Connecting Maps with People: My Internship Experience

When I joined Arannayk Foundation as an intern in the MEL and GIS-RS wing, I knew I would be working with maps, data, and technology. What I didn’t expect was how much I would also learn about people, resilience, and the deeper connections between communities and the environment.

At first, my work was all about tools and systems like GIS mapping, monitoring frameworks, and spatial analysis. I learned how data can tell the story of our forests, our rivers, and the changes happening around us. But the real shift came when I stepped into the field. There, I saw how technology and local knowledge come together to tackle challenges like waste management, environmental awareness, and building resilience against climate change.

Protecting nature is inseparable from supporting the people whose lives depend on it.

The most striking realization for me was exactly that nature and people cannot be separated. Conservation isn’t only about preserving ecosystems; it’s also about standing with the communities who live side by side with forests, rivers, and wildlife, and helping them build strength for the future.

This journey strengthened my technical skills in spatial analysis and project reporting, but it also taught me to adapt, communicate, and collaborate in diverse settings. I came away with a stronger belief that sustainability is about more than protecting landscapes, it is about empowering people and fostering meaningful change.

Looking back, my time at Arannayk Foundation feels like a cornerstone in my journey toward environmental management and research. It gave me not only skills and experiences but also a vision: one where conservation and community resilience grow hand in hand.