Partner With DOWA

DOWA (Doing Good Work in Africa) connects talented students with organizations driving high-impact, tech-enabled solutions across Africa. Since 2020, we’ve partnered with organizations to host interns and collaborate on meaningful initiatives that accelerate innovation and development.

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Why Partner With Us

Access a global talent pipeline — Engage highly motivated students from top universities with expertise in business, technology, research, data, and more.
Expand your mission impact — Collaborate on programs or initiatives that address real development challenges across sectors.
Enhance visibility & credibility — Join a network of mission-aligned organizations working for positive change across Africa.
Flexible collaboration models — From internships to corporate programs, we work with partners to design engagement that fits your goals.

Join a Global Network — Become part of a growing network of African partner organizations across Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, and beyond—committed to innovation, impact, and long-term development.

Host Organizations

Who: Nonprofits, social enterprises, startups, and companies across Africa that are ready to host interns and engage global talent on meaningful work.

What We Offer

Student placements (virtual, hybrid, and in-person) during our Winter (4 -6 weeks) and Summer (8 -10 weeks) programs
Skill-based matching aligned to your organizational needs and project priorities
Ongoing support from the DOWA team throughout the engagement

Ideal For: Projects across technology, business planning, research, data analysis, communications, sustainability, and more.

Corporate Partners

DOWA partners with companies and socially responsible businesses to expand access to global talent, strengthen African innovation, and invest in scalable impact across the continent.

Corporate partnerships can include:

Corporate sponsorships — Financial or in-kind support for DOWA programs or specific initiatives.
Skills-based volunteering — Employees contribute their expertise (e.g., mentoring interns, workshops, pro-bono consulting).
Cause marketing & co-branded activations — Collaborative campaigns and innovative events that align your brand with measurable impact.
Workplace giving / matching programs — Encouraging employee contributions and matching gifts

Corporate partners gain meaningful brand visibility, CSR/ESG alignment, and direct impact through talent development and ecosystem strengthening.

Education Partners

Universities, research institutions, and training programs that want to expand global learning opportunities. Partnership opportunities include:

Curriculum integration — Embed practical experience through internships and project-based learning.
Exchange programs — Student and faculty exchanges or joint research programs.
Scholarship or funding support — Co-develop scholarships or stipends for students.

Public Institutions

DOWA collaborates with mission-aligned nonprofits, civil society organizations, and public institutions to co-design and co-implement initiatives that expand opportunity and strengthen Africa’s innovation ecosystem.

Partnerships may include work in:

Community development
Policy research
Youth empowerment
Workforce development & talent pipelines
Diaspora engagement & ecosystem building

These collaborations can take the form of shared program delivery, resource sharing, co-funded projects, and strategic support that helps scale impact through stronger coordination, visibility, and long-term sustainability.

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How It Works

Express Interest: — Complete our Partner Interest Form to share your goals and partnership needs.

Consult & Align — Our team connects with you to explore the best partnership model for mutual impact.

Launch Collaboration — Whether through internship placements or strategic initiatives, we kick off the partnership and begin implementation.

Measure & Grow — We conduct regular check-ins and track outcomes to strengthen results and support long-term collaboration.

Note for Internship Host Partners

Be based in Africa or working on an Africa-focused solution
Have established operations and the capacity to support interns
Provide meaningful, structured work opportunities, especially for organizations leveraging technology to drive impact on the continent
Be willing to adhere to DOWA’s terms and conditions throughout the internship process

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Partner FAQs

Why Host DOWA Interns?

Empower the Next Generation of African Leaders

Partnering with DOWA gives you access to motivated students from around the world who are eager to contribute to impactful work across Africa—through virtual internships, in-person placements, or both.

Since our inception, DOWA has connected students from Ivy League schools and other top institutions with organizations across the continent, expanding access to diverse, high-performing talent across multiple sectors.

Access Top Talent: Host interns with skills in Technology, Business Development, Policy, Sustainability, and more—sourced from leading universities globally.

Flexible Internship Options: We offer flexible placement models aligned to DOWA’s Summer and Winter internship cycles.

Comprehensive Support: DOWA supports the full internship process—recruitment, matching, and administration—so you can focus on providing real-world experience, mentorship, and professional guidance.

Join a Global Network: Become part of a growing network of African partner organizations across Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, and beyond—committed to innovation, impact, and long-term development.

What type of interns does DOWA seek?

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.

What kind of expertise can student interns offer partner organizations?

Representing a wide variety of acclaimed universities, these student interns have the benefit of learning at a higher level and applying their knowledge to real organizations with real stakeholders. DOWA looks for exceptionally bright and innovative students who are able to represent their respective universities and facilitates their introduction to our partner organizations. Each thoughtfully considered student has a specific skill set and mindset that provides value to each partner. Student interns are able to take on whichever roles are needed by the partner organization.

How does DOWA create opportunities for Africa-based interns?

A key objective of DOWA is to connect a broad network of diaspora talent to Africa. In Nigeria, DOWA is working with Nigerians in the Diaspora Commission with the aim of tapping into Nigerian talent in the diaspora who want to contribute to the development of Nigeria. Many Nigerian students who seek the opportunity to work in Nigeria are unfortunately unable to find viable avenues to do so; DOWA provides an avenue for these students. DOWA also gives the interns in the diaspora the opportunity to work with interns from Nigerian universities and exchange ideas.