Alumni - Fellows recount their experiences

Tom Hart, Government of Southern Sudan, Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, 2007-2009

'Spending a Saturday afternoon loading the budget book onto the back of a pick-up after it had been flown into Juba from the printers in Kampala was not something for which my time at the UK Treasury had prepared me. Producing policy documents to tight deadlines, but not this. Such experiences indicate the depth of involvement you gain working in a ministry that was only established in 2005, following a 22-year long civil war – from formulating policy to, literally, delivering it. Working in such a young government is a constantly fascinating experience, even when it frustrates. It is a privilege to be able to play a part in helping to build the capacity of a new ministry of finance.'

Maia Stead, Liberia, Ministry of Finance, 2008-2010

‘Arriving as the first Fellow in a new country for the ODI Fellowship, in my case Liberia, it takes time to build trust. This was amply rewarded when, questioned about which donor I was working for, my boss would respond “No, she is for us”. The post-conflict environment in Liberia poses challenges but also opportunities – while there is a long way to go, there is a strong desire for change, and significant momentum from government and donors. The ODI Fellowship is designed to fill a resource gap, which is deeper in a post- conflict country, and I have been working on a wide range of issues including fiscal policy, macroeconomic analysis, budget support, and the budget process. For me, my favorite part of my job in Liberia has been helping to restructure the Unit I work in and carrying out training and coaching for my colleagues, helping to build their confidence in their own abilities.’

Mombert Hoppe, Ministry of Trade and Insdustry, Ghana, 2007-2009

'In Ghana, policies exist in abundance, they are being 'work-shopped' with stakeholders, and are being reviewed. But without implementation, all policies of this world are worth nothing.

'Working for a Ministry that has been headed by four different Ministers over half as many years, I learned about policies, politics, consensus building, and institutional knowledge; and worked on issues I knew well, and others I had never worked on before. By organising 17 capacity building workshops for Small- and Medium-Sized enterprises all over Ghana, and travelling with my colleagues to deliver them, I got to know Ghana as a 'local'. Though at times frustrating, this fascinating experience has allowed me to support the Ministry formulate and implement policies and projects on a wide range of issues, while learning more about “development” than during my studies or former work.'

Elise McAuley (ODI Fellow, PNG, 2004-06) recounts her decision to embark on a Fellowship

‘I was a second year undergraduate studying Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford, Romilly Greenhill (at that time fresh from her Ugandan experience) had made a brief presentation at the Alternative Careers Fair, and such was my first impression of the ODI Fellowship scheme. I don’t think I thought too much more about it at the time; I have always been interested in adventure and deeply moved by the massive inequality in human existence that strikes anyone who has the opportunity to travel in the developing world, but a “career in development” per se is not what I thought I was looking for. Upon graduation I returned Asia to work in Beijing for a year and then enrolled at the School of Oriental and African studies in London for an MSc in Development Economics, but the idea of gaining “work experience” or a “demonstrable interest in development” (or for that matter satisfying any other of the criteria for selection as a fellow) probably could not have been further from my mind.

Three years on from that day at the Careers Fair and I am now about to embark on a fellowship posting with the Ministry of Trade and Industry in Papua New Guinea. When the time came to ‘join the real world’ after 18 years of full time education, I covered my bases and applied to a number of corporate graduate programmes as well, but knew as soon as I was accepted by the ODI that this is just too good an opportunity to let pass. The posting to the Pacific was a little unexpected, but the more I learn about my new home, its incredible biodiversity and the plethora of developmental challenges that the region faces, the more I look forward to getting out there and being a part of it myself.’

Elise McAuley, ODI Fellow 2004-06, Ministry of Trade and Industry, PNG