Fabien Matthias was in Nepal from July to October. As an intern he supported our local NEXUS organisation in various tasks. Fabien likes special challenges and uncertain situations – and got along well in Nepal. In the interview he talks about his experiences in the last four months.
What were your tasks during your time in Nepal?
I was mainly concerned with the expansion of our school projects. In five schools we now provide drinking water free of charge and at the same time operate a water shop for the population. For this purpose, conversions were necessary, which took a lot of time. Now everything works. Apart from that, I helped in marketing, transported goods, took care of the reconstruction of the Sauraha center after the floods, supported our Commercial Manager Susant or read myself into water analyses and worked on it with the team. In short: It was a versatile internship.
Why did you choose the NEXUS project?
I have been involved in various projects in Nepal for over two years now. Up to now, it has often been “learning by doing”. I once wanted to learn from people with more experience in this field. Together with fellow students I have founded the NePals e. V. association. We would like to set up a similar project – but at other locations and in a different price segment. The experience from the NEXUS project will help a lot.
What have you learned in the last few months?
I now have a concrete idea of how to run such projects, what needs to be considered and which mistakes can be avoided in advance. I have acquired valuable practical knowledge – for example planning and implementing buildings, laying pipes, installing power cables, painting walls and so on. I should probably practice painting a little bit more… But I have also managed the local team, helped to prioritize tasks and ensured communication both internally and externally.
Where do you see room for improvement?
Language is a challenge. Only a few people in the country speak English. You would need someone to accompany interns on certain tasks, make calls or translate. I was lucky that my guest brothers helped me a lot. In general, there is a lot of work to be done. In the future, it will probably take more resources to complete all tasks successfully. It is also important that everyone knows exactly what to do.
What are your personal plans now?
I will continue to study and at the same time expand our own projects with my association. I would be pleased if we could expand our cooperation with NePals and leverage each other’s strengths. I am grateful for the time spent in Nepal!
We would like to thank Fabien for his dedication and wish him great success!
Source: nexus ch
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