Summer Interns Wanted: Child Health in Sierra Leone with the Welbodi Partnership

We are looking for Summer Interns to come to Freetown, Sierra Leone for 3 months in the summer of 2014.

This is a great opportunity for those of you interested in health and development in Africa.

The application deadline is 15th March 2014.

Please see below for how to apply.  And pass this link on to interested friends and colleagues!  Thank you!

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Summer Intern

 “Improving child health outcomes in Sierra Leone”

Application Deadline:                   March 15, 2014

Background

Welbodi Partnership is a UK-based non-governmental organization based at Ola During Children’s Hospital (ODCH) in Freetown, working to improve maternal and child health services provided by government facilities, including ODCH, the Princess Christian Maternity Hospital (PCMH), and affiliated Peripheral Health Units (PHUs). We work in partnership with the government and with the communities served by the facilities.

We are currently hiring a summer intern to join our diverse and dynamic Freetown-based team.

Intern Objectives and Key Activities

We are a small organization with 8-12 team members in Freetown, including both nationally-hired staff and international staff and volunteers. We are looking for an intern with a range of skills and experiences to complement those of our other team members, and someone who is flexible and willing to adapt to the organisation’s changing needs and priorities and to help out as needed.

Likely activities for our 2014 summer intern include, but are not limited to:

-          Scoping research and programme design for a planned future project to support and strengthen the primary health and referral system in the Freetown area. Review of evidence-based approaches from around the world; meetings with other organisations working in this area in Sierra Leone; development of programme activities and associated budgets and staffing requirements. -          Similar scoping work for other future projects. 

-          Implementing initial programme activities, including baseline data collection and recruitment and training of community outreach staff, for a new project on maternal health, tentatively scheduled to begin in June 2014.

-          Contributing to proposal-writing and public communications about our work.

-          Participation in M&E, including reviewing M&E data on existing programs, helping to develop M&E systems for future programming, and supporting an external evaluation team that will conduct a final evaluation in August 2014 for our largest grant.

-          Support for and involvement in financial management, including budgeting, bookkeeping, financial reporting, and other tasks as needed.

-          Technical support for our local partners, as needed.

-          Liaising with health NGOs and other stakeholders in Freetown, as appropriate.

-          Other tasks as needed to support Welbodi’s ongoing and future programme activities.

Actual responsibilities and work plans will be agreed by the intern and the team leader in Freetown. We are committed to helping interns to have a positive experience and to learn and grow from their time in Sierra Leone, while also ensuring that they contribute to delivering high-quality programming that serves our ultimate beneficiaries, the women and children of Sierra Leone.

Terms and timeframe

The intern would join the Welbodi Partnership team in Freetown for three months (12 weeks) during the summer of 2014. Specific dates and timeframe are negotiable. The Welbodi Partnership cannot offer remuneration, but will provide housing, transportation, office space, and other logistical support in Freetown, and may be able to offset some of the intern’s other expenses.

Requirements

The profile of interns sought is as follows:

• Higher university degree in medicine, public health, management, or relevant social sciences degrees. Students currently enrolled in a relevant graduate program will also be considered.

·         Knowledge of relevant evidence-based approaches to improving maternal, newborn, and child health in developing countries.

·         Excellent IT, interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills, and demonstrated skills in budgeting and financial management.

• Proven skills and experience in one or more of the following areas: monitoring and evaluation, programme design, grant writing, grant reporting, and public relations

·         Fluent written and spoken English. Fluency in Krio and/or other Sierra Leonean languages preferred.

·         Experience living and working in another country and culture, particularly in Africa and/or in a developing country. Experience working with people from different backgrounds.

·         Flexibility and a willingness to adapt to changing conditions and work requirements, and to help out as and when needed. An ability to work independently and as part of a team, and a proven ability to manage his/her own time and workload with limited supervision..

·         A willingness to accept basic living and working conditions. 

To Apply

Interested candidates should email a copy of their resume or CV, cover letter, the names of three references, and their dates of availability to Emily Spry (emily@welbodipartnership.org) by March 15, 2014. 

Candidates should advise if they have any specific deadlines for applying for summer internship funding from their university, and Welbodi will make every effort to respond by those deadlines.