Internships

Internship Positions, 2023–2024

Most of these internships are ideal for interns and volunteers who can travel and work in Uganda for a minimum of one month up to several months any time of the year. However, some of the positions can be undertaken remotely online. Likewise, some of the work can be completed at our Richmond, Virginia office.

All positions are NON-PAID internships. The positions can also be undertaken as a Volunteer.

To apply, please first email us at jmlugemwa@ugandaruralfund.org in reference to a particular position. Attach your resume and cover letter/email.

Position 1: Sustainable Rural Community Development Intern

Dependence on foreign donations/aid is risky and not “smart development.” URF’s major focus is on designing projects that can generate income using local resources and tapping into local markets. An intern would assist URF in researching various models of sustainable development and identifying resources for implementing income-generating projects.

Responsibilities will involve:

  • Researching sustainable development models to draft a strategic plan or business plans for URF’s income-generating projects feasible in a rural economy
  • Identify resources—partnerships, grants, in-kind donations etc to support the implementation of income projects
  • Monitoring and evaluation of URF’s current income-generating projects for improvement and expansion e.g. poultry, cattle, crafts, soap-making
  • Identifying local and international market bases for URF products
  • Providing business mentorship to URF staff and students so they can run the projects efficiently
  • Assist in the planning and budgeting process of new potential income ventures

Requirements

  • An understanding of community development in a developing world context
  • Business or entrepreneurial skills
  • Understanding of investments and risk-assessment
  • Research skills
  • Ability to draft business or strategic plans – good written skills necessary
  • Passion for community development
  • Openness to learning and willingness to listen to local people with lived experience

Position 2: Vocational Training Resource Development Intern

Among the biggest challenge facing rural communities are illiteracy and lack of technical skills that allow people, especially youth, to create job opportunities within their communities. Additionally, Uganda’s economy does not have the job market capacity to absorb all college or high school graduates in blue-collar jobs. As a result, a lot of young professionals can’t employment and yet still lack the practical skills to create their own employment. An intern would assist URF in researching vocational training programs in Uganda and other countries to put together a strategic plan for implementing our vision for a vocational program integrated with high school education at Hope Integrated Academy. Our architectural layout here includes classroom and workshop space for vocational training http://hopeacademyuganda.org/?page_id=128

Responsibilities will involve:

  • Researching vocational training programs in Uganda and other countries to put together a strategic plan for implementing our vision for a vocational program integrated with high school education at Hope Integrated Academy. Identify resources – partnerships, grants, in-kind donations etc to support the implementation of income projects
  • Monitoring and evaluation of URF’s current vocational skills programs such as tailoring, creative arts and crafts center, and agriculture.
  • Identifying sources of in-kind donations of tools needed for various training programs such as mechanics, carpentry, electrical installation, etc
  • Researching sources of funding for vocational training programs
  • Researching and recruiting volunteer vocational instructors
  • Researching and establishing partnerships with local and overseas vocational schools

Requirements

  • An understanding of education and its impact on community development, as well as a general knowledge of Uganda and our education system
  • Business or entrepreneurial skills
  • Research skills
  • Ability to draft business or strategic plans – good written skills necessary
  • Passion for community development
  • Openness to learning and willingness to listen to local people with lived experience

Position 3: Village Banking and Entrepreneurship Development Intern

As the saying goes, “Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime;” based on this wisdom, at URF, we believe in empowering people to take charge of their destiny. The village banking program provides an opportunity for members to get access to small loans at a very low interest rate which they use to start or improve their small businesses. Our entrepreneurship and business skills training provides them with basic entrepreneurship skills and business literacy that help them to use their borrowed funds efficiently. The group now has more than 300 members –women and men. As an intern, you can help with reviewing of the program and providing one-on-one business mentorship to members i.e. visit members at their businesses or homes to see what they are doing, answer questions, and advise them accordingly.

