US Intern speaks about her journey with Inkululeko
By: Sharanllely Echevarria
Hola!
My name is Sharanllely Echevarria, I am from Puerto Rico and currently live in Syracuse, NY. I will be returning to college in Fall 2023 to study Surgical Technology at Onondaga Community College.
I am proud to have been working with Inkululeko for a year now. It has been amazing. Summer 2022 was when I first began my journey. I could say I did not know anything at all about Inkululeko little by little I began loving the organization’s mission. Like anyone else who joins the team, I did not know how to do many things such as writing a grant or editing websites, etc. Thanks to all the incredible colleagues I was able to be pushed and learn so many different skills and abilities that will support me in the future.
Midway through my time with Inkululeko I began to support the remote tutoring program, I focused on tutoring Math and Science for the students in Mahkanda, South Africa. It is super meaningful for me to know I can support and provide knowledge for others and all from the comfort of my home.
Moving forward, I have learned many new skills with Inkululeko, from simply editing documents to becoming a mentor for new interns. Jason Torreano, CEO of Inkululeko, has supported me all the way since I began. He has given me many opportunities for me to expand my knowledge and abilities with many different projects. I can now say that I know how to search for grants, to fill out a grant application, to lead weekly meetings, to edit and revise many different documents, and to simply create social media content.
I am super happy to take on all of these new skills for my future experiences! Inkululeko is making a big difference in all of the students from South Africa and I am proud to be one of those to support their mission and values. I looked forward to seeing what else Inkululeko would do and I am hopeful to see all their goals come true.
“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”
-- Nelson Mandela