Let us introduce ourselves: we are Matilde Biella and Giulia Tarantini, two students of International Cooperation at Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore. In September 2024, we left for an internship in Kenya, joining the project Vivere il Terzo Settore, dedicated to Università Cattolica’s students in order to promote internships in the Third Sector in Italy and abroad in collaboration with Il Sole 24 Ore and with the support of Techsoup Italia and the student association JECatt.
We packed our bags, full of excitement and way too much mosquito repellent, and headed to the E4Impact Entrepreneurship Center in Nairobi for a three-month adventure that turned out to be so much more than just an internship.
When we first told people we were heading to Kenya for our internship, the reactions were mixed. “Wow, that’s amazing!” was often followed by “But, why Kenya?” or “Are you sure it’s safe?” Side note: yes, it is, except for Nairobi’s traffic, no survival training could have prepared us for that.
But deep down, we knew this experience would be special. And spoiler alert: it was even more than that.
From the moment we stepped off the plane, Kenya demanded our full attention. The colors, the sounds, the matatus speeding past with music blasting at full volume, everything felt so alive. We quickly learned that if you want to truly embrace a new culture, you have to throw yourself into it completely.
And so, we did. We tasted Ugali, the national dish (which is not bad at all once you figure out how to eat it without making a mess), picked up Swahili phrases (our pronunciation still makes people laugh), and learned that time in Kenya is more of a flexible concept than an exact science.
But the biggest lesson? Adaptability. Whether it was navigating a completely different work environment or figuring out how to cross a street in Nairobi without getting run over, we realized that stepping out of our comfort zone wasn’t just an option—it was a necessity.
Our time at E4Impact wasn’t about fetching coffee or sitting through endless meetings. From day one, we were hands-on: we worked on impact evaluation, data analysis, and we collaborated on projects aimed at empowering entrepreneurs.
I, Matilde, worked on the SKIES – Strengthening Kenya’s Innovation Ecosystem project, part of the Kenya Industry and Entrepreneurship Project (KIEP), which aims to strengthen Kenya’s existing start-up ecosystem and harness it to help address the challenges of low productivity and innovation. Through its activities it showed me how small businesses can create big changes.
While I, Giulia, entered in the accelerator program WONDER, designed to build women capacity by equipping them with skills, knowledge and tools to optimize and re-focus their businesses for growth and scale-up. This introduced me to incredible women entrepreneurs of small and medium enterprises reshaping Africa’s economic landscape.
Actively working on the projects, we were not just learning theories, we were seeing the direct impact of cooperation, innovation and resilience in action.
And then there were the field visits. Meeting entrepreneurs in their own environments, listening to their stories, and seeing their determination made everything real. It’s one thing to read about social enterprises and another to actually meet someone who’s transforming waste into a sustainable business.
We even co-organized a major business summit, proving that yes, we could survive high-pressure events, even in a new country.
Kenya gave us more than just professional skills. It showed us the power of human connections, the importance of listening before speaking, and the sheer energy of a country that never stops moving forward.
As this chapter ends, the lessons learned extend far beyond technical skills. These months reinforced a commitment to a career rooted in purpose, fuelled by the desire to contribute to a more sustainable and equitable world.
To the E4Impact Foundation team, colleagues, and new friends: Asante sana.
Giulia Tarantini e Matilde Biella