Responsibilities will involve:

  • Researching various micro-finance models to compare with the URF model seeking areas of improvement
  • Identify resources – partnerships, grants, in-kind donations, etc to support the implementation of income projects for members
  • Conducting entrepreneurship and business skills training in villages and schools
  • Monitoring and evaluation of members’ small businesses for improvement and expansion
  • Identifying local and international market bases for members’ produce
  • Providing business mentorship to URF members so they can run their businesses efficiently
  • Assist with planning and budgeting process of new potential income ventures for village bank members

Requirements

  • An understanding of self-help models of development in a developing world context as well as general knowledge of micro-finance schemes
  • Business or entrepreneurial skills or degree or practical experience
  • Understanding of investments and risk-assessment
  • Research skills
  • Ability to draft business or strategic plans – good written skills necessary
  • Passion for community development
  • Ability to work under minimum supervision
  • Openness to learning and willingness to listen to local people with lived experience

Position 4: Leadership for Sustainable Development Intern

Uganda and most developing countries are stuck in poverty mainly because of poor leadership. At URF, we strongly believe that without strong, ethical, accountable as well as visionary leadership, our communities cannot see any form of sustainable development. The people have to be empowered to become the champions of change within their communities. As a result, URF has established a Leadership Institute to advance this vision. Workshops on leadership are rotated in each village and local schools. The program targets village leaders, students, and the general population. We would also like to reach out to school administrators, NGO staff, and business leaders. An intern would assist us in the resource development of the Leadership Institute, set up a formal structure, refine a comprehensive curriculum, and engage in actual leadership training at various levels. Here is what we are doing so far http://www.ugandaruralfund.org/2011/11/14/leadership-foundation-at-the-grassroots/

Responsibilities will involve:

  • Resource development of the Leadership Institute
  • Researching and collaborating with other individuals with leadership expertise to develop a comprehensive leadership curriculum appropriate for various target groups: primary, secondary, college students, local village leaders, young professionals, NGO staff and school administrators.
  • Identifying sources of in-kind donations of leadership books, leadership profiles, video/audio resources on leadership, etc
  • Researching sources of funding for leadership development
  • Researching and recruiting volunteer instructors for leadership workshops
  • Researching and establishing partnerships with local and international institutions with leadership components – e.g. the Jepson School of Leadership at the University of Richmond, Virginia, the Africa Leadership Academy in South Africa, etc.
  • Organizing and conducting leadership training in collaboration with local staff
  • Introducing the leadership institute programs to local schools and setting up training program calendars with them.

Requirements

  • An understanding of leadership and its impact on community development, as well as a general knowledge of African leadership dynamics
  • Personal experience with leadership during school years, corporate or community organizing/NGO leadership
  • Research, written and oral communication skills necessary
  • Ability to draft strategic plans – good written skills necessary
  • Some understanding of education and teaching pedagogies
  • Passion for leadership and community development
  • Openness to learning and willingness to listen to local people with lived experience

Position 5: Youth Activism and Community Engagement Intern

The youth are an immense resource for any community. However, to be resourceful, they must be empowered and energized to get engaged in community development. To foster personal development and community engagement, URF has called upon youths from the surrounding community to mobilize themselves into a youth association as a forum for creating a voice and a platform to take concrete action. It is focused on: fostering youth activism and community engagement; empowering youth with practical life skills; empowering young people to unite toward a common good; fostering networking and collaboration among young people; and fostering personal development and enhancement of self-image of the youths, among others. An intern would assist in providing direction and guidance to the youth in collaboration with the youth leaders and URF staff to foster capacity development for young people.

