PHASE ONE: INTO THE UNKNOWN
“The key to growth is acknowledging your fear of the unknown and jumping in anyway.”
Hi, I’m Abi Bell, a first-year Business Management and Entrepreneurship student at the University of Westminster, and at the end of my first academic year, I joined an app development bootcamp in Sri Lanka alongside four other students, organised by Deborah Rose and Gayani Fernando. In this blog, I’ll be sharing the journey I went on during this bootcamp and how it changed my academic trajectory alongside my professional goals.
As someone who has always been passionate about problem-solving and creating meaningful change, I chose to study Business Management and Entrepreneurship at Westminster because of its emphasis on global learning and real-world application. I was drawn to the opportunity to engage with diverse cultures and explore how innovation can address social and economic challenges across borders.
So, when the chance came to travel to Sri Lanka and co-build an app with strangers in a completely unfamiliar country, culture, and environment, I knew it would stretch me beyond the classroom, offering growth, adventure, and deep insight into the realities of global business and innovation.
What I didn’t realise at the time was just how much this hackathon would shift not only my academic trajectory, but also catalyse my drive to work even harder, exposing me to sustainable ways of creating and building a business plan. From mapping out a honey supply chain between Sri Lanka and the UK to pitching a tech solution that empowers farmers, I saw how real impact can be designed thoughtfully. There’s something about stepping into the unknown that unlocks growth in character, competence and worldview.
And so it began: five student delegates from different degrees, ranging from Business Management to Project Management to Entrepreneurship, stepping into the unfamiliar together. Ahead of us were two long-haul flights, a packed itinerary, and the chance to explore the vast world of business; this would develop our competence in ways we couldn’t yet imagine.
PHASE TWO: GETTING SETTLED
After two long flights and a missed night’s sleep, we landed in Sri Lanka and had only a few hours to recoup before fully diving into the bootcamp. Although the exhaustion was real, the drive from the airport to the hotel made up for it as we watched the sun set through the tropical landscape, already taking in the beauty of a new environment.
The next morning, we made our way to IIT University, the institution partnering with the University of Westminster for this hackathon, where we met the teams we’d be working with. There were thirty Sri Lankan students, and only five of us, which was intimidating! But hey, this whole experience was about throwing yourself into the unknown, right?
Once teams were finalised, each of us was asked to lead a mini team in creating a business solution and a corresponding app. The brief? To connect small enterprises in the Global South with larger export opportunities, using gamification to support honey producers exporting to the UK. It broadened my perspective on the complexities of global trade, from navigating fragmented supply chains to understanding cultural and economic nuances and showed me how innovation can be a powerful tool in creating equitable, cross-border partnerships.
After some planning and a few icebreakers, we got started. Our team’s app, later named Trustabee, focused on traceability from hive to home. The vision was to ensure that whoever received the honey, whether a distributor or supermarket, could trust that it was ethically sourced, pure, and unadulterated.
Our team’s creative process had a clear life cycle: a beginning, middle and end. At first, it felt uncertain and a little clunky. Soon, however, we each found our roles, settled into our tasks, and by the end of the week, we had shaped our work into a full app pitch, which would be delivered to a room full of industry professionals, staff, and student peers.
Outside of the app development, we also had the chance to connect with business professionals through networking sessions. These conversations became some of the most impactful parts of the trip. Speaking with experienced people in the field reminded me that the more you learn, the more you realise how little you know. Every meeting, conversation, and lecture became a chance to listen, absorb, and grow.
Since coming back, I’ve finished my first year and am currently on summer break, but this experience has already reshaped how I plan to approach learning when I return in September. As I enter my second year, I’m committed to being more intentional in seminars, asking better questions, and actively linking what I learn to real-world issues.
In modules like Venture Creation and Project Management, I’m looking forward to drawing on the Sri Lanka experience when contributing to discussions, especially around cross-cultural communication, ethical enterprise, and sustainable innovation.
More than anything, this trip has left me with a renewed understanding that we never truly graduate from being students of learning, and that mindset is something I want to carry with me into the year ahead and beyond.
PHASE THREE: THE OTHER SIDE
On our final day, after the intensity of the bootcamp, we spent a few hours by the pool, rode tuk tuks to the local markets, soaked up the sun, and reflected on the week together.
As a group, we all agreed on one thing: this trip had changed us. We came in unsure of what to expect but left feeling more motivated, focused, and committed to our studies. The experience reminded us that stepping out of your comfort zone stretches you in ways you don’t realise until after it’s over.
To the ambitious student reading this, I encourage you to step out more in your studies. Ask questions to your lecturers and seminar leads. Don’t be afraid to make yourself known, as you never know what doors can open or what people you might meet simply by being bold enough to step out.
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