Today is my second last day at the World Bank, before I go on travelling to New Zealand...
It's been a great time, including really nice colleagues, loads of insights into the activities of the World Bank and especially it's external relations team, some special events like videocons and discussion-forums and nice filipino food in lunch times once in a while... :)

In the last days, I've continued helping Kitchie with the media monitoring of the financial turmoil and assisted Rom in sending out letters to partners.
Yesterday morning, I had a meeting with Moira to talk about my ideas for the "Related Links" website, which I have still been working on.
Afterwards, I designed and gathered information for a joint World Bank - World Health Organization - Asian Development Bank - Portal for the Philippines. All of these organisations have libraries or information centers open to the public whose facilities, services, databases, programs and contact information will be published on a joint website.

Apart from that, I am working on my feedback assessment which I have to complete to give Moira some suggestions on improving the output of the Youth Learning Program for future participants and for the World Bank. I get to write about my expectations, my tasks and experiences and my recommendations...

Tomorrow, a discussion-forum on Conditional Cash Transfer will take place in the Asian Institute of Management, where I've been once before for the "Youth Entrepreneurship" Videocon. CCT is a program that gives money to the poorest families who have to fullfill certain requirements like sending their children to school and having medical treatment to recieve that money. This program has some opposers, so after talks by several people, there is room for one and a half hours of interesting discussion. I have to help document the discussion highlights as a basis for the synthesis and closing remarks - important work, so I really hope I don't screw up! I need to understand what they talk about... :) so today I'll have to do some research on CCT!
Afterwards, I will attend the general assembly of a cooperation named "Bantay Lansangan" of the Department of Public Works and Highways that analyses, monitors and supports reforms in the road sector, which will hopefully be an interesting ending of my Youth Learning Program...

:(

Wow... Eventually, I can't really keep track of all my tasks anymore! It's become quite a lot... I'm helping out wherever someone needs me!:)
Today, for example, is Kitchie's birthday (Have a nice day!), so I volunteered to collect the articles for the media monitoring "financial turmoil" by myself because she's taking a day off! Took aaaages... But I really know what's going on in the world now!
Apart from that, I've been gathering the contact information of all universities and colleges in Manila (around 60 in total!!) because we aim at strengthening our relations by sending them mails when new books and studies are available in the KDC (www.worldbank.org.ph/kdc) or talks are being given on topics that might interest students. It was a bit tiring, but when I drove through Manila on the LRT (or Light Railway Transit) on Monday, I recognised so many universities! In addition, I am now an expert at finding my way through university websites which will come in handy when I continue my own research on where and what to study!
On Friday, I got an introduction on the WB's disclosure policy by Moira and Cheerly. The WB regularly publishes information on it's projects in the Philippines on the website (www.worldbank.org.ph): e.g. the Project Approval Document and Environmental Assessment. This enables the public to inform themselves on what's being achieved and what studies are being assigned during the preparation process (How will a new bridge affect the environment? Will people have to be resettled? What affect will it have on indigenous groups living in the area?). My job was to check which documents are missing. It was really interesting because I got an insight on all projects that are carried out on the Philippines.
In the afternoon there was a talk by CGAP (www.cgap.org/p/site/c/home) on "Microfinancing&Technology". Until recently, most government-to-person payments were carried out in person and in cash. But because of security risks and high transaction costs governments start switching to electronic delivery using mobile phones. EVERY Filipino has one, so that's a good approach!:)
The KCD is trying to increase traffic on the WB Philippines website. A possibility is to set up links between other organisations and the WB homepage, so today Moira asked me to work on that. Apart from that, my job is to improve the attractiveness of the "Related Links" website. I have some ideas...

I'm back! :)
In the last days, I haven't had so much to do... I did media monitoring both days which takes quite some time, but it's getting easier and easier to judge which articles are important and contain new information. I like reading the news like that... just the headlines and scanning over... it doesn't take as long!:)
Then, on Monday, I was able to attend a "World Bank 101" which is a session for the public (university students, press...) about the WB an what it does in the Philippines. First, we got to watch a documentary and then a presentation, followed by a short question and answer session. The students didn't seem very motivated... only their professor asked questions. It reminded me of the good old days in school... :)
Yesterday, my colleague Rom and I did some brainstorming on new KDC outreach programs. At the beginning we had loads of ideas, but as time time by, it was like "Come, just one more...". :)
But as I said, I had a bit of free time in the last days. I used it to research on universities and courses since I am starting college next year and don't know what to do yet... I found some interesting new possibilities, so that was good!

