Change Alumni - Emilie

ALUMNI BLOG: MEET EMILIE from norway

Emilie Wilhelmsen is a former Communication for Change (CFC)  participant (2013/2014) posted in Tanzania at Ilula Orphan Program (IOP) and Ilula YWCA. Emilie volunteers with Ilula Orphan Program (IOP) and currently sits on the IOP Norway board. For her the journey as a CFC participant played a major role in deciding her career path as a nurse. 

What has been the most significant change in your life after participating in the Communication for Change program (personal life, work, project, program, activities or initiatives etc)?

- There have been a lot of changes since my participation in CFC. First of all, my country of posting became a big and important part of my life. Therefore I’ve been back to Tanzania every year and 2021 marks  my 9th trip to Ilula, Tanzania. My summers have been the time when I usually go and I’ve mostly spent around 6 weeks of my vacation there. In 2016 I had a longer trip that lasted more than four months. During my stays there I’ve mostly been engaged with the girls living at the center, The Young Mothers program, Cabin Building and the Sponsor Program. I use a lot of my free time to advocate and fundraise for the programs that I’m a part of and I also have two facebook pages where I fundraise and update about the programs that I am involved in: “Prebens hus” and “Ingrid og Emilie sitt lille IOP prosjekt”. The cabin building is also something that my whole family is involved in. It has truly become my second home and family.  

How are these experiences relevant to the work that you are currently doing?

Attending CFC also made me take a year of African studies, where I had Swahili as a subject. Swahili is the language they speak in Tanzania. CFC and my posting also influenced my decision to become a nurse. My dream is to, in the future, to be able to travel more with my degree and experience more of what the world has to offer. 

- I also just recently became a part of the IOP Norway board and I’m looking forward to being even more involved in different parts of IOP and the work that IOP Norway does. 

Your experience at the Communication for Change program – How the opportunity to engage and grow with other youth has helped shape/change your view of the world?

- Being a part of a group of people from different places of the world was something I hadn’t experienced before being a part of CFC. It made me realize even more that we are all the same, except born in different countries. It was also a good experience to learn about different cultures and share our uniqueness with each other. I’ve also been lucky enough to meet fellow CFC participants through the years and share our experiences too. Through CFC we created something special and we still keep in touch. I’ve been lucky enough to meet one of my Tanzanian travel partners, Penina, every year except one since we attended CFC together. 

What are your memorable moments, events or funny facts in your experience as a Communication for Change participant?

- There are so many to choose from, but to mention a few:

- Since arriving IOP my whole CFC Tanzania team ate with the girls living at the center. In the beginning the girls didn’t understand why, since they weren’t used to guests eating with them. The moment I knew I was accepted was when one of the girls came to me, took my hand and said “Come, let’s eat.”

- Making a show about ethical trade with the whole CFC group and it turned out amazing. Just having so much fun on the stage every time we performed the show. We even made some of the 7 Nordic general secretaries of YMCA-YWCA cry when we performed our show for them.

- First time the southern participants tried out skiing. Days filled with laughter, frustration, people falling and big smiles. 

What contribution do you think you can make in building the alumni and strengthening the CHANGE project?

- I think CFC and now CHANGE is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Building the alumni will give us even more opportunities to share experiences and work across countries. I believe I could engage more people with my story and experience, as well as promoting the project. 

What advice would you give to current and aspiring CHANGE participants?

This is your experience, so make the best of it. No one can make the experience for you, so: be engaged, ask questions, be humble, join what you can, be curious and know that time flies fast. I promise you’ll make memories and friends that will last a lifetime.   

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