#ENACTUS VOICES - The Invisible Engine - Anna Zanardo

Meet Anna Zanardo, committed Enactus Alumna whose journey from translation graduate to social impact & innovation enthusiast reveals the invisible engine that drives true transformation: purpose, passion, and the courage to act. In this inspiring piece, she reflects on how bold choices, mentorship, and the Enactus spirit helped her turn values into action—and action into impact.

The Invisible Engine: the Force That Action Figures Lack and That Redefines My Journey

By Anna Zanardo

Following the latest trend, I asked ChatGPT: “Create the action figure of a young graduate in translation and interpreting who wants to change course and embrace a career in social impact entrepreneurship, with a touch of sustainability and innovation.” Processing time: one and a half minutes.

Real life, however (and thankfully), is far more complex—and fascinating. Often, the right answer comes by chance: for me, it was noticing the tattoo on my arm with the mantra “BE DO HAVE.” This motto, gifted to me by a mentor during a youth leadership program, reminds me to transform my being and my qualities (BE) into concrete actions (DO) to achieve my goals (HAVE). Among all the soft skills, the one I consider essential today is the “desire to do”: that inner drive, that deep yearning that pushes me to learn, take risks, deliver results, and achieve my goals.

My objective? To transition from a degree in languages to a master’s program that integrates business, social impact, and innovation. To achieve this, I decided to focus on what I could acquire: experience.

Lisbon and the Acquisition of a Methodology

Landing in Lisbon on my Erasmus internship felt like stepping onto a stage set for adventure. Even though it was my second Erasmus, I am not ashamed to say that the first couple of weeks were incredibly emotionally hard. Each day brought fresh challenges: coordinating international teams, weaving countless cultural perspectives into a single event, and learning to trust a structured, functional methodology for planning at scale. I didn’t just learn tools—I discovered how fundamental methodology is in transforming scattered energy into purposeful action. Looking back, I am deeply moved by how much I grew during those months, how much the hard work paid off, and most of all, how this experience left me with an even stronger desire to challenge my future self.

The Enactus Spirit and Beyond

When I returned to Italy, I craved a playground for bold ideas–a place to explore, experiment, learn from failure, and connect with bright minds. Impact entrepreneurship captured me back in high school—first through the LEADItalia youth leadership program and later at university with Enactus. It was through the Enactus Program for Impact Entrepreneurship—guided by SocialFare trainers and the Enactus Italy team—that I discovered how to tackle social and environmental challenges using design thinking, systems mapping, and human‑centred innovation.

Enactus became my laboratory for reinvention. Collaborating with a diverse team, I didn’t just develop an entrepreneurial project—I learned to ignite creativity, rally strengths, and lead with heart. True leadership, I discovered, is about cultivating talent and crafting a space where every mind is given the most stimulating environment possible to shine.

When the chance came to become a tutor, I jumped at it. Helping hand off one team to the next, mentoring a new wave of proactive, determined students as they prepared for the National Competition in Milan (14–15 May 2025), wasn’t just another step—it was proof that, together, we can turn daring dreams into concrete impact.

Growth and Innovation on Home Ground

Enactus also catalysed my professional trajectory, supporting me in finding an internship, connecting me with ReGeneration Hub Friuli—a centre of excellence where entrepreneurship and innovation converge and where the motto “think globally, act locally” acquires real meaning. In this setting, organising sustainability panels, curating start‑up competitions, and designing targeted workshops have afforded me profound insight into the mechanics of authentic local collaboration. Every stakeholder—from municipal authorities to community activists—has been regarded as an indispensable co‑creator. This summer, our collective efforts will culminate in the NanoValbruna International Forum (17–23 July 2025), uniting innovators to forge real-world partnerships and reinforce our shared commitment to a sustainable future.

New Adventures on a Global Scale

Most recently, I joined Echoes Cooperation, a nascent global network born from the same hunger to reshape our world through cooperation and creative problem‑solving. With teams operating in Europe, Africa, Asia, and America—and a recent participation in Brussels at the European Climate Pact 2025: Together in Action—Echoes offers me the opportunity to learn, contribute, and grow in a global setting. Together, we are organising events, workshops, panels, and many more activities to promote a peaceful, sustainable, and connected future.

Every twist and turn of this journey has shown me that steering off the beaten path can feel both electrifying and gut‑wrenching—and yet it’s precisely what fuels true transformation. Curiosity becomes our compass, the courage to listen and learn lights the way, and a dash of madness allows us to take that leap we are afraid of. This invisible engine—fuelled by purpose, passion, and a refusal to accept the “impossible”—drives me toward reinvention. Armed with these ingredients, I am ready to chart new territory, build bridges where none existed, and craft a career that doesn’t just follow my values—it sets them in motion, something an action figure would never be able to do.