Going into this experience, I knew I would face many challenges in the creation of this documentary project; I had been a student in the IGL’s Program for Narrative and Documentary Practice fall class, and throughout the planning and budgeting process, I had had time to prepare mentally and hypothetically for much of the seemingly inevitable adversity that I foresaw coming my way.

“As Salam Alaykom” I greeted my mentor, Dr. Nada Dhaif, excitedly over a skype call in early May. We chatted briefly about the expectations and responsibilities interning remotely for BRAVO (Bahrain Rehabilitation and Anti-Violence Organization). She ended the phone call asking if I would be attending the Oslo Freedom Forum, and enthusiastically I told her yes.

This June, I had the opportunity to travel to Ecuador with fellow BUILD Latin America members, Cristina da Gama and Cami Rovalino, to work on our club’s project with Libraries Without Borders (LWB). BUILD has been partnering with LWB to implement KoomBook programs in communities in Ecuador without access to internet connection.

The second week of our trip to Payir consisted of us putting on two health evenings for the Thottiyapatti community, creating a promotional video for Payir, writing official reports on Payir’s solar panel project and annual report, distributing all supplies bought and establishing a phase-out plan for our club, which we would later discus with the founders Preethi and Senthil.

Today marks the last day of my stay in Moscow after an intense week of cold calls and meetings. If this project has taught me anything, it's that hard work can really pay off.