Internship in Sustainable Rural Community Development

Dependence on foreign donations/aid is risky and not “smart development.” URF’s major focus is designing projects that 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
• Knowledge 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