From Pears and Apples to Purpose: The Shared Journey of an Internship Cohort at eHealth Africa

Azeez-Ayodele Fatimah Ayotemitide

I have a confession: I came to eHealth Africa for the free pears and apples. It’s an honest truth I’ll carry with me. 

At my very first eHealth Africa program, I noticed the perks and thought, “Well,  that’s a nice little bonus.” But when the internship application opened a few months later, it presented itself as more than just a place with healthy snacks; it was a chance to practice my craft of visual storytelling, learn, and grow.

We are often taught that an internship is a brief foray into the professional world, a structured stepping stone where you mostly observe and assist. The reality of this internship, however, has been different. It has been a full-immersion experience that challenges the very notion of what building a career entails. Every project became a lesson in nuance, every challenge an opportunity to grow, and each of us has a story to tell. We came in as individuals, but we stand as a cohort, carrying forward the lessons that will define our professional journeys.

The Storytellers

My journey as a videographer quickly expanded as I was pushed to embody a communications professional. I learned that storytelling goes far beyond the lens, extending into the very essence of a project’s life and impact. With the Post Distribution Monitoring project (PDM), I wasn’t physically on the ground, but I lived the experience through my screen, watching the interviews and feeling the struggles of the enumerators. With SARMAAN (Safety and antimicrobial resistance of mass administration of azithromycin among children aged 1–11 months in Nigeria), I had the privilege of seeing the lives of the data collectors and partners unfold, both in the field and through the screen, learning to relay the impact in words and visuals that the world could see and understand. This is a story of living the mission firsthand, and I know it is a sentiment shared by my peers.

The Developers

For Abba Daniel, now an Associate, Software Developer with eHealth Africa, the program was a direct pipeline from learning to impact. He started out simply as  an attendee of the eHA Academy, but his passion and drive led him to this internship and onward into a full-fledged role. “The reality has been even better than I imagined,” he said, “I have actually been given the chance to work on meaningful tasks, collaborate with a supportive team, and contribute directly to real projects.” Abba’s journey does not end as a developer, he is also a mentor to the next cohort of the Academy, proving that the best way to learn is to teach.

The Detail-Oriented

For Abduljalal Usman, our Finance Intern, stepping into the Finance team came with surprises he hadn’t anticipated. The level of responsibility and trust placed in him went beyond his expectations. “I had the chance to work on meaningful tasks that contributed to ongoing projects rather than just observing from the sidelines.” He faced the challenge of handling complex and complicated financial documents, but with the support of his team, he learned to carefully review details and communicate for clarification, solidifying the crucial skill of attention to detail and accountability.

The Organizers

According to Hanifa Shuaib, our Program Delivery Intern, the program taught her that “meaningful impact often comes from teamwork and small, consistent contributions that add up to real change.” She actively participated in projects like SARMAAN II, supporting coordination and documentation. Hanifa credits her supervisors for helping her overcome the challenge of juggling multiple tasks by teaching her to prioritize and communicate her needs early.

A Shared Valuable Conclusion

This internship has been nothing short of transformative. We learned that public health and technology are not just concepts but living systems, rooted in people, stories, and innovation. 

For me, the greatest lesson was learning to listen to learn, not just to reply – value woven into the culture of eHealth Africa. Here, everyone matters, and standing still means falling behind. You must grow!

This is the true return on investment. Not just for us as interns, but for eHealth Africa and its partners. This journey turned us from learners into doers, ready to contribute to a healthier, more connected Africa. 

And to think, for me, it all started with free pears and apples.

Azeez-Ayodele Fatimah is a Communications Intern with eHealth Africa