PEFA Secretariat welcomes Keona Archie, as summer intern and PEFA team is excited to work with her.

She is sharing her experience on the selection process, training and the tasks she will be involved during the summer internship.

" My name is Keona Archie and at only 16 it seems that I am the youngest member of the World Bank’s Governance Global Practice! At the moment, I am a senior at E.L Haynes High School, I hope my internship within this global institution will help me on my journey after high school and in my future career as a lawyer.

This was a great opportunity because out of so many applicants, I was one of the fifteen to be chosen. Two weeks before the internship started at the World Bank, I underwent work training with Urban Alliance to learn important skills like how to write professional emails, time management skills and how to deliver an elevator pitch. Thanks to Urban Alliance, I was able to get this chance.

Now I have officially started my technical work also.  I am working with the PEFA Secretariat, and I am super excited with the opportunity to work on Public Financial Management and gender.  I’ve discovered that PEFA stands for Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability and also joined the immensely successful webinar of PEFA Secretariat on Gender, with over 250 audience from all over the world. I was amazed to learn how effectively the PEFA partnership monitors PFM performance globally to ensure that countries are using their budget effectively through PFM.

My focus within PEFA as I stated before is gender equality.  I’ve also been warmly welcomed by Adenike Oyeyiola, my Practice Manager and Srinivas Gurazada, Head of PEFA Secretariat. I work with my mentor Helene Magnier, Senior Public Sector Specialist to create articles and collect information about gender in finances.  I have already learned a lot about the importance of gender equality in finances and it is only my first week working with PEFA. As my work continues, I will remain focused on trying to gather countries’ “good practices” on ways to promote gender equity. It means aiming to eliminate discrimination based on gender and giving women more opportunities in the workforce. With my work with PEFA I will continue my interest in social justice." 

 

By Keona Archie

Intern at PEFA Secretariat