Public Policy Students Reflect on Their Internships: Balint Nemeth at the UN Habitat

Balint Nemeth, Hungary
MPA candidate, Class of 2016
Intern, Urban and Municipal Finance Unit, UN-Habitat

Nemeth is spending his summer interning at the Urban and Municipal Finance Unit at the Urban Economy Branch at UN-Habitat's headquarters in Nairobi. Part of the UN family of organizations, UN-Habitat works to “promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all.”

Nemeth says that he is spending half of his time helping with a youth-focused job accessibility study. “I am using a mapping tool to identify the residential areas of low-income people and looking at the extent to which spatial barriers affect their labor market outcomes compared to other factors.” As part of these responsibilities, Nemeth is writing a methodological literature review and preparing a travel survey that will be disseminated in September. He is also helping out “with anything that comes up” – tasks that range from writing and editing a handbook on municipal finance to preparing presentations and background reports for his unit leader on urbanization and finance-related topics.

Although he was familiar with development issues before this internship, Nemeth says he has learned a lot this summer about “how development projects are financed – or could be financed.” He has also made some valuable professional contacts with people from all parts of the world.

Nemeth has also made time to explore Nairobi, and other parts of Kenya. “I am simply amazed by the nature here. I try to escape from Nairobi on the weekends to go hiking. I have also been to the coast, and to a couple of national parks but there is still so much to see and do.”