This summer, I interned with Data for Change: The PARIS21 Foundation, a Geneva-based organisation that works to strengthen data systems in low- and middle-income countries, with a particular focus on Africa. In particular, they work closely with climate and gender data, two types of data that are under-captured and therefore difficult to work into policy.Coming into this internship, I wanted to bridge my background in data strategy in the private sector with the world of international development.

• Read more about Fundraising in times of scarcity: lessons from Geneva

Letter to myself 1(ish) year agoHello Simmy, pre-INSEAD! This is Simmy post-INSEAD :) You are embarking on arguably your best year to date! It will be jam-packed, wonderfully extreme, and, at times, totally overwhelming.  

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"Guess I will be working in Nairobi this summer," I said to my friend in disbelief. We had just landed at the airport in Oslo, and I had just taken my phone out of airplane mode and saw that I had received an email from CIFOR-ICRAF offering me a position as a summer intern. I had no specific aspirations to find an internship in Africa over the summer; the motto was "wherever work and impact take me", and I am profoundly grateful that it took me to Kenya.

• Read more about Dryland Restoration: Bridging the Gap Between Science and Finance To Restore the Planet’s Most Overlooked Ecosystem

Jobo: A Start-Up with a mission Jobo is a start-up founded in Côte d’Ivoire to tackle one of the continent’s most pressing challenges: the gap between job seekers and meaningful employment. By leveraging technology, data, and strong partnerships with employers, Jobo provides a platform that connects individuals with opportunities in the formal labour market.Jobo's mission is rooted in the belief that inclusive employment not only transforms individual lives but also fuels sustainable economic growth.

• Read more about Beyond Employment: Bridging Business and Empowerment at Jobo Academy

This summer, I had the privilege of joining Associação de Conservação da Biodiversidade – Biflores, a local NGO dedicated to protecting the rich biodiversity of Brava Island in Cape Verde. What makes Biflores unique is not only its commitment to marine and terrestrial conservation, but also its close ties with the local community.

• Read more about Building a Sustainable Fundraising Strategy for Biodiversity in Cape Verde

This summer, I had the opportunity to join the Sea2Carbon team, a venture founded by INSEAD 24D alumni Utsav Oza and José Gomes. Sea2Carbon’s mission is clear and ambitious: harness the power of marine biomass to drive climate action, foster economic empowerment, and support environmental restoration.

• Read more about The Future of Climate Innovation: My Summer Story

Stepping into the workThis summer, I worked with Programa Aurora, the branch of Peru’s Ministry of Women and Vulnerable Populations that operates Línea 100 - a 24/7 national hotline for survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. I reported to a director overseeing the hotline and split my time between remote work and on-site operations in Lima.

• Read more about From the Andes to the Hotline: My Summer Internship with Programa Aurora

This summer, I joined Cambridge Cleantech, a leading climate innovation network that connects startups, corporates, investors, and policymakers to advance the net zero transition. Cambridge Cleantech aims to amplify the flow of capital, ideas, and talent across the climate ecosystem through organising technology scouting, investment matching between entrepreneurs and funds, and thought-leadership roundtables in energy, transport, buildings, water and the circular economy.

• Read more about Building Climate Innovation From the Inside Out: My Summer With the SuperCluster

Iterum Trading Limited is a UK-based circular economy company that specialises in the management of household appliances for institutional residential sectors such as Build-to-Rent (BTR), student housing, single-family rentals, and co-living. Through its SaaS platform, Iterum IQ, the company helps landlords and operators optimise procurement, maintenance, and lifecycle management of appliances, reducing costs and environmental impact.

• Read more about Iterum and ESG: My Summer Internship Experience

Fundación Grisi works to improve the well-being of Mexican families, with a special focus on inclusion, disability, and health. Its programmes address critical needs such as support for childhood and breast cancer patients, and it runs VAPORTI, Mexico’s pioneering initiative dedicated to pancreatic cancer.

• Read more about Shaping and Scaling a Programme for Young Cancer Survivors in Mexico