How I spent my summer: Awakening new perspectives in lush St. Lucia

This article is part of How I Spent My Summer, a series of articles showcasing what students got up to over the past few months — from work-intergrated learning to mini-courses and more. Find more stories in the series at the bottom of this article.

Third-year International Food Business student Kim Fiona Lemke, a self-professed foodie, spent three months in St. Lucia for an internship this past summer, where she got to explore the local cuisine and put knowledge and theory from her coursework into action.

Quick to make friends with the locals, Kim also explored the island's natural beauty — from hiking the Pitons, to visiting waterfalls and the rainforest.

“My internship in St. Lucia has been a transformative journey that has not only contributed to my academic growth but even more significantly to my personal and professional development,” says Kim.

The International Food Business program is a unique opportunity for students who are interested in understanding the global food industry from the farm gate to the consumer's plate. This one-of-a-kind program awards two degrees within the standard four years of study: a Bachelor of Business Administration from Aeres University in the Netherlands and a Bachelor of Agriculture in International Food Business from Dalhousie.

Empowerment and entrepreneurship

During her internship Kim had the opportunity to work with three organizations.  She developed a comprehensive business plan for an aquaponic farm that will employ and train persons with disabilities. Additionally, she worked closely with an ag-tech entrepreneur, where she assisted in proposal writing and was able to participate in different meetings and conferences.

However, most of her internship was spent with Helen's Daughters, a non-profit organization dedicated to empowering women in agriculture. After her return to Germany and The Netherlands, Kim has continued to work with Helen's Daughters remotely, providing support for administrative and operational functions.

“One notable aspect of my internship was the element of entrepreneurship,” Kim explains. “On the one hand, witnessing the members of Helen’s Daughters producing a variety of value-added products from spice mixtures, sea moss products, coconut oil, and natural soaps was quite inspiring. On the other hand, especially the entrepreneurs I worked with, left a lasting impression with their dedication and passion to realizing their visions. It really awoke my own entrepreneurial spirit.”

This internship broadened Kim’s global perspective and shed light not only on the evident challenges faced by less developed countries within agriculture and the food value chain but also on the underlying root causes and complexities that hinder progress.

“St. Lucia is a breathtakingly beautiful island nation with lush landscapes, and a vibrant culture and I am extremely grateful to have completed an internship there,” she added. "Engaging in new activities and environments, allowed me to discover more about my strengths and weaknesses, as well as helping to clarify the type of activities and values I prioritize for my future career.“

This internship was made possible by the generous support of the RBC through their Agricultural Internship program. 

Also in this series:

• Turning a class project into a fulfilling job opportunity
  
  
• A big leap forward
  
  
• A most dramatic experience
  
  
• Travel and training in Europe
  
  
• Adventures in wildlife ecology in South Africa
  
  
• Learning from ‘some of the best’ during summer software gig