Anastasiia Cheliadina
Program
Interaction design bachelor
Workplace
Indigenous Climate Observatories, under supervision of Lizette Reitsma
My role
Interaction designer
Poster
During my internship with the Indigenous Climate Observatories, I worked in Eswatini and Sweden, contributing to community-engaged research and participatory design. In Eswatini, I documented traditional ecological knowledge about local trees and forest ecosystems through semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and visual methods such as photography and drone imaging.
In Sweden, I developed a conceptual model for a flexible mapping database for Siphonochilus aethiopicus (wild African ginger), exploring design’s role in supporting community-led ecological monitoring. I also helped organise field-based activities during the visit of Gugu Sibandze, creating opportunities for informal knowledge exchange and cross-cultural learning.
My ongoing task involves creating a simple game that encourages conversation about weather-forecasting practices in Lesotho. Overall, the internship strengthened my skills in participatory methods and co-creative, context-sensitive design.