A Norwegian founder story.

Dear reader,

I’d like to share with you the story of how NamIntern came into existence — and, perhaps more importantly, why it has become what it is today.

My connection with Namibia began in 2009, when I came here as a Child Welfare student from Norway to complete my internship. I returned again for my final thesis, and both experiences left a lasting impression on me. I had fallen in love with the country and discovered a deep calling, but I had also experienced first-hand how challenging it could be to navigate an internship without support on the ground, as well as how difficult it could be to develop research projects from Europe without local connections and guidance.

There was very little support available to us as students. We had to find our own way, organise our own contacts and figure out much of the practical side ourselves. We managed, but I could see how much more valuable, safer and accessible the experience could have been with someone on the ground who understood both the students and the Namibian context.

After graduating, I decided to return to Namibia in 2011 — this time with the intention of staying.

I initially had a rather idealistic idea of what I was going to do. I wanted to work at an orphanage and contribute where I could. I arrived with the belief that if I simply gave my time and energy, I could make a difference.

And I did.

But I also quickly realised the limitations of working alone.

The organisation was facing a significant lack of resources — both financial and human. Good intentions and hard work could only take you so far when there were so many fundamental needs. I realised that if I really wanted to make a meaningful contribution, I had to step back and look at the bigger picture.

Instead of asking myself, “What can I do here on my own?”, I started asking, “What could we achieve if we brought more people, skills and resources together?”

That became the turning point.

I decided to establish an organisation that could focus on fundraising and bringing in human capital to support organisations in Namibia. At the same time, I began thinking about the other side of the equation: the students and researchers I had once been one of, and the need I had felt for facilitation, local connections and educational quality.

So, in 2012, NamIntern was born.

The original idea was quite simple: to connect people, resources and opportunities in a way that could create sustainable value for both Namibia and the people coming here.

I began building relationships with universities and individuals in Norway and connecting them with organisations and opportunities in Namibia. But as NamIntern grew, I realised that facilitating a meaningful experience involved much more than simply finding a placement.

Students needed reliable people on the ground. They needed help with visas, accommodation and transport. They needed trustworthy partners for travel and experiences. They needed support around safety and health. They needed academic guidance and someone who could help them navigate the unfamiliar.

And they needed someone who understood what it feels like to arrive here as an international student.

Over time, NamIntern grew into a bridge between students, universities, host organisations and Namibia.

What began with the desire to support one organisation became something much broader: creating opportunities for people to learn, contribute, connect and experience Namibia in a meaningful way.

Today, NamIntern is a team. Thea is responsible for the operations and academic supervision of our programmes, while I focus on the growth and mentorship of NamIntern.

But although the organisation has changed and grown over the years, the original idea remains.

I believe that coming to Namibia should be about much more than completing an internship, conducting research or volunteering.

It should be an opportunity to connect with people, organisations, communities and a country.

But there is one more layer that has become increasingly important to me.

As I have changed and grown through my own experiences, NamIntern has changed and grown with me.

What started as an idea about connecting people and resources has gradually become something deeper. Today, I believe an international experience should not only transform the way you see the world — it should also give you an opportunity to get to know yourself better.

Living and working in a different country has a way of holding up a mirror to who you are.

Things that feel normal at home suddenly look different. Your assumptions are challenged. You become aware of your own habits, values and expectations in an environment that reflects a different reality. You begin to notice not only the differences around you, but also the patterns within yourself.

And that, for me, is where the deeper value of an international experience lies.

My hope is that when students leave Namibia, they don’t only leave with a different perspective on life, the world and the people around them.

I hope they leave with a different perspective on themselves — and on the reality they are part of.

That is what I believe NamIntern can offer.

And perhaps, in the end, that is also what NamIntern has given me: a journey of continuously learning, questioning, growing and becoming — alongside the people who have been part of this journey.

With love,

Miriam

Founder of NamIntern