am Grateful to have gotten .

Women volunteers for peace lives true to it's mission of supporting girls and women at risk,in this case by offering psychological support to girls and women affected by factors like violence or poverty and whatever disparities there may be that affect teenage girls.

The self awareness,self esteem and self leadership base offered in the program are essential to and for the 21st century man because it ensures one is able to take charge of their life in a way that is meaningful to them.Through the interventions like mental Friday and it's partnership with Shamiri institute ( which is a mental wellness hub) WOVOP has set itself aside as a powerhouse championing for quality life and wellbeing.

The capacity building based off providing girls with dignity kits ensures no girl is in jeopardy during her cycle and also breaks menstrual stigma

I had a diverse range of learning experiences coupled with highs and lows.

Despite my dedication to ensure that I completed sessions with clients most of them did not get to attend all the prescribed sessions.

There was also the challenge of cultural difference and language barrier given kisumu is predominantly a Luo speaking community but this did not stop me.

I challenged myself to build on my teamwork muscles as I collaborated with WOVOP P staff in hosting and preparing for events.

I always looked forward to Friday's because it enabled to host a mental wellness podcast session.Engaging with guests was insightful and getting to understand their journeys and how that shapes who they are now but also the quality of advise they were able to impart on us cannot be underplayed.

They say all work and no play makes jack a dull boy and I highly agree .We took time off to connect as WOVOP team through trivia questions that made us break the walls and embrace familiarity and team building events as well .I am Grateful to have worked with a team that is intentional about getting to know people and what they are about but also cares about them and genuinely wants to see them grow.

The WOVOP team is a family and they move as one.It is one comprised of an ardent team builder of motivated and self driven individual's working in different arenas to bring positive change.They all love what they do and that was so inspiring for me.They were kind and welcoming and through my period in WOVOP I never at any point felt like an intern.

These are people committed to problem solving and challenging themselves to address societies challenges in line with their mission and vision.

I would highly recommend WOVOP as a suitable skills immersion arena because it provides women an opportunity to tap into the inner self ,turn their weakness to strength ,mindset shift , skills talents and abilities are sharpened and it creates an environment where women learn to voice their opinions , challenge that of others and learn from what they knew not without feeling intimidated it helps women realize they are an integral part of society.

I am immensely Grateful to WOVOP and the team for the opportunity to sharpen my skills and expertise.I am Grateful for growth and last but not least,new friends made at WOVOP.