Responsibilities will involve:

  • Collaborate with youth leaders and URF staff in designing and implementation of youth-led community outreach
  • Facilitate capacity and leadership development workshops for the youth
  • Be a consultant to the youth leaders on matters of youth activism, community engagement, and resource mobilization
  • Organizing and facilitating youth camps
  • Organizing and supervising youth community service projects
  • Evaluate/assess together with URF staff potential service projects
  • Assist youth leaders in drawing up an annual work plan, budget, and strategic plan
  • Assist them with strategies for membership recruitment and retention
  • Provide one-on-one counseling or career guidance to the youth
  • Assist with identifying, assessing, budgeting and implementing youth self-help projects
  • Develop a project proposal for funding youth empowerment activities at URF

Requirements

  • A genuine passion for working with the youth and community development
  • Past experience of youth ministry or participation in youth programs
  • An understanding of the dynamics of youth activism and “youth culture” in an African context
  • Be upbeat, outgoing, sociable, drug-free, and with a positive self-image
  • Personal experience with leadership during school years
  • Good oral communication skills necessary
  • Ability to draft strategic plans – good written skills necessary
  • No criminal record
  • Openness to learning and willingness to listen to local people with lived-experience

Position 6: Education Resources/Fund Development Intern

Education is the best-proven way to break the cycle of poverty. In any program we do at URF, an education component must be integrated into it. Our focus is on education for underprivileged children –formal and informal. The best aid can offer to Uganda or any developing community is education. Education empowers people with knowledge and tools to take charge of their own destiny. Our main education outreach is through Hope Academy, a secondary school with some vocational components. An intern can assist us in resource/fund development for advancing our education programs through grants, fundraising, and partnerships. See Hope Academy www.hopeschoolsuganda.org

Responsibilities will involve:

  • Research various models of educational development in resource-deprived areas to identify elements that could be adopted in URF educational outreach
  • Research, advice, and assist in the proper integration of technology and practical skills into Hope Academy education system/curriculum
  • Research grants and write or prepare data needed for grants for educational programs
  • Identify and draw up fundraising plans for education funding
  • Identify grants for capital projects especially the construction of new school buildings –classrooms, dormitories, library, computer center, etc.
  • Research and identify potential partner schools, churches, rotary clubs, corporations, school-building NGOs, etc. internationally who may support education programs and especially school construction projects

Requirements

  • An understanding of Education and its relation to development in an African context
  • Grants or project proposal writing experience
  • Fundraising experience
  • Ability to draft strategic plans – good written skills necessary
  • Good networking skills
  • Good research skills
  • Openness to learning and willingness to listen to local people with lived experience

PS. On this one, we are looking for someone who can write grants or fundraise, but most importantly who can prepare basic material/data needed for a grant proposal. When the intern is on the ground can collect data and write preliminary drafts that an experienced grant writer can use.

Position 7: URF Campus Chapters: Campus Leader Intern

Uganda Rural Fund is looking for a well-qualified, energetic, and enthusiastic person to serve as a non-paid intern as Campus Outreach Coordinator.

We are looking for an intern who will work with the URF’s executive team at Richmond that can help us:

  •  Oversee the formation of URF Campus Chapters across the United States
  •  Implement new programs working with Chapter leaders
  • Oversee Chapter awareness and fundraising activities
  • Complete other tasks as assigned. The intern will participate fully in the daily operations of the organization and will gain invaluable experience in the non-profit sector.

Experience and Skills:

The Ideal Candidate must possess:

  • Excellent organization and communication (written and oral)  skills
  • Interest in philanthropy, education, the non-profit sector, and international development
  • Ability to manage time, follow directions, and complete tasks in an effective manner.
  • Ability to manage a number of ongoing projects at the same time (multi-tasking)
  • A creative mind and ability to ‘think outside the box
  • Working knowledge of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Publisher
  • Ability to work independently and as part of a team environment

Eligibility: Undergraduate or graduate students in good academic standing.
Location: URF Virginia Offices—Richmond, Virginia or Anywhere around the world
Duration: Any time of the year
Time: Flexible
Stipend: None/Unpaid
Application: Please send a cover letter, resume, and two references to:

John Mary Lugemwa, OSB, President
Uganda Rural Fund
12829 River Road
Richmond, VA 23238
Tel: 763-291-1102
Email: jmlugemwa@ugandaruralfund.org
Emails are preferred for faster processing