On Thursday, after writing this blog, I had a power point introduction on the KDC (Knowledge for Development Center), it's aim of sharing knowledge and ways of achieving that. Soo... after lunch I had a first attempt at media monitoring, which went well, but it took me at least double the time Kitchie would have needed to finish! I will practice in the next days... I felt so well informed afterwards, although I had only read the titles and skimmed through the articles... :)
In the afternoon, I tried to come up with some ideas to improve the website of the KDC.
Next morning, I was expected at the Asian Institute of Management for a videoconference taking place in the "Development Resource Center" on "Youth Entrepreneurship as a Career Option in East Asia and the Pacific" (http://go.worldbank.org/3O1CZ9QOG0). There were presentations of youth speakers from Thailand, Indonesia, China and the Philippines introducing their projects of supporting youth entrepreuneurs in form of microcredits, advice and connections. After the talks there was an interactive discussion with some more people from Laos and Papua New Guinea.
The whole morning... seeing how a videocon works, meeting interesting, dedicated people, learning a lot on the initiatives of supporting youths in building up their own businesses... was great!!

Yesterday, I started the day by writing my first blog entry, only interrupted by the teleconference taking place in the KDC. The telephone-speaker-thingy was placed in the middle of the table and about 6 journalists from all important Filipino newspapers sat crouched around it, scribbling notes on small pads and recording the session on tape. It was just as I had imagined! The teleconference was managed by a moderator who asked the journalists from China, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Hong Kong and the Philippines to pose questions on the impact of the financial crisis on developing countries. Beforehand, the World Bank had promised to boost support for these countries in a press release (http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21973077~pagePK:64257043~piPK:437376~theSitePK:4607,00.html) . I actually understood something (!!) but at times it was hard because the connection wasn’t very good. It’ll be veery interesting for me to read today’s articles and see what the journalists have made of it… And I’ll feel good because I already know things, the public only hears today! :) It really is “seeing behind the curtain”…
In the afternoon I learnt how to do media monitoring which is (explanation for my German friends: ) scanning all online newspapers for information concerning the World Bank or, in my case, the financial crisis. You have to choose the articles, copy them into a document, add the source, title and author and send it to all staff members for them to be informed. Kitchie asked me to help her with the media monitoring of the financial crisis because it’s becoming so much. I get to try scanning the Manila Times, Manila Bulletin and Sunstar, so if you find irrelevant articles in your “Today’s News E-Mail” in the next days… It’s my fault, not hers! :)

I had an exciting first day at the World Bank “Knowledge for Development Center” yesterday where I will be testing the “Youth Learning Program” for three weeks. This program is open to interested college students taking courses in communications, public administration and social sciences. It provides a 20-day-insight in the activities and programs of the World Bank in the Philippines, but especially the external relations and communications office. Soo… I get to see behind the curtain of a huge international organization!!

My workplace is the “Knowledge for Development Center” (www.worldbank.org.ph/kdc) which is basically like a library, situated on the ground floor of the WB office, where people can inform themselves of the activities of the WB and development issues in general. The center has several computers and shelves filled with brochures, technical literature and WB studies. The room has a friendly atmosphere with people going in and out and is decorated with posters, winning works of photography contests and a framed picture with the WB theme: “Our Dream is a World Free of Poverty”. Apart from providing research information, the KDC arranges forums, exhibits and talks with the aim of sharing knowledge which I will (try to!:) ) help organize!

First thing in the morning, I got a Power Point introduction on the WB which was good, but I had already informed myself on the internet – I’m really making an effort :) – so there wasn’t much new to me. Next, we went upstairs to look around the offices, be introduced to colleges (too many to remember all the names!) and attend a short progress meeting.

Most of the rest of the time I did research on the World Bank and especially on the consequences of the economical crisis for East Asia and the WB’s reaction towards up coming problems because there will be a teleconference today which I can attend and I do want to understand a bit of what they’re talking about. Economics is really not my thing and, reading all those articles on the internet, I wouldn’t have understood a word without the help of a dictionary and the “wikipedia”! :)

But it was fun and the next days promise to be exciting…