Voices from Abroad: Federico Tonelli

Kampala (Uganda), Italian Chambers of Commerce: Business Club Italia

Italian pavilion at Kampala International Trade Fair

After my Bachelor degree I was looking for an interesting experience abroad and I was given the opportunity of an internship with the Business Club Italia in Kampala, the capital of Uganda. Needless to say, I went for it.

I was very excited as this would be my first visit to Africa and I knew I would experience something quite different, and I must say it has not been disappointing.

As soon as I arrived I started to work for the association which comprises the Italian entrepreneurs in the country. With the support of the Italian Embassy, they were gathering more personnel for a project to launch an Italian Chamber of Commerce in the region.

This has been an amazing experience as I get to witness the creation of such an organization from scratch, meeting and dealing both with accomplished entrepreneurs from various sectors and Italian diplomats.

In the meantime I am living in the so-called "Pearl of Africa," whose beauty has truly surpassed my imagination. I am a few hours' drive from the source of the river Nile, an astonishing place that offers many adventures and where I spend most of my weekends. During the Christmas holiday I left for a 10-day trip around the entire country with two colleagues of mine, which included two safaris in the two biggest National Parks, camping in the middle of the Savannah and encountering real African tribes and culture in remote villages.

Murchison Falls

I have to say that even though Uganda offers an enriching diversity anybody would learn from, it is a difficult place to live. The widespread poverty, the lack of a properly set up institutional environment and of course, the prevailing corruption, are afflicting a country that is safe, developing and generally with lots of potential. Its soil is one of the most fertile in the world, its climate is mild and it has an abundance of natural resources.

Thanks to all the interesting people I deal with, the promising project I am involved in and the African lifestyle that I have come to love, I signed a contract and I will not be leaving Africa for a while.

This is a land full of opportunities and my suggestion to anybody looking for them is to consider an experience in Sub-Saharan Africa, since it will definitely be a worthwhile one. Come with a sense of adventure, though, because you will need it.