Hello everyone, my name is Melanie and I work as a Senior Consultant at Roland Berger’s Vienna office. Since joining Roland Berger in May 2021, I have been involved in a variety of projects, with a strong focus on the consumer goods sector.

Beyond my project work, I have felt a strong commitment to driving positive change in society – that is why the idea of a social fellowship immediately resonated with me. For my fellowship, it was particularly important to me to provide hands-on support to young women in need and to have a tangible impact on their lives. My main goal was to help break the cycle of disadvantage for girls and young women in my home country, Austria.

At the beginning of 2025, I had the incredible opportunity to work at *Peppa, a girls’ center in Vienna run by Caritas Austria.

Caritas girls’ center: *Peppa

*Peppa is a day center dedicated to empowering disadvantaged girls and young women, aged 10 to 22. Many of them come from challenging family backgrounds or have experienced migration and displacement, with roots primarily in Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey.

The center’s mission is to support these girls in navigating their daily lives, fostering social participation and promoting self-determination. It provides a safe and inclusive space where they can express themselves freely and feel heard. *Peppa offers a broad range of services, including tutoring, educational programs, counseling, psychological support and recreational activities.

My role and experience

During my social fellowship, I took on a variety of responsibilities as a supervisor at *Peppa. I was actively involved in tutoring, assisting the girls with various subjects (ranging from deciphering Goethe’s Faust and tackling assignments in Mathematics and English to diving into the world of the cytoskeleton). Additionally, I designed workshops and provided training on digital tools to enhance their educational and professional opportunities. For those approaching graduation, I offered career guidance, supported them in preparing their application documents and conducted mock job interviews to boost their confidence.

Beyond the aforementioned tasks, I also took on administrative duties typical in an NGO setting, such as drafting applications for funding. Additionally, I conducted analyses of the center’s service offerings, identifying which services were used most frequently to help refine and optimize the offerings.

One of the aspects I valued most at *Peppa was the supportive and open environment. I particularly appreciated our daily evening debriefs, where the team discussed critical issues and ensured that every girl’s needs were addressed collectively. It also meant a lot to me that my well-being was taken into account – my colleagues regularly checked in on how I was processing the girls’ stories.

What deeply touched me throughout this experience was the warmth, appreciation and immense gratitude expressed by the girls. One of my favorite moments was taking them ice-skating. For some, it was their first time stepping onto the ice. Watching their excitement and joy was a moment I will never forget.

Reflections

My time at *Peppa deepened my understanding that opportunities are not distributed equally, even in developed European countries. Many girls and young women face significant barriers early in life – whether due to gender biases, socioeconomic background or migration history – which profoundly impact their career opportunities and, ultimately, financial independence.

For me, true equality means acknowledging these disparities and actively working to counter them, because talent and potential should never be limited by circumstance.

I am incredibly grateful for the trust placed in me and the remarkable opportunity I had to give something back to society. This experience reaffirmed that even small actions can have a profound impact on someone else’s life. So if you ever have the chance, be the spark that lights someone else’s path!