Ruth is a motivated high school student from Indonesia, who is deeply passionate about entrepreneurship and finance.
By participating in a remote internship, she bridged the gap between theory and practice - learning how group funds are managed in the business world and how social-impact initiatives are scaled, to better prepare for a future in investment banking.
Read on to learn everything about her remote Microfinance internship (hosted out of Tanzania) and find out how you could do the same.
Hi Ruth! Why did you choose to do this remote Microfinance internship?
I hoped to gain professionalism and a clearer picture of how the working world truly operates. In the past, I ran my own jewelry business where I handled everything, from marketing to accounting to logistics. While this taught me valuable lessons, it was still a self-managed business with a lot of flexibility. Through this online internship experience, I was looking to experience the structure and discipline of a real professional environment, where expectations are higher and standards are stricter. I chose this experience to challenge myself, to push myself further, and to help me grow into a more capable and professional individual.
What was it like getting started with an online internship experience?
Before starting this online internship, I imagined that working remotely with an organization based in Tanzania would feel distant and highly structured, with limited interaction beyond assigned tasks. However, my first week turned out to be far more engaging and people-centered than I expected. Despite the physical distance, my colleagues were welcoming, responsive, and genuinely invested in collaboration.
The most memorable moment during this initial start-up phase of the internship was joining my first virtual discussion, where team members shared - not only work updates - but also the social impact behind the microfinance programs. Hearing how financial decisions directly affect entrepreneurs and small communities in Tanzania helped me immediately connect my tasks to a real-world purpose, making the work feel meaningful rather than purely administrative.
What were your responsibilities as a remote Microfinance intern?
As a remote microfinance intern, I supported my host organization by reviewing financial and operational data, assisting with documentation, and contributed analytical insights to strengthen decision-making.
In the short term, my role helped reduce the workload of local staff and improved the clarity and organization of internal processes. In the long term, my contributions supported more informed financial planning, risk assessment, and sustainability of microfinance programs that would benefit local entrepreneurs.
How did your expectations change over the course of this experience?
When I first began this internship, I expected that my contributions would lead to visible and immediate outcomes, such as clear improvements in financial systems or rapid decision-making based on my analyses. However, as I became more familiar with the organizational context, I realized that meaningful change in a community-based microfinance organization happens gradually and is shaped by local realities, trust-building, and resource constraints.
My expectations shifted from wanting fast results to valuing consistency, reliability, and long-term contribution. I now understand that even small improvements - such as clearer documentation, more structured analysis, or better data interpretation - can have a significant cumulative impact. If I could give advice to myself in retrospect, it would be to be patient, listen first, and focus on supporting existing systems before trying to improve them.
Did you face any challenges? If so, how did you overcome them?
One challenge I experienced was adjusting to a different communication style and pace of work. Compared to organizations I have worked with in my home country, decision-making and discussions at my internship host organization tend to be more relationship-oriented, with an emphasis on context and collective understanding rather than speed alone.
Initially, I assumed quicker responses and more direct task delegation. In hindsight, I could have been better prepared by researching Tanzanian workplace culture more deeply, especially regarding communication norms and time orientation.
To address this, I proactively scheduled check-ins with my supervisor, asked for feedback more frequently, and engaged more actively during meetings. By communicating openly about these challenges, I ensured continued learning and growth throughout the internship.
How did this internship help you to achieve your goals?
This internship directly supported my long-term goal of pursuing a career in business, investment, and social entrepreneurship. Working with a microfinance organization has strengthened my understanding of how financial decisions impact real communities, particularly underserved populations.
Some key skills that I have developed include financial analysis in resource-limited contexts, cross-cultural communication, adaptability, and impact-oriented thinking. These skills are highly transferable to future roles in business, consulting, investment analysis, or managing socially driven enterprises.
The online Microfinance internship also enhanced my cultural competence as it highlighted my ability to work remotely and effectively in a cross-cultural, international team while based in my home country. During this internship, I learned to adapt my communication style, remain open-minded toward different working norms, and approach differences with curiosity rather than judgment.
What was your most significant takeaway from the experience?
My number one take-away from this internship was the realization that meaningful impact does not always come from large, visible actions, but from consistent, thoughtful contributions made behind the scenes. One of my favorite memories was realizing that the financial analyses and documentation I worked on were not just numbers on a screen, but tools that influenced real decisions affecting small entrepreneurs and families in Tanzania. That shift in perspective made my work feel purposeful and grounded in real-world impact.
I now feel more empowered because this remote internship strengthened my confidence in working across cultures, in handling ambiguity, and contributing value even in resource-limited settings. I now trust my ability to adapt, communicate clearly, and think critically rather than relying on ideal conditions.
At the same time, I am more aware of the areas where I still need growth, particularly in advanced financial systems and large-scale operations. This awareness does not discourage me; instead, it gives me clarity on what to work toward next.
Finally, what are your future plans from here?
Moving forward, I want to continue building strong business and financial expertise while staying connected to socially driven initiatives. I plan to pursue further education and experiences in business, finance, and investment, while seeking opportunities to apply these skills to organizations that create social impact. Personally, I aim to keep developing cultural competence, adaptability, and ethical leadership. This internship has reinforced my long-term goal of using business as a tool not only for success, but for meaningful and sustainable change.
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FAQs
Remote internships are intended to be flexible and interns have some freedom to develop a schedule that works for them. It’s up to the intern to determine how they will allocate their time. For example, you may schedule your remote internship around existing work, study, family, and sport commitments. Interns are not required to complete their internship tasks exactly according to the time zone of the host organization. However, you should have some understanding of the difference in time zone, between where you are, so you can anticipate whether any challenges will be presented. You will need to ensure that you establish and communicate your own hours of availability and effort, so that you can make a commitment to the internship. You will need to confirm a suitable time when you’ll be able to connect with your supervisor, in real time. This will be essential for the orientation / meet and greet, as well as for checking in on progress, discussing questions and projects, etc. Between any real-time meetings, you should also anticipate that you’ll create a plan of action with your supervisor, which outlines the tasks you’ll be working on independently. Our internships also include an Experiential Learning Curriculum, which you might include within the internship hours that you’re completing.
Most remote internships are suitable for students or recent graduates, who are interested in a career field and wishing to learn more. Internship tasks can be catered to people at different levels. Remote internships recommended for High School students are listed here.
We receive hundreds of enquiries and applications every week, as internships are coveted positions. However, we can only prioritize our services on the applicants who confirm their participation. Since our internship opportunities are designed to guarantee resume-building experiences, which are highly supportive, the associated fees for the remote internship cover the time, effort and support of the many people involved with making this work. Additionally, the remote internships include a guided experiential learning component, for personal and professional development. They can be used as a convenient platform to gain academic credit.
The ability to work flexibly around international time differences is an important employability skill, which you can develop during a remote internship. This is additionally related to working on your time management skills, your ability to plan effectively, and take initiative. More specifically, the remote internship can help you gain practical experience and skills related to your career field. You can learn about previous remote internship experiences via our Success Stories. For example, see Tips from my online internship - what you need to know to succeed!, How my online internship helped prepare me for a career in Developmental Psychology, How I integrated knowledge into practice with an amazing Psychology internship mentor… and more!.
Yes. You can earn academic credit on every Intern Abroad HQ program whether it’s overseas or remote. You can complete your coursework before, during, or after your internship, giving you complete flexibility to study around your travel plans. Interns have the flexibility to complete coursework at your own pace. After completing this, you can receive your transcript from an accredited institution and transfer academic credit to your college or university. Learn more about Intern Abroad HQ’s academic credit options.
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