Business in South Africa - International Development Internship

International development is a notoriously difficult area to break into, so volunteering on an International Development internship in Cape Town could give you experience to set your CV apart from the pack. Cape Town may well be one of the strongest and most developed cities in Africa, but outside of the major industrial centres, South Africa still suffers from a severe lack of development, with the vast majority of black Africans living below the poverty line. Volunteering on an International Development internship here is a great way to help redress this balance.

Volunteers work with an NGO called Where Rainbows Meet Training and Development Foundation based in the Vrygrond informal settlement area, 20km from the centre of Cape Town. The organisation is non profit and aims to empower, support and mentor organisations, youth, women and other community members.

The foundation offers a variety of services and programmes such as, