Internship Program

Welcome to DOWA Internship program!

Are you a brilliant student of African descent, or are you interested in Africa? Do you want to get important work experience and have a positive impact on the world? You need look no further than the Summer Internship program offered by DOWA from mid-June to August or the Winter Internship program offered from mid-jan to March.

How it Works

As part of DOWA's commitment to global access and inclusion, the DOWA Internship Match Program connects brilliant college students with a pool of innovative African organizations working on good, scalable and impactful projects across several African countries in various sectors such as Innovation & Technology, Agriculture, Education, Venture Capital, Energy, Architecture, Healthcare so on.

We invite brilliant students to join a network of innovators, investors and advocates committed to engaging in a global inclusive development internship experience. Students will have the opportunity to learn from innovators, who are creating innovative solutions to development challenges in Africa.

We offer summer and winter internship programs with innovative organizations in Africa. Interns are identified through a vigorous application process (Winter: Nov - Dec & Summer: April - May) and matched with prospective partner organizations. The final selection of interns is done by the partner organizations.

DOWA Interns are exposed to projects across many areas, such as research, marketing & communications, business development, data analysis, software development and other technical functions. The internship cycles will:

Take place virtually during Winter (Jan - March): encompass 55 - 85 hours (or ~4-6 weeks) & Summer (June - August): encompass 120 -150 hours (or ~8-10 weeks)
Offer substantive, project-based experience appropriate for undergraduates
Provide an immediate supervisor that will expose students to the industry in Africa, allows them to build a network, and develop their professional skills
Offer virtual sessions that provides an opportunity for all diverse DOWA interns to network as a group, participate in African cultural immersion, personal and professional development

NOTE: DOWA is a U.S based registered non-profit, and NOT a 3rd party recruiting agency. We do NOT charge stakeholders any fees. DOWA Internship Match Program provides beneficial learnings to student participants and can be tied to the intern’s formal education program by integrated coursework or the receipt of academic credit.

Testimonials from past interns can be referenced HERE

What Makes Us Special

But what makes DOWA internship program so special? Here are just a few of the many benefits that students can gain by participating.

Hands-on Experience

Our internship program is designed to provide students with real-world experience working on projects with high-impact. This is a great opportunity to put your skills and knowledge into practice and make a meaningful contribution.

Professional Development

The internship program is a chance for students to develop their professional skills and expertise. You will have the opportunity to work with innovators who are changing the world and learn from their expertise, as well as receive mentorship and guidance throughout the program.

Networking

By participating in the internship program, you will have the opportunity to connect with other students and professionals. This is a great way to build a network of like-minded individuals who share your passion for making a difference in Africa.

Personal Growth

The internship program is not just about gaining professional experience, it is also an opportunity for personal growth. You will have the chance to learn more about yourself, your strengths and weaknesses, and your place in the world.

Intern FAQs

What does the internship program entail?

Our internship program is a remote and in-person 8-12 week internship program, where students will work with our partner companies to use their skills in a variety of fields ranging from market research to business writing & documentation.

Which roles are available?

Kindly check the application form for this cycle's program.

Some possible roles are in Business Analysis, Research and Strategy, Stakeholder Management, ROI and Data Analysis, Market Research/Industry Knowledge, Commercial Awareness, Mapping Ecosystems, Business Writing & Documentation, User and Customer Knowledge, Market Compliance, Business Intelligence and Practice-Based Learning, Software Development and more.

Why choose DOWA's program?

Unlike other internship programs that focus on the specific sectors or students from individual universities, DOWA offers a broad range of sectors and our student interns are from different universities in the United States. DOWA is currently working with students in 20 Ivy League and innovative universities and with time, the initiative will expand to cover other universities in the United States and other countries.

How can I make a long-term impact in such a short time?

As entrepreneurs and business leaders of the future, DOWA’s interns are expected to continue contributing to the development of Africa in their respective fields by using the knowledge and experiences from the internships to develop innovative solutions for tackling Africa’s challenges. Working in Africa will help DOWA’s interns shape their thinking about the challenges in Africa and fuel the innovative solutions borne out of their understanding of the African context.

Are there any paid internship opportunities?

Yes, there are! Our programs have expanded to include PAID in-person internship roles. While virtual internship roles remain unpaid, this is because, for the most part, our partners in Africa are unable to offer competitive rates compared to organizations in the US. Therefore, students are encouraged to apply for grants/funding from their universities or 3rd party organizations.

Do you offer any other programs?

We currently offer both virtual and in-person summer internship programs, as well as virtual winter programs, with companies. Additionally, we are expanding our current programs to offer more opportunities to African students, both based within and outside the continent. Stay tuned for exciting updates!

Universities Represented by Past Interns

Unpaid Internship Resources

We encourage students interested in participating in the DOWA internship program that require funding to contact their school's early career or financial services department for grant and funding opportunities for unpaid internship. Here is a link to some additional resources. Through raised funds, DOWA is also able to offer limited stipends on a needs basis.