MEDA Internships
Overview
MEDA has provided internships through CIDA’s International Youth Internship Program since its inception in 1997. Over this time, MEDA has sent 61 interns to over a dozen different countries to participate in the work of MEDA and our partners. This has been a very successful program, for both the intern and for the work of MEDA. In fact, MEDA extended 27 internship assignments beyond their original assignment in order to continue their work, and of those, 10 interns went on to have full-time employment contracts with MEDA.
Internships for 2010-2011
Update on Timing
As of 10 May 2010, we are still waiting to hear confirmation from CIDA on internship funding. We will not be accepting applications until after we are confirmed and ready to start recruitment. Please keep checking back, we will post application procedures as soon as we are ready to go. We expect to hear more from CIDA by the end of May. Thanks for your patience and keep checking back! |
- Ukraine Horticulture Development
Position – Value Chain Development Intern
- Administration of National Sanctuary The Manglares de Tumbes
Position – Value Chain Development Intern
- Strengthening Rural Value Chains in Ethiopia
Position – Technology & Market Development Intern
Position – Rural Microfinance Intern
- Tanzania National Voucher Scheme, Under Five Catch up Campaign
Position – IT Development Intern
Position – Impact Assessment Intern
- YouthInvest Egypt and Morocco
Position – Communication Development Intern
- MiCredito - Nicaragua
Position – Rural Microfinance Intern
- Financial Services for Rural and Agriculture Micro and
Small Enterprises - Mozambique
Position – Rural Microfinance Intern
What have past interns said?
“As a MEDA intern I had the opportunity to undertake a number of
interesting and challenging projects in the area of agricultural
financing and rural development. The experience that I drew from these
projects rejuvenated my faith in the field of international development
and provided me with concrete and marketable business skills. I would
STRONGLY recommend a MEDA internship to anyone interested in the area
of economic development.”
Tom Affleck, Impact Assessment Intern, Peru,
2003
“My MEDA internship was a stepping stone to continuing employment in
the host country. I went to Bolivia with MEDA with no permanent work
experience, no development work experience, not one word of Spanish and
only a few short-term cross cultural experiences (exchanges,
internships). Now I am in my third year working for Small Enterprise
Assistance Funds based in Bolivia and Peru. In many ways the decision
to participate in the MEDA internship program (a decision which I
flipflopped on a few times) was the opening of the floodgate of change
for me."
Rob Sturgeon, Rural Marketing Intern, Bolivia, 2000
“I just want to re-emit my opinion of the internship program at MEDA. I
was very impressed by both your professionalism and help during the
internship. It also provided me with a great opportunity to develop my
professional knowledge and experience after university. I really
enjoyed working in Romania and all in all, one of the most important
experiences to date. I really felt I made a difference in the work I
accomplished for CAPA and I felt they appreciated my contributions as
well.”
Serge Levert Chaisson, Impact Evaluator, Romania,
Structure of Internships
The internship assignments not only contribute to MEDA’s impact, but also help the interns make the step from studies to real-life work experience. The internships include orientation, training, debriefing, and a 4 to 6 month work assignment. The assignments are all very different and respond to needs or requests that have come from our field programs or departments within MEDA. In the past, interns have developed proposals for integrating HIV/AIDS into MEDA’s work, helped to improved business practices, conducted market research, and designed tools to improve gender and development practices.
The intern becomes a member of the project team and as such develops relationships with project team members, other NGO’s in the community, clients and local business people. Our hope is that the manner in which MEDA works will provide the intern with insight on how to establish relationships, work collaboratively and experience the benefits of working with transparency. Depending of the activities required of the intern during their placement, the intern learns new non-academic skills, such as report writing, interviewing clients/beneficiaries, documentation, analysis, and establishing relationships. Living and working in the overseas country allows the intern to experience and learn about the culture and to learn new language skills, allowing the intern to integrate in the community and to better communicate with members of the community. Interns also hone their life skills of adaptability, resourcefulness and independence.
WHAT HAVE MEDA PROJECT MANAGERS SAID?
“Sandra spent a great deal of her time on HIV/AIDs research. She organized, almost single-handedly, a major national seminar on the area of Microfinance and HIV. She arranged most of the logistics of the seminar, arranged for international speakers and panelists to attend and contribute, delivered a major speech on her research findings to date, and produced a CD disc on her research findings to date. (The seminar was a major success due largely to Sandra’s work and effort).” Tanzania Project Manager, November 2004
“Kara organized herself to conduct a study, analyze results and present conclusions to the staff in Egypt. Although our Canadian staff visited several times, Kara was basically on her own to complete this study and keep it moving along independently. She did a fantastic job!” Egypt Project Manager, March 2006
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More questions? Please check our frequently asked questions or contact us
