Micro-credit Development - Uganda

This project offers motivated interns the opportunity to gain hands-on micro-credit and business training experience to kick-start a career in international development.

The organisation you will be working for was set up over two years with the aim of encouraging growth in rural communities. Micro business loans are given to single mothers or widows to start income-generating businesses, which helps them rise out of poverty and create positive living conditions for themselves and their families.

The project finds community members who are not working, trains them in basic business management skills and gives them micro-loans to start a business of their choice. The members are put in a group of six who are meant to support each other in finding solutions to the challenges facing their businesses. For the cooperative business projects the members are encouraged to work as a group towards the creation of one product or service, such as a cooperative bakery.

Since its inception the project has assisted over fifteen individual female-led rural households. In addition, over twenty households have benefited from a co-operative piggery project. The organisation is currently working on a 30 member co-operative solar bakery project that will be located on an isolated island in Lake Victoria. This is an ambitious and growing project and your contribution can help make a tangible difference in poor communities.

You will be tasked to work with our local staff to hold meetings with the micro-loan members, visit and assess progress of their businesses, and discuss business challenges and solutions. In addition, you will help identify which skills may be required for the better running of their businesses, assess other women's groups that may benefit from the project, and raise awareness of the projects aims.

Your daily tasks can include:

* Assisting in programmes that provide credit assistance for self-help savings, sound banking policies for the poor, and revolving funds for those in need.
* Coordinating meetings and training sessions for NGOs which assist poor communities to build up savings, credit and form linkages with banks.
* Supporting village self-help groups which they independently develop financial institutions to manage profit-making programs and activities.
* Creating workshops to introduce the concept of micro-credits and micro-finance to new communities.
* Elaborating business plans and facilitate access to micro-credit by working with local communities.
* Providing administrative support.

You will also get to share your time with HIV/AIDS education project. This involves educating the women about the various ways of preventing the spread of HIV, mobilising them for HIV testing, giving out free condoms and encouraging them to pass the information on to their male family members and partners.

You will be met at Entebbe international airport in Kampala by a project representative and taken to the project location to begin your placement, after a full orientation to Kampala.

You will stay at accommodation near to the project, which you will share with other participants during your stay. You will have access to a fully equipped kitchen and clean bathroom. The friendly coordinators and staff will do their best to make sure you are comfortable and safe.

* Min age 18 - Max age 80

* Minimum 2 weeks commitment - 25+ hours a week

* Enthusiasm and interest to work with micro finance

* Conversational English

* Full travel & medical insurance

* Necessary vaccinations 

* Necessary flights & visas 

Fee:

 $150 USD Project Fee per week  +  £249 GBP Placement Fee
 

What's Included:

Project Fee includes all food, accommodation, airport pickup, orientation, 24 hour support and integration into the project.

We charge a flat, one-off Placement Fee of £249 GBP per person per project. This covers our costs for promoting the project and providing our services. We offer full pre-departure support (for all necessary flights, visas and vaccinations) and ongoing assistance throughout your placement.
 

What's not included:

Flights, insurance, visas (if applicable) and vaccinations. Full assistance will be provided in getting all these sorted.