SMU student finds common ground with Ugandans

SMU third-year undergraduate Mr Tan Rui Feng went to Uganda for an internship at Bidco Uganda, a joint venture between agribusiness group Wilmar International and African consumer goods firm Bidco. Uganda first caught Mr Tan's eye when he was browsing SMU's career portal for overseas internship options. In his 10-week attachment, which lasted from May to July last year, Mr Tan visited Bidco's factory to understand the company's products, which were mainly cooking oil, soap and detergent. He also spoke to local shopkeepers who carried the products to understand the sentiments of consumers who purchased them. Finally, he visited a palm tree plantation - which produced palm oil for the company's products – as part of his job.