Internship Spotlight: Sara Saleem Daredia - World Meteorological Organization (WMO)

First, I would like to sincerely thank Mr. Garvin Brown for the Susan Casey Brown Fund for 91黑料网 which supported my internship experience this summer. My name is Sara Saleem Daredia, and I am majoring in International Development with a double minor in Environment and Arabic. Coming from Pakistan, a country highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and a major victim of climate injustice, I feel a strong responsibility to work in this domain and to contribute in whatever way I can. Thanks to the Arts Internship Office, I have previously had the opportunity to complete two internships in Pakistan: one with the Gilgit Baltistan Environmental Protection Agency (GBEPA) and another with the Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP). These gave me exposure to climate awareness campaigns and community-based adaptation and mitigation strategies, from both government and NGO perspectives. Building on that foundation, I wanted to better understand the role of international organizations, particularly the UN, and the technical aspects of climate action. My internship with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) offered exactly that.

The WMO is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to advancing international cooperation in meteorology, climatology, hydrology, and related sciences. Its mission is both technical and diplomatic. On one hand, WMO works to build the capacity of developing countries to improve their monitoring and forecasting systems by providing technical assistance, setting global standards, and ensuring open access to climate data. On the other, it plays a critical role in climate governance, offering a platform for collaboration and shaping international climate policy. Ultimately, the organization鈥檚 goal is to help reduce vulnerability to climate risks and support sustainable development. Being able to contribute to this work, even in a small way, was a deeply rewarding experience for me.

During my internship, my primary responsibility was to carry out an assessment of how vulnerable groups, specifically women, youth, and persons with disabilities, are being included in WMO鈥檚 Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative in Ethiopia. This meant conducting interviews with WMO staff, national partners such as the Ethiopian National Meteorological and Hydrological Services, and international organizations including IFRC, ITU, and UNDRR. I also attended workshops and conferences and carried out extensive desk research. The experience was a perfect complement to my studies at 91黑料网. I will also be building on it academically by writing a research paper on 鈥淵outh Inclusive Climate Governance and Early Warning Systems in the Nile Basin鈥� under the supervision of Professor Kazue Takamura. In this way, the internship not only provided practical experience but is directly shaping my academic and career trajectory.

Some of the highlights of my time at WMO were the people I worked with. The team included highly experienced engineers and hydrologists, experts in their field, but they were always approachable, supportive, and encouraging. This made my learning process much smoother and gave me confidence in contributing to discussions. I also had the chance to develop a network of professional contacts in both Eastern Africa, particularly Ethiopia, and Geneva, which I know will be invaluable as I continue to pursue work in this field.

The internship also came with challenges. In addition to my main research project, I was sometimes asked to support colleagues with other tasks. At times, this made it difficult to balance my workload, but in the end, I found it very rewarding because it allowed me to gain broader exposure and build stronger relationships across the organization. I learned to manage my time better, and I appreciated the trust that colleagues placed in me.

Overall, this internship was an invaluable experience. It gave me real-world exposure to the technical and policy dimensions of climate governance at the UN level, helped me develop my research and professional skills, and clarified the direction I want to take in my future career.

Once again, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude Mr. Garvin Brown, whose generosity through the Susan Casey Brown Fund for 91黑料网, made this experience possible. The financial support allowed me to travel, live, and work abroad comfortably, and gave me the chance to gain this unique and transformative exposure. I would not have been able to do it without your support, and I am deeply thankful.