Long before Olivia Sayani arrived at the Aga Khan University (AKU) in Nairobi, she felt connected to its mission.
Growing up in Vancouver, Canada, within the Ismaili community, service was woven into everyday life. Through volunteering in her community and with Scouts Canada, she developed an early appreciation for sustainability and giving back.
"I grew up within the Ismaili community and around the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)," she says. "Seeing the impact of its work from a young age made me appreciate how institutions like AKU create opportunities for communities."
Her connection to East Africa deepened during two years at the United World College (UWC) East Africa in Arusha, Tanzania. While completing the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme, Olivia witnessed a quiet but profound challenge: local students, particularly young women, were often excluded from global conversations.
Wanting to create opportunities for others, she co-founded her school's first Model United Nations conference, giving local students a platform to share their perspectives on global issues.
"They were so grateful," she recalls. "It was one of the first opportunities they had to speak about their perspective on the world openly."
The experience strengthened her commitment to creating spaces where every voice can be heard. Years later, as a University of Florida student and Davis Scholar majoring in criminology and political science, she looked for an opportunity that would allow her to put those values into practice.
That search led her to the AKU's International Internship Programme (IIP), where she spent three months, from May to August 2025, as a research intern at the Graduate School of Media and Communications (GSMC) in Nairobi.
For Olivia, AKU stood apart because it offered more than a traditional internship.
"They offer the best of both worlds. You're part of an academic institution, but you're also immersed in a professional environment. It's the space between being a student and starting your career, and it gives you the confidence to take that next step."
Under the mentorship of Dr Hesbon Hansen Owilla, Research Lead at GSMC, Olivia dove into a critical project: how media frames sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in East Africa. The work was deeply personal, funded by Global Affairs Canada and echoing her own Canadian roots.
Her work was designed to shape policy and teach media houses how to report with responsibility and empathy.
"If the media keeps repeating stereotypes, it teaches people what to accept and what not to accept, highlighting the powerful role journalism plays in shaping public attitudes."
Some of Olivia's most valuable lessons happened beyond the workplace. Living in Nairobi taught her the value of slowing down and building relationships.
"It's easy to think your Western ways will just work everywhere," she says. "There's so much to learn in the moments you take to bond over an hour-long lunch. It adds immense value to your impact." Alongside exploring Kenya and connecting with interns from around the world, the experience broadened both her perspective and her confidence.
Whether she was analysing complex data or welcoming Global Encounters participants, Olivia found a community that valued her voice. "This internship gives you the freedom to take charge. I was the one fully writing what this report was going to look like."
Today, she applies the research, collaboration, and cross-cultural skills she developed at AKU in her role as a Program & Partnerships Fellow with Youth Challenge International in Ghana, supporting community-driven development initiatives.
