How to become a business development intern: Nifemi's story

Nifemi: Hello. My name is Nifemi. I'm 23 years old and I'm a business development intern. I've always wanted to make an impact on this world, but leaving secondary school and actually leaving college as well, I was not anywhere near knowing exactly what I wanted to do with my life. So, after finishing college, I went to Nigeria for a few weeks and I was in a country that was surrounded by poverty, but also having really, really bad political climate at that time and I think for me it just really made me want to go and actually make an impact on the world. So at university I studied International Relations, Diplomacy and Law, and then went on to go study International Development as a Masters.

After leaving university, I ended up doing fundraising for a bit, but it wasn't giving me the impact that I wanted to make on the world. After that I came across the London Irish Centre and I think that's when I really realised that charity work was probably something that I really wanted to do.

At the London Irish Centre, the main three things that we do is culture, community and care. Anyone that comes to the door is completely welcome. You have loads of shows and loads of events down here. We serve food, we have tea dances, we have film clubs. My day-to-day role is so different. For instance, I'm down at the day centre giving out food to our day centre users. I'm sometimes down at reception getting some administrative skills there. The business side of it is that I've been able to raise 30,000 pounds for the charity.

Nifemi's colleague: As the business development intern, Nifemi is essential in keeping good relationships with our partners. We here as a charity are really dependent on different grants and funders to keep this place going and keeping our doors open.

Nifemi: So even though my internship was coming to an end, I've had an absolutely fantastic time working here. I've enjoyed every single aspect of it.