Interns' Blog
During their assignment abroad, participants in the International Youth Internship Program offered by Alternatives are encouraged to produce content, such as blog posts, podcasts or video reports.
These journalistic-style productions aim to provide a platform for expressing their experiences during their placement, with the goal of engaging the general public with the realities observed in the host country and the issues addressed, as well as sharing personal impressions and reflections on their professional experience abroad.
Mangroves—tropical and subtropical ecosystems that cover nearly 150,000 km² across 120 countries—are bearing the brunt of the consequences of human activities, even as they play crucial roles for many human populations and the planet. In this first part, we will detail the unique characteristics of mangroves, their importance to Sri Lanka, and their vulnerability to the impacts of climate change.
Who Keeps Delhi Clean? An Analysis of the Socio-Economic Realities of Its Invisible Workforce – Part 2
In this second section, we will examine the dynamics of social and civic mobilization emerging around waste pickers, as well as their demands for greater recognition of their role. This reflection will explore possible pathways toward a more equitable waste management system, where dignity, inclusion, and resilience become central pillars of urban governance.
Who Keeps Delhi Clean? An Analysis of the Socio-Economic Realities of Its Invisible Workforce – Part 1
Delhi’s waste crisis reveals a complex reality in which mountains of garbage conceal a deeply human dimension. Behind this accumulation are thousands of waste pickers, often rendered invisible, who nevertheless play an essential role in the city’s informal recyclable materials management system. This first part explores their living conditions on the margins of society, their daily struggles, and their place within Delhi’s informal economy.
Waste, Inequality, and Resilience: Environmental and Health Realities and Their Impacts on Waste Pickers in Delhi – Part 2
Après avoir analysé les conséquences sanitaires et environnementales auxquelles sont confrontées les communautés de récupérateurs de déchets, cette deuxième partie s’attarde sur leur rôle essentiel dans la réduction du volume des déchets destinés aux décharges. Nous nous intéresserons également aux enjeux liés à la construction d’une économie des déchets plus juste et durable à Delhi, en questionnant la place de ces acteurs informels dans les stratégies de gestion des déchets urbains.
In this first section, we will provide an overview of the situation of waste pickers in Delhi by examining it within its environmental, social, and public health context. We will analyze the relationships between informal waste management, its environmental consequences, the exacerbating effects of climate change, and the associated impacts on public health, while drawing on a theoretical framework to better understand the systemic challenges faced by these populations.
In the villages of Kurunegala district, Sri Lanka, groups of empowered women are working to support each other and their communities after Cyclone Ditwah. Their lives are difficult: marked by poverty, a high vulnerability to climate change, and rigid gender norms. But through fundraising, entrepreneurship, and event planning, these women are transforming their lives and their communities one meeting at a time.
Canadian Cleanliness is Built on Malaysian Garbage
Malaysia is one of the Asian countries that, for several decades, has been the victim of waste exports from the West, across all sectors. Canada participates in this migration of its own waste to Malaysia, but the country is putting policies in place to stop serving as a dumping ground for rich countries.
From Plantations to Kopitiams: The Colonial Labor System That Still Shapes Malaysia’s Traditional Flavors – Part 2
The second part of this article will seek to bring these historical continuities to life through contemporary accounts from plantation workers and an analysis of today’s major agro-industrial players. Finally, it offers a critical reflection on the very concept of culinary heritage in Malaysia, examining the tensions between nostalgia, colonial legacy, and social justice.
