Let's Talk Human Rights

By Liza Wisniewski '25

This summer I worked as the social media intern for Gender Tech Initiative. The Ugandan based non-profit focuses on encouraging young women to follow their interests in tech in hopes of one day closing the digital divide gap. An issue that is often overlooked, a future with women in tech is a necessity that GTI-U is fighting for. This was my first encounter with working remotely with different time zones. As an international studies major, I was so thankful to gain this experience.

Uganda is seven hours ahead of Detroit, so meeting times and my window to communicate with my supervisor was tight and usually very early in the morning. As I didn’t have a set or traditional schedule, I had to set a schedule for myself. This was a real challenge for me. Working from home with a lot of control over the majority of my schedule, usually leads to an ever-ending cycle of procrastination. One of my top priorities for this summer was to hold myself responsible for my calendar and manage my time as efficiently as possible. I am proud to say that I was able to stick with a plan and work within a time frame that was productive for myself and the organization.  I was responsible for posting once every weekday. The first early morning meeting I had was with my boss and founder of the organization, Ruth Atim. Ruth gave me an overview of the operation and shared what her expectations were for GTI-U’s social media presence. 

When thinking of times to post for, my main focus was the community of Gulu in Uganda. It was decided that I would post at midnight my time which would ultimately be 7:00 am in Uganda. Posts that go up at this time usually do well because when people check social media as they are waking up, the post is fresh and at the top of their feed. 

This was my first time in a position really focusing on social media. I knew that I had to create a welcoming and appealing social media page that would make first-time visitors curious about what we, as an organization, stand for. I needed the posts to be informational but also geared towards women. I was given a color scheme and after a short time I knew what direction I wanted to go in. 

After getting into a rhythm and staying with a consistent schedule for a few weeks, we talked about moving forward and creating a LinkedIn and a TikTok for GTI-U. This was a very important step because LinkedIn is probably the most useful platform from a business point of view. MeanwhileTiktok, at least in my opinion, is one of the greatest ways to gain a following and grow your business. Since I am working remotely from Detroit, Michigan. I really had some trouble thinking of content, which I could create, that would really help the organization. When I looked at successful business tik tok pages, I saw office tours and fun quick interviews. Videos created close to or in the heart of the operation. Our first video was a nice slideshow showing some great pictures from events held by the organization. Working remotely presented challenges, however I am sure that after my internship is set to end, the tik tok will really flourish. 

As this internship stemmed from a partnership with the UD Human Rights Center, I had to participate in weekly meetings as well as reading a book. All Rise: Resistance and Rebellion in South Africa is a graphic anthology written by Richard Conyngham. In my honest opinion, this book is a very important read that sheds an exposing light on a part of history not universally known. As an international studies major firstly, I try my best to stay informed about the trials and oppression forced onto people around the world. As an international studies major in the American education system secondary, I feel like I have to work twice as hard to curate an education that will prepare me for a career dealing with global affairs. I cannot responsibly go out into that field without understanding as much history and context as I can, in order to give every situation the respect it deserves. I knew a blanket of information about South African history, however I had no idea that anything like these stories and situations had happened. Reading this book has been such an enriching experience for me that has opened my eyes to another aspect of history and has left me more enlightened than I was before.

Overall I am incredibly grateful for all of the lessons I have learned throughout this summer. The experience I have gained has given me my first real-world understanding of what it takes to work with international partnerships. Gender Tech Initiative of Uganda is an amazing organization created by powerful women that will do great things to close the digital divide gap.

Liza Wisniewski is a rising junior at the University of Dayton. She is pursuing an international studies major as well as a french minor. On campus, she is a part of multiple programs and clubs, such as Model UN. Holding a deep passion about global literacy and human rights, she plans to continue working with the Human Rights Center and other advocacy avenues during her time at the University of Dayton.