Biography
Posted by Kevin Depault on August 26th, 2010
Dumela! (Hello in Setswana)
I’m still in Canada but already thrilled by the idea of working abroad! My greeting attests! My name is Kevin Depault, grad student at the University of Ottawa. Having just finished my first year of studies in Development and Globalization, it felt like I couldn’t wait any longer to really experience what is development. Don’t get me wrong; I like studying. However, I chose this master expressly because I want to work in the field. Sitting on a chair for several hours is not for me, at least for now. I’m a man of action. This is the main reason why I’m going to Gaborone this fall. Located in Botswana, it’s the largest city of the country and also the capital. It makes sense for me to go there because my thesis is about power relations in the urban settlements of Kenya. Gaborone is obviously different from Nairobi, but I like to think of it as a good starting point to discover Africa. I’ll be working as project assistant for Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence. More specifically, I’ll be involved in the Teen Club project, a peer support group intervention for HIV-positive adolescents. Many people told me it won’t be an easy task, but I’d rather see it as a great formative experience. As far as I’m concerned, children, whatever the physical condition they’re in, have generally more vitality and joy than many adults. As you can see, I’m very motivated and looking forward to my internship. Meanwhile, I’ll be transformed into a sponge, ready to absorb everything around me.
