Oxfam Nigeria

Chelsea Bannatyne did her field placement in Program Quality Support at Oxfam Nigeria. It provided her invaluable hands-on experience in the field of international development. Oxfam focuses on addressing several critical issues in Nigeria, driven by its commitment to reducing poverty and promoting social justice. Some of the key areas that Oxfam aims to address in Nigeria include: economic justice and sustainable livelihoods, gender justice, humanitarian response and good governance and accountability, and climate change and environmental sustainability. Oxfam's work in Nigeria is comprehensive and seeks to address the root causes of poverty and inequality while empowering communities to build better futures.

During the internship, the focus was on enhancing the monitoring, evaluation, accountability, and learning (MEAL) systems of Oxfam's programs. This involved assisting in the design and implementation of project evaluations and analyzing the impact of ongoing projects. A significant part of the role was to ensure that Oxfam's interventions were not only effective but also aligned with the organization’s strategic goals. This required collaborating closely with local teams, contributing to capacity-building workshops, and supporting the development of comprehensive reports that informed decision-making processes. This internship was a crucial step in bridging academic learning with practical application.

"The opportunity to work with Oxfam in Nigeria has been transformative. It allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge from my studies to real-world challenges, while also developing essential skills in project management and cross-cultural communication."