• About
  • Our Work
  • Join
  • Partner
  • Media
EMAIL SUBSCRIBE
DONATE
SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER

Sign-up for monthly updates on Winrock's work around the world.

VOLUNTEER BLOG

My View From the Other Side: A Winrock recruiter on assignment in Guinea

  • SHARE:
  • Copy

Posted on July 11, 2016 by Jennifer (Robinson) Marks, Program Associate/Recruiter

I’ve worked in Winrock’s Volunteer Programs since March 2014. I have many responsibilities, but the most important one is the recruitment of volunteer experts for the USAID funded Farmer-to-Farmer program and an associate award called the Agriculture Education and Market Improvement Program (AEMIP). AEMIP operates in Guinea and its goal is to strengthen agriculture education and training through organizational capacity building of the country’s only four-year agriculture university, the Institut Supérieur Agronomic et Vétérinaire de Faranah (ISAV/F).

When I applied for the position of Program Associate/Volunteer Recruiter at Winrock, I had to google Guinea. I’d heard the country name, but that was the extent of my knowledge and the only thing I knew about agriculture was that Arkansas grows a lot of rice and soybeans. At this point, you may be wondering how on earth I ended up on an assignment in West Africa if I hadn’t come from a background in international development and knew nearly nothing about agriculture. Well, that’s kind of the point of Farmer-to-Farmer and other associated programs. USAID is “from the American people,” and the programs they fund (and Winrock implements) are a way for people to give to others through their own professional skills. Before I was a volunteer recruiter, I was an executive recruiter. I helped local and regional companies find top-notch employees and highly-qualified job seekers find careers with excellent employers. So, when I saw a scope of work seeking experts to teach ISAV/F students and faculty how to coordinate and host a career fair, I got really excited. I’d been on the employer side of career fairs for years. Luckily, my supervisor asked for my input developing this scope of work. When I saw the draft, I knew I had to be a part of the assignment. After the SOW was finalized, I called a good friend who has worked in higher education for many years and ran the idea of a team approach by her. Of course she couldn’t tell me no. I’m a recruiter after all, it’s my job to convince volunteers they need to do these assignments.

On May 15th Jennifer Moody and I hopped on a plane and headed for Guinea. Jennifer went as a volunteer and was excited to travel to Africa for the first time. This was my second trip to Guinea, so I was an old pro. After two long international flights, we were in Guinea. Our assignment site was Faranah, which is about a ten-hour (bumpy, gorgeous, heart pounding) drive inland from the capital. Each day of our assignment took us on an emotional journey as intense as that drive in. This is where I found an even deeper level of appreciation for our volunteers. We always remind volunteer experts that they must be flexible. Things are often not exactly what you expect them to be. For example, we assumed the group assembled would understand the basic concept of a career fair. We were mistaken. So, we adjusted our training schedule. We went back to the guesthouse that night and pulled photos and diagrams and created some very basic guidelines. We were hesitant the next day, but left campus that evening truly inspired by the level of understanding the group showed. Each day had its leaps forward and stumbles back. There were obstacles that we don’t think about, living in the US. Things that to us would be bumps in the road, seemed to be full on roadblocks for these guys. But, we worked together, the students formed teams, elected a chair and took ownership of the event. By the end of our assignment, the group had an organized plan and full support of the university. After the fair is carried out this summer, I anticipate an inbox full of emails (that I will have to run through google translate) telling me all about the internships and job prospects the students will have received. And that is exactly why our volunteers are so passionate. I will never forget the students we worked with, their drive and intelligence were inspiring. I hope everyone who completes an assignment like this feels that way.

Posted in Africa, Guinea, Winrock Staff | Tagged agriculture education & training, career fair, Farmer-to-Farmer, Guinea, people-to-people exchange
ABOUT FARMER-TO-FARMER WINROCK VOLUNTEER ASSISTANCE

SUBSCRIBE TO POSTS

Loading

ARCHIVE

  • December 2022
  • October 2022
  • September 2022
  • August 2022
  • March 2022
  • February 2022
  • December 2021
  • November 2021
  • October 2021
  • September 2021
  • August 2021
  • July 2021
  • June 2021
  • April 2021
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • November 2019
  • September 2019
  • July 2019
  • June 2019
  • May 2019
  • April 2019
  • March 2019
  • January 2019
  • December 2018
  • November 2018
  • October 2018
  • September 2018
  • August 2018
  • July 2018
  • June 2018
  • April 2018
  • March 2018
  • February 2018
  • January 2018
  • December 2017
  • November 2017
  • October 2017
  • September 2017
  • August 2017
  • July 2017
  • June 2017
  • May 2017
  • April 2017
  • March 2017
  • February 2017
  • January 2017
  • October 2016
  • September 2016
  • August 2016
  • July 2016
  • June 2016
  • May 2016
  • April 2016
  • March 2016
  • February 2016
  • January 2016
  • December 2015
  • November 2015
  • October 2015
  • September 2015
  • August 2015
  • July 2015
  • June 2015
  • May 2015
  • April 2015
  • March 2015
  • February 2015
  • January 2015
  • December 2014
  • November 2014
  • October 2014
  • September 2014
  • August 2014
  • July 2014
  • June 2014
  • May 2014
  • April 2014
  • March 2014
  • February 2014
  • January 2014
  • December 2013
  • November 2013
  • October 2013
  • September 2013
  • August 2013
  • July 2013
  • June 2013
  • May 2013
  • April 2013
  • March 2013
  • February 2013
  • January 2013
  • December 2012
  • November 2012
  • October 2012
  • September 2012
  • August 2012
  • July 2012
  • June 2012
  • May 2012
  • April 2012
  • March 2012
  • February 2012
  • January 2012
  • December 2011
  • November 2011
  • October 2011
  • September 2011
  • June 2011
  • May 2011

CATEGORIES

  • AET
  • Africa
    • Ghana
    • Senegal
  • Asia
  • Bangladesh
  • Cuba
  • El Salvador
  • Ethiopia
  • Field Staff
  • Guinea
  • Kenya
  • Latin America
  • Mali
  • Myanmar
  • Nepal
  • Nigeria
  • Postharvest
  • Rural Livelihoods
  • Senegal
  • Spotlights
  • Volunteer Feedback
  • Volunteer of the Month
  • Winrock Staff
WinrockIntl
Tweets by @WinrockIntl
Follow @WinrockIntl

204 E 4th Street | North Little Rock, Arkansas 72114

ph +1 501 280 3000 | fx +1 501 280 3090

2451 Crystal Drive, Suite 700 | Arlington, Virginia 22202

ph +1 703 302 6500 | fx +1 703 302 6512

  • Contact
  • E-News Signup
  • Low Bandwidth
  • Code of Conduct
  • Winrock Privacy Statement
  • Site Map
  • Terms of Use
Copyright © 2015- Winrock International
DEV ENVIRONMENT