This blog post was written by Janelle Macandog, our Advocacy Communications intern
My internship made me think a lot about the real world: which career path to pursue, where I will end up, and how I will achieve my aspirations. It’s a good thing my month-long training as an EVI intern grounded me with three crucial aspects to seek in my future endeavors:
worthwhile experiences…
a clear sense of value…
and opportunities for improvement.
With these guiding principles, I could never go wrong.
Routinary or Rare
I initially expected my internship experience to be dull and monotonous while working from home, but it turned out that there was a lot to learn and discover not only in rare but also in routinary experiences.
I had the opportunity to join their brainstorming sessions, strategic planning meetings, and workshop facilitation, supporting them to transform valuable insights into purposeful and impactful strategies and activities.
Among the highlights of my internship was participating in organizing the Madrasah Education Partners Forum last July 18. More than the sense of accomplishment, I am honored to have been part of a meaningful and purposeful event that aligns with my advocacy for learning.
As highlighted during the roundtable discussion, the term “madrasah,” meaning “a place of study” in Arabic, represents a valuable bridge for Bangsamoro learners to receive a holistic education while remaining deeply connected to their faith. This event has inspired me to engage in similar initiatives in the future, with the hope of leading such projects and making a positive impact in the community.
What further enhanced all these experiences was the company’s supportive work environment and approachable employees, who were always willing to help and answer questions.
As I once learned from them, “When you’re at ease, there’s magic that’s going to happen there.” True enough, feeling secure and supported allowed me to thrive and fully immerse myself in every task while always keeping my purpose in mind.
Wearing the Devcom Hat
I always thought marketing and development were worlds apart. That is why Evident’s message, “where purpose meets impact,” intrigued my Devcom outlook and motivated me to apply for an internship here.
While gaining a deeper understanding of the company and its advocacy communications initiatives, I realized how seamlessly these two fields can work together.
Through marketing, we can turn development work into an innovative and compelling story, attracting support and funding. I discovered that with our country’s vibrant development sector, there are many opportunities for initiatives to thrive.
Effective communication, especially through marketing and branding, is crucial for sustaining development efforts by building relationships, attracting investment, and maintaining a positive public image.
As emphasized during our HR orientation, serving the community is not confined to one sector, indeed. I can wear my Devcom hat in any role and remain committed to making a positive impact wherever I am.
1% Better
“Improving by 1% isn’t particularly notable — sometimes it isn’t even noticeable — but it can be far more meaningful, especially in the long run.”
James Clear in Atomic Habits
My calendar and tasking sheet gradually filled up, my internship notebook accumulated jottings, and before I knew it, my internship came to a close. I must say that my 200 hours spent at Evident contributed to my being at least a percent better than before I trained here.
The worthwhile experiences ingrained with a clear sense of value — purpose and impact — opened up a lot of opportunities for improvement, leaving me inspired to do more in advocacy and do them well.
Without a doubt, my Devcom toolkit has expanded, equipping me to create projects that will impact the lives of the people more evidently.
