A Place to Learn and Connect: A Cadasta intern reflects on her time at the InterAction Forum

In the very first week of my internship at Cadasta I had the opportunity to attend one of the biggest international development conferences in the US capital—The InterAction Forum. As the largest alliance of international NGOs and partners in the United States, Interaction mobilizes 180-plus members to think and act collectively to serve the world’s poor and vulnerable, with a shared belief that we can make the world a more peaceful, just and prosperous place–together. 

As a member of Interaction, since 2018, Cadasta stands with Interaction’s collective pursuit to eliminate extreme poverty, strengthen human rights and citizen participation, and ensure dignity for all by making it easier for communities to document and strengthen their land and resource rights. As part of our commitment to InterAction, our CEO Amy Coughenour Betancourt serves as a member of Interaction’s Board of Directors.

At this year’s Forum, Cadasta’s staff attended the events and participated in the exhibit. Being able to staff the Cadasta exhibit table was a great opportunity for me to interact with a variety of organizations and individuals that work globally to serve the collective goal of InterAction. While there, I had the opportunity to visit a number of organizations’ exhibit tables and learn about their work. I even got a chance to tell others about Cadasta and demonstrate how we collect data through surveys and GIS-based tools. My time and experience at the Interaction Forum also helped to boost my confidence to converse with people on a professional level. The experience also provided me with a chance to interact with my seniors and colleagues. While sitting at the exhibit table, I learned about their experiences and lifestyles in D.C. The conference also gave me a broader perspective on the various job opportunities in the international organization space and helped me gain exposure and insight into the nonprofit world. I am grateful for my experience at the Interaction and to Cadasta for allowing me to represent the organization to a global audience.

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