Nadia Filex

At work

I had the great privilege of working at Büchi Labortechnik AG, a leading laboratory equipment manufacturer. The company has mastered an impressive balance between promoting and fostering creativity in its employees and maintaining the quality which it is well known for. My time at the company was thoughtfully planned out to include 10 weeks working in the assembly department were I had the great pleasure of working on one of its most famous products, the R-300. The rest of the weeks were divided among a number of other departments, including procurement, order processing, quality control, laboratory training and glass blowing. I was very happy about this program as it gave me the opportunity to be involved in the different stages of product development and sales. The company uses the KANBAN system which is a management tool that maximises efficiency under the principle of Just-In-Time manufacturing and the system works so well that I hope to someday be able to implement it in my future working space.

My Swiss Family

I had the great fortune of being placed with the Locher family. Uschi and Turi Locher, parents to three wonderful children, were quite simply put absolutely delightful. I was made to feel at home immediately. They often went out of their way to make sure that I was having a comfortable stay, be it at home or on my outings. More than once they took me out on excursions to see different places, even taking me to neighbouring countries, museums, theatre and sports events. I am truly grateful to both of them. I also had the pleasure of meeting many of the other family members, their children and friends, so that I felt thoroughly integrated into the family in a very short time.

Highlights and challenges in Switzerland

Like many of the other interns, the first stark difference between Namibia and Switzerland for me was the transport system. Although I did not experience any great challenge, I did still feel anxious at first as I was worried to make mistakes and get lost. This anxiety was heightened by the fact that apart from the very basics I had no knowledge of the language. However, all these proved to be baseless fears as I soon found out that most people were willing to help when asked for assistance.

Overall, I have had a wonderful internship, filled with learning moments both at work and at home. I got the chance to experience a number of famous sites in Switzerland and to truly appreciate how beautiful a place it is, as well as to visit a few neighbouring countries.

My Future Plans

If I had been asked this question before this internship, my answer would have been to get a job as soon as possible and start working wherever that may be. However, this internship has opened my mind up to a greater number of possibilities. I wish to be the change I want to see therefore. Although it is still important for me to secure a job, I hope to be able to participate in projects that benefit my country, particularly in environment conservation. I was truly impressed by the waste management system in Switzerland and hope to be able to partake in similar projects within my country. As I am a strong believer in continuous learning, I also hope to pursue further education and gain exposure to many more systems, be it within Namibia or abroad.

Personal Message

The B360 education partnerships program has managed to - despite all odds - bring together a group of likeminded people who believe in the education of African youth and have decided to do something about it. I am truly grateful to every single individual who made it possible for me and the other interns to participate in this program and hope that many more students after me will have both the courage and opportunity to participate as well.