Interning at The Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE)
By Katherine Chen, Student at The McCombs School of Business
This summer, I interned at the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE) in Washington D.C. ANDE is a global network of 290+ organizations that support small and growing businesses (SGBs) in developing countries. As an intern on the Membership team, I helped facilitate connections between member organizations in our network — organizations including capacity development providers, impact investors, multilateral donor agencies, and academic and research institutions.
At ANDE, I was able to explore the intersection between business and international development. Instead of fostering a culture of dependency, our members focus on empowering traditionally underserved communities to become self-sustainable. Our members help local entrepreneurs to develop technical skills, gain access to markets and investments, and build enterprises that stimulate job creation and economic growth. For instance, my team and I brainstormed ways to promote blended finance models for small business entrepreneurs with the Head of Partnerships at the UN Capital Development Fund. I also participated in an environmental plenary planning session with Mennonite Economic Development Advisors (MEDA), World Wildlife Fund, Reforestamos, and SVX Mexico, to discuss how climate finance can empower SGBs to develop nature-based solutions.
My favorite part of the internship was getting the opportunity to advise the senior executive team on their long-term strategy. Since gender equality and climate change are becoming increasingly relevant in the international development field, my job was to develop a roadmap for how ANDE should enter these sectors. I conducted research on other networks to identify gaps and opportunities, and at the end of the summer, presented my recommendations to the global ANDE team. From working on this project, I realized that I enjoyed the challenge of shaping an organization’s strategic direction. I am excited to continue to do similar work for international development organizations in the future. This internship also reinforced my interest in living abroad and getting field experience. Ultimately, my goal is to tackle global issues from a macro-level while staying connected to the communities I am serving.
