Past participants and hosts from ISHR’s Student Volunteer Program (SVP) spoke to current students about their experiences in mid November. Since 2011, alumni of the Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP) at ISHR have been hosting Columbia human rights students at their organizations for eight weeks during the summer.
Current ISHR student Ariella Kissen (in white t-shirt in photo) volunteered with Change 4 Planet (CP4) in Kenya which was founded by 2013 Advocate Absolom Shalakha. Ariella spoke about how quickly she became part of the CP4 team as they traveled—sometimes for as many as eight hours—to different locations around Kenya to offer workshops on sustainable living and development. Rachael Amaumo of CP4 said the organization would welcome more Columbia students in the future as their experience with Ariella had been wonderful.
2022-23 Advocate David Mejia said that he and his colleagues at
Documenta in Mexico City value the opportunity to work with students because the experience is mutually beneficial.
ISHR alum Alberta Christina Cahya Pertiwi said that by volunteering with Indigenous Peoples Rights International (IPRI) she was able to see in practice the intersection between anthropology and human rights. She said that the volunteer opportunity through ISHR and HRAP also provided her with the opportunity to network extensively including with a former UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. She said the experience contributed greatly to her interest in pursuing her doctoral studies. She is currently the Secretary of Undergraduate Program and Adjunct Lecturer of Anthropology Department at Universitas Indonesia.
