WMI Internships
Overview
- WMI has had a robust internship program for over a decade.
- As a volunteer-run NGO, WMI has benefitted enormously from the input of student interns throughout the years. Their energy, insight and dedication has helped WMI expand loan program operations and launch community development projects.
- Interns help build strong cultural ties to WMI's partners in East Africa.
- Living in a rural village for 2 months introduces students to field work in a developing nation.
Summer College Interns
WMI has a formal college internship program for 6 weeks during the summer (June-July) at our headquarters in Buyobo, Uganda. The application may be submitted any time after October 1 for an internship the following summer.
Interns live in Buyobo village (10 miles from Mbale in Sikonko District in Eastern Uganda). Meals and housing are provided in a guest house with indoor plumbing and solar electricity. Interns are primarily responsible for reviewing and compiling data from surveys completed by borrowers in the loan program, analyzing the data, and creating an annual Fact Book that documents the impact of the loan program. Interns also create a video from original footage for the WMI web site to update supporters on some aspect of loan program operations. Additionally, interns may tutor school age children in reading, writing and simple math, help borrowers with their book keeping, interview and compose borrower profiles and coordinate community service projects. Interns are busy from morning until evening during their exhilarating and tiring two-months of service!
UPDATE: WMI Summer Internships for 2025 are by invitation. Please submit a resume and letter of interest to wmicontact@gmail.com
- Click here to review Buyobo summer college internship information.
- Click here for an article on a Notre Dame student's summer in Buyobo.
Summer High School Internships
WMI has hosted summer high school internships at its headquarters in Buyobo, Uganda, when parent/teacher sponsors volunteer to supervise the student groups. These have been rewarding experiences for everyone involved.
The internships focus on teaching at Buyobo Primary School and sponsoring projects to improve the school facilities, such as building new classrooms and clean water catchment systems.
No summer high school internship is planned for 2025.
Special Internships
WMI also hosts interns during other times of the year on an as-needed basis. These internships are a minimum of 3 months and a maximum of 6 months in duration.
In the past, college interns have proposed research and development projects which have benefitted the community such as conducting business case studies and solar system installations. If you are interested in inquiring about an internship opportunity outside of the summer college intern program, please contact us at: wmicontact@gmail.com.