Make your contribution by joining businesses with a positive and sustainable impact for an internship in Eswatini in a stimulating international professional environment.

Small businesses and social enterprises are essential to the local economy, as they provide income for families. Our partner supports these structures by sending interns and business advisors. Many of these organizations employ women, who are traditionally more marginalized in the job market. They are also members of local fair-trade organizations to ensure good labor and wage standards.

Like all of our humanitarian internship programs, the NGO internship in Eswatini allows you to validate your academic year while positively and sustainably impacting the local community.

Interns’ role:

An intern, although unpaid, is different from a gap year volunteer, as they are expected to bring some knowledge and/or experience in the field in which they work. Internship positions are fewer, and competition to obtain them is higher.

As an intern, you work at a more strategic, career-oriented level, providing you with valuable hands-on experience during your internship. You are also expected to take on more responsibility and set your own goals and seek out activities to get involved in or lead. You will also be assigned a mentor to guide you throughout your internship.

Upon arrival, our team will help you get familiar with your internship assignments. All objectives must be established with the local partner to ensure that the results are sustainable even after the intern leaves.

The goal of the business development project is to understand the role of businesses in improving the well-being and economy of a region. You will have the opportunity to see how businesses and individuals contribute to the economy of a developing country and aim to reduce the impact of poverty.

You may be matched with a wide variety of entrepreneurs. These may include small sole proprietorships just starting out or large companies with over 30 employees exporting goods internationally.

Placements are based on business availability as well as your skills as an intern.

Some missions you may carry out:

• Create marketing strategies and evaluate their impact
• Help create workplace policies and project site protocols
• Assist in managing a small business, including finances, team management, and marketing
• Develop a plan for sustainable goals
• Help develop new products to increase sales or exports

A typical day as an intern:

7:00 AM: wake up and breakfast

7:30 AM: travel to your internship site and prepare for the day

8:00 AM: participate in your assigned project

12:30 PM: return to your accommodation for lunch or eat the lunch you prepared in the morning

2:00 PM: work on the project

4:00 PM: return to your accommodation and share your day with other interns — maybe even enjoy a swim in South African waters!

6:30 PM: dinner and free time

Your first week

Day 1: Arrival at OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg, where you will be welcomed by team members and transferred to your accommodation.

Day 2: The second day begins with an informative presentation covering everything you need for your internship: insights about the culture and country, and how to contribute effectively as an intern.

Day 3: On the third day, you’ll meet your project and the people you’ll be working with. Our team will accompany you to the project site, where you’ll also discuss your internship objectives.

Day 4: After your first meeting with your partner organization, it’s time to plan your week! Identify the best days to organize your schedule and advance in your research.

Weekends are free — you’ll be able to relax and explore the area through various activities!