MarcosCarvalho

RotaryInternationalDistrict5950
StatementofIntent

DearGlobalGrantsScholarshipCommittee,
In the fall 2013, I studied and interned abroad in Senegal, through the University of
Minnesota. I wanted to be involved in the social realities of the poorer strata of the
population, and be exposed to international development in action. But what I saw and
experienced there deconstructed the world as I knew it, and forced me to revisit my
understandingofdevelopment.
After taking classes for two months, I started an internship assigned by my research
center. I was the International Development Intern at the City Hall of Sokone. But titles are
free I was expected to observe and absorb only, and even though I had a lot to learn, I
wanted to actively participate in the community. On my free time, I visited public libraries,
hospitals,communitycenters,businesses,localinitiatives,andschools.
One afternoon I went to Collge dEnseignement Moyen de Sokone (students
between the ages of 12 and 16). There, I walked into four girls on a corner they were on
their knees from the moment I walked in until the moment I left. When I asked the school
director for why, he told me they were being punished. This was a defining moment for me,
as it showed me how insignificant my experience as an impotent observer was. It made me
angry, and hungry for change. I tried arguing with the principal, telling him that using
violence to teach a lesson was counterproductive, that he was in a position of power and
thiswasunfairallinvain.
I talked to my Senegalese host mom about it, and that same day I started helping
her and the Womens Global Education Project an NGO from Chicago that fights poverty
by educating girls. They taught me that there is no investment more effective for achieving
development goals than educating girls. I spent the rest of my time in Senegal working on
projects that helped improve the lives of girls, women and their communities through
education and training. The more I talked to local students, the more I understood why
education for girls is so effective in the fight against global poverty. When you educate a
woman,youeducateawholecommunity.
My time abroad showed me how the complex social changes and development in
Senegal are reflected in the global context and it provided me with the opportunity to give
back and benefit the community, and that is a fantastic way to show my gratitude to all
those who have helped me throughout my journey. Before I returned to Minnesota, I learned
that Senator Amy Klobuchar was taking the fight to end human trafficking to the federal,
state and local levels. So I became an intern in her Minneapolis office, and after I learned
moreaboutlocalpoliticsIjoinedtheDFLCoordinatedCampaign.
Being a Latino Community Organizer is challenging in ways I didn't expect it
demands a lot of hours, patience, and detailed planning but it is also incredibly
rewarding. To give power to a community that is often disenfranchised, to turn voting into a
family affair, and to help implement better policies for better lives brings me a lot of joy.
Because of the work I have been doing, I believe I will be most effective on the areas of
BasicEducationandCommunityDevelopment.
Leaving my comfort zone has taught me to look at things differently, and it is
diversity of thought in the world that will help us face the new global challenges. After my
masters, I plan on being a project manager for international development aid organizations.
I chose the Master in Population and Development Studies at Universit Libre de Bruxelles
because I want to better understand the difficulties faced by communities in need and the
efforts being made to resolve them. I want to continue to immerse myself in those
communities, and to devote my time and knowledge to make a difference. I want to take
leadership in a rapidly changing world, I want to be trained in development cooperation
work, so I can assist others in obtaining the knowledge and skills necessary for work,
further education, family selfsufficiency, and community involvement. We all believe in
ServiceaboveSelf.IknowthatiswhyIamhere.

2. A detailed statement of intent, no longer than two pages, describing

a. How does your educational, professional, or volunteer experience align with Rotarys goals in the
selected area of focus?
b. How does your proposed study advance those goals?
b. What are your plans immediately after the scholarship period?
c. How do your long-term professional goals align with Rotarys goals in the selected area of focus?