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Drashti and Izaskun shared their experience working at the Reliance Foundation, an NGO in India, through an internship supported by UCL's short-term global opportunities schemes!
UCL aims to give its students a global experience, and thanks to the support of teams like UCL Study Abroad, UCL Careers and a range of bursaries, students interested in India can go beyond the classroom and visit the country itself.
We talked to UCL students Drashti Davda (MSc Management), and Izaskun Culebras Porras (MSc Global Governance and Ethics), who gained work experience at an NGO in India through an internship supported by the UK Turing Scheme...
Q: Why did you want to take part in the internship?
Drashti: I was drawn to the internship because it offered a chance to apply my academic knowledge in a practical setting, particularly in the areas of social impact and financial analysis. The opportunity to work with a prestigious organisation like Reliance Foundation, known for its transformative initiatives, was particularly appealing, as it aligned with my passion for creating measurable value in both economic and social terms.
Izaskun: Reliance Foundation does very relevant work related to my field of study and personal interest. The opportunity to work in the development sector directly in a country which is developing, was something that I thought would be very meaningful. I had already been to India, so it was a great opportunity to reconnect with the culture and the country but with a more adult perspective.
Q: Tell us more about the Reliance Foundation.
Drashti: The Reliance Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries, committed to driving sustainable development across India. The foundation works on key areas such as rural development, healthcare, education, and sports. What sets Reliance Foundation apart is its focus on scalable impact, using innovative solutions to address critical social issues, and ensuring that its interventions are both effective and sustainable.
Izaskun: Through their foundation they collaborate with NGOs, government entities and international organisations to support the social development of India. The nature of the organisation allows its activity to be very agile and flexible and therefore accommodate the unique social context that exists in India.
Q: What did you do during the internship, and what did you learn from it?
Drashti: I was primarily involved in developing a Social Return on Investment (SROI) framework to measure the effectiveness of the foundation's various initiatives. I conducted research on social and environmental impact metrics, devised questionnaires to capture stakeholder feedback, and analysed the financial and social outcomes of several development programs. This experience taught me how to quantify intangible benefits, like social development and environmental sustainability, in financial terms. I also gained a deeper understanding of the challenges involved in implementing large-scale social interventions and the importance of data-driven decision-making.
Izaskun: My work focused on the Foundation's Women Empowerment initiatives, in particular their communication eforts. I worked on a collaboration with the Gates Foundation, which aimed to empower over one million rural women entrepreneurs to gain financial independence. Something valuable I learnt is the fact that women's empowerment is a spectrum. This means that every place has its unique context and therefore what is considered women empowerment in one place, may not be considered so in a different place.
It made me understand how important it is to focus on bottom-up development efforts.
Q: How do you think this experience will benefit your future career?
Drashti: This experience has equipped me with a unique blend of financial acumen and social impact analysis, which I believe will be invaluable as I move forward in my career. I now have a strong foundation in evaluating both the financial and social outcomes of business decisions, which will be critical in roles that involve strategy, sustainability, and venture capital. Additionally, working at the intersection of finance and social responsibility has reinforced my desire to pursue roles that drive not only profit but also positive societal change.
Izaskun: This internship has given me the opportunity to work in an international environment, having to adapt and learn at a high pace. A common discourse in academia is the dichotomy between the 'West' and the 'Global South'. There are very important factors and aspects of life, both in the personal and professional context, that the 'West' would tremendously benefit from learning from the 'Global South'.
UCL Careers helps current students and recent graduates find and plan for internships and jobs through its jobs board, events, resources, and one-to-one appointments for bespoke advice.
UCL also has exchange agreements with over 200 institutions across 46 countries and six continents, including many of the world's top 100 universities.
To find out more about studying or interning abroad through UCL, visit: ucl.ac.uk/students/go-abroad
*Original on pages 16–17 of the India Booklet.