End of Internship Speech: Bridget Abiem – WACSI Node Next Generation Intern
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Distinguished colleagues, esteemed guests, my supervisors and mentors, fellow interns, ladies and gentlemen.
It is both an honour and a privilege to stand before you today. At the same time, it is a little emotional because today marks the close of a chapter that has been one of the most enriching experiences of my professional journey.
They say every ending is really the beginning of something new. Today, as I stand before you, I find myself filled with gratitude, joy, and reflection.
When I walked into WACSI on 12 January, I came as an intern hoping to gain experience. Today, I leave with so much more than experience. I leave with knowledge, confidence, lifelong relationships, invaluable mentorship, unforgettable memories, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Looking back, I cannot help but smile.
I still remember my interview. So many things went wrong that day that I genuinely thought my chances were over. Everything that could go wrong seemed to go wrong. Yet somehow, despite all those mishaps, WACSI saw something in me that I could not even see in myself at that moment.
For that, I will always be grateful.
That experience became my very first lesson here: sometimes people don’t invest in your perfection—they invest in your potential.
From that very moment, WACSI became much more than a place of work. It became a classroom, a training ground, a family, and a place where I was constantly challenged to become a better version of myself.
Every assignment stretched me.
Every meeting taught me something new.
Every deadline strengthened my resilience.
Every piece of feedback refined my thinking.
Every responsibility reminded me that growth comes when people trust you with opportunities beyond your comfort zone.
Throughout this internship, I had the privilege of contributing to proposal development, research, documentation, organisational assessments, monitoring and evaluation activities, knowledge management initiatives, and many other assignments that expanded my understanding of the development sector.
More importantly, I learned lessons that no textbook could ever teach.
I learned that excellence is intentional.
That details matter.
That collaboration produces stronger results.
That leadership is service.
And that learning never truly ends.
Most importantly, WACSI has shown me what it looks like when an organisation genuinely believes in investing in young professionals and creating opportunities for them to grow.
To the entire WACSI family, thank you.
Thank you for welcoming me from my very first day and making me feel like I belonged. Thank you for fostering a culture where learning is encouraged, excellence is expected, collaboration is celebrated, and people genuinely care about one another. Every interaction, every conversation, every smile, every correction, and every word of encouragement contributed to making this internship an unforgettable experience.
To our Executive Director, Dr Nana, thank you for your visionary leadership and for building an institution where young professionals are not just welcomed but intentionally developed. Your commitment to excellence, learning, and strengthening civil society is reflected in the culture of WACSI, and I have been privileged to experience that firsthand. Thank you for creating an environment where interns are trusted with meaningful responsibilities, encouraged to grow, and inspired to become better professionals. Your vision has shaped my experience in ways that will stay with me for years to come.
I owe a very special appreciation to my supervisor and our esteemed Country Lead, Ms Omolara Balogun.
Ma, thank you for believing in me.
Thank you for trusting me with responsibilities that challenged me to think beyond my limits and become more confident in my abilities.
Your confidence in me often exceeded my confidence in myself, and for that I am deeply grateful.
Even with your incredibly busy schedule, you always found time to guide, correct, encourage, and support me. You never allowed mistakes to become barriers to learning; instead, you transformed them into opportunities for growth.
Working under your leadership has taught me that true leadership is not merely about directing people, it is about inspiring them, empowering them, and creating opportunities for them to thrive. Your humility, professionalism, calmness under pressure, pursuit of excellence, and genuine commitment to developing young professionals are qualities I deeply admire.
Thank you for seeing potential in me when I was still discovering it myself.
Thank you for believing in me.
Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for your mentorship.
And thank you for giving me room to grow.
Your impact on my professional journey will remain with me long after today, and I consider it a privilege to have learned under your leadership.
To Abayomi, ThankGod, and Rachel, thank you for being such an incredible support system throughout my internship. Thank you for your patience, guidance, encouragement, and willingness to help whenever I needed direction or clarification. Whether it was answering questions, sharing insights, reviewing my work, or simply checking in to ensure I was on the right track, each of you contributed significantly to making my learning journey enjoyable and rewarding. Working with you reminded me that great teams are built not only on competence but also on kindness, collaboration, and a genuine willingness to help others succeed. Thank you for every lesson and every act of support.
To the Knowledge Management Team, thank you for welcoming me and allowing me to learn beyond the scope of my internship.
A special appreciation goes to Jimm, the Head of Knowledge Management. When I reached out expressing my interest in learning with your team despite the geographical distance between us, you welcomed me without hesitation. Thank you for demonstrating that learning should never be limited by borders and that opportunities should always be extended to those willing to learn. That opportunity broadened my perspective and enriched my professional development in ways I will always cherish.
To Mabel, I honestly do not think words are enough to express my gratitude.
Thank you for your patience.
Thank you for your generosity.
Thank you for teaching with so much intentionality.
Thank you for taking the time to explain processes, answer my countless questions, provide thoughtful feedback, and ensure that I understood not just what to do but why it mattered. Your willingness to invest your time and knowledge in my growth has left a lasting impression on me. The lessons I learned from you will continue to guide me throughout my career.
To Patrick, thank you for the opportunity to contribute, learn, and grow alongside the team. I truly appreciate your support and your willingness to share your knowledge and expertise.
I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to Mr Franck.
Thank you for warmly welcoming me into the Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Technology space and for trusting me with the opportunity to learn from your team. Your professionalism, openness, and commitment to mentoring young professionals created an environment where learning was both practical and inspiring. Thank you for creating opportunities for me to deepen my understanding of monitoring, evaluation, and organisational learning. Your encouragement and confidence in me have contributed immensely to my professional growth, and I am sincerely grateful for the experience.
To the entire Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Technology (MELT) Team, thank you for making me feel like part of the team from the very beginning.
A special thank you to Obiageli and Elom.
Thank you for your patience and generosity.
Thank you for answering my countless questions without ever making me feel like I was asking too much.
Thank you for sharing resources, explaining concepts, and encouraging my curiosity every step of the way.
You transformed every interaction into an opportunity to learn, and I will always appreciate the time and effort you invested in my growth.
To my fellow interns, thank you for making this journey truly memorable.
Thank you for the teamwork.
Thank you for the brainstorming sessions.
Thank you for the shared deadlines.
Thank you for the laughter.
Thank you for the encouragement.
Thank you for the friendships we built.
It has been a privilege learning and growing alongside each of you, and I have no doubt that we will all go on to make meaningful contributions wherever life takes us.
Finally, to every member of staff at WACSI, whether we worked closely together or our interactions were only brief, thank you.
Thank you for every smile.
Thank you for every conversation.
Thank you for every word of encouragement.
Thank you for every lesson, every correction, every opportunity, and every act of kindness.
Each of you has contributed, in ways both big and small, to making this internship one of the most rewarding and transformative experiences of my life.
As I leave today, I do not see this as the end of my relationship with WACSI.
Rather, I see it as the beginning of a lifelong connection with an organisation that has played a significant role in shaping the professional and the person I am becoming.
I came to WACSI hoping to build my résumé.
Instead, WACSI helped build my character.
I came hoping to gain experience.
I leave with purpose.
I came looking for professional growth.
I leave having found mentors, colleagues, and friends.
There is a quote by Maya Angelou that says,
“People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But they will never forget how you made them feel.”
WACSI made me feel seen.
WACSI made me feel trusted.
WACSI made me feel capable.
WACSI made me believe that I could contribute meaningfully.
And for that, I will always remain grateful.
Thank you for believing in me.
Thank you for investing in me.
Thank you for challenging me.
Thank you for encouraging me.
Thank you for being part of my story.
I sincerely hope that as I continue my journey, I will make you proud and reflect the values of excellence, integrity, collaboration, and service that WACSI has instilled in me.
May God continue to bless WACSI, its leadership, every member of staff, and the incredible work you do in strengthening civil society across West Africa.
Thank you all for everything.
God bless you, and God bless WACSI.
About the author
Bridget Abiem
Bridget Abiem is a development enthusiast and intern at the West Africa Civil Society Institute (WACSI) NODE in Nigeria. She holds a background in Plant Breeding and Seed Science, with a growing interest in Monitoring, Evaluation, Research, and Learning (MERL). Her interests lie in research, knowledge systems, and strengthening institutional effectiveness within civil society organisations. Bridget is particularly passionate about evidence-informed programming, organisational learning, and building systems that drive sustainable and impactful development outcomes. She is committed to continuous learning and contributing meaningfully to development practice across West Africa.
