Welcome to the Empower Playgrounds’ intern experience page. Are you interested to work with EPI? Then take a moment to read through some of the thoughts and experiences of past interns and employees. All videos here were shot and produced by EPI interns to document some of the things that they loved while working with EPI!
I had the opportunity to photograph for Empower Playgrounds in 2009 and it’s hard to overstate how impressed I was with the organization. I’ve worked with a number of non-profits and EPI stands out as an example of effective and innovative problem solving.
– Taylor W. ’09
My life is forever changed by what I saw and learned in Ghana and through subsequent association with Empower Playgrounds. I saw a small NGO—started by just two individuals—make a difference in the lives of many others.
– Catherine ’08
This was a professionally and personally meaningful experience for me. Because of this experience, I went on similar work in China and India. I have been involved in a lot of dynamic, cross-functional organizations since 2009, but my experience with EPI remains one of my most rewarding.
– Seth ’08
The kids have so much energy and desire to learn! It was awesome to see the their faces light up when they saw the crank flashlight and could relate it back to the merry-go-round with the generator.
– Sarah H. ’07-’10
I developed curricular activities that could be used to teach Ghanaian students science and technology concepts related to the merry-go-rounds…The sparkle in the students’ eyes as they discovered magnetism, made batteries from mangos, or experimented with solar panels and motors to make a solar car was the highlight.
– Steve ’08
I received first-hand experience in primary data collection in over 50 rural villages. I interviewed students, teachers and village chiefs and got to know the beautiful culture well. The citizen were so happy and hospitable.
– Taylor B. ’09-’11
I was born and raised near the Brazilian countryside myself and therefore I know exactly how providential it can be to get the right educational opportunities in order to improve one’s life. I’ve seen first-hand how the lack of something just as simple as electrical energy or light – something that we take for granted in many countries – can have on a child’s development. For all that, I am deeply grateful for the opportunity I had to join the EPI in 2008. That experience has truly made a difference in the way I see education, and even in the way I have been trying to conduct my life since then. I greatly admire the inspiration and valuable efforts of all those involved with EPI. Their work will certainly and literally bring light and knowledge to generations to come.
– Fabio ’08
It was wonderful for me to see how the gearbox, generator and batteries had sparked a curiosity and interest in so many young Ghanian minds…I also gained manufacturing skills and experience that have been an asset as i’ve pursued a career in manufacturing operations.
– Paul Jubber
This experience ultimately set the stage for what has now become my career in the development industry…I became involved with another non-profit and have been able to forge rigorous routines of assessments and evaluations across its programs in 8 separate countries to a great extent because of my initial lessons learned in the field measuring and evaluating impact of EPI on its stakeholders. I can trace back my first experiences in the field of development directly to Ben and Julie Markham, EPI’s founders who were not only fantastic to work with but also with whom I’ve remained friends these few years later.”
– Matthew ’08
