My Play It Forward Internship: The Moments That Shaped Me

This is a guest blog written by volunteer Blessing Njamba from Our Moon Education

Before I joined Play It Forward for my internship, I was already someone who genuinely loved sports. Out of all of them, basketball held a special place in my heart. I had played it at secondary school and realized that with more practice, I could actually become really good at it. I saw it not just as a game, but as something I could truly master.

So, when I got the opportunity to intern at Play It Forward, a more soccer-based NGO, I was both excited and anxious. At first, soccer was not something I knew well at all. I remember walking into my first match unsure of what was happening. In contrast to basketball, where I felt confident and familiar, soccer felt like a completely new language. However, to my surprise, I was intrigued. I did not want to run away from the unknown; instead, I wanted to understand it. Game after game, I kept showing up. Gradually, I began to pick up the basics — learning how different jersey numbers relate to player positions, recognizing common fouls, and observing warm-up drills during pre-match preparations. Before I knew it, I was building a genuine interest in soccer. What had started as anxiety turned into curiosity, and that curiosity sparked passion.

My Play It Forward internship experience has pushed me far beyond my comfort zone. To begin with, one of the first challenges I faced was standing in front of crowds much older than me to share information or make announcements. I was terrified at first, but over time I grew more confident in my voice. In addition, another unexpected gift from this internship was the exposure to IT skills. I found myself diving into web development, and to my surprise, I loved it. It is now something I am seriously considering studying further at university. Ultimately, this kind of clarity and inspiration was not something I expected, but it is something I will always be grateful for.

One of the most meaningful parts of my Play It Forward internship experience has been working closely with a skilled teacher to offer extra lessons to some of the beneficiaries. Through this experience, helping others in their academic journey made me realize the importance of patience, empathy, and consistency. It was not just about teaching content; rather, it was about building confidence, inspiring belief, and showing up for someone else’s growth. Additionally, I also had the chance to work with the communications office, and that brought out a creative side of me I did not know I had. As a result, I fell in love with capturing moments—joyful smiles, small victories, genuine connections. I once read that “taking pictures is a way of making moments you do not want to forget last forever,” and truly, that is exactly what I felt every time I clicked the camera.

Behind the scenes, I gained valuable administrative experience; writing reports, mailing letters, and learning how an organization communicates professionally. These may sound like small tasks, but they have given me practical skills I will carry into any future role I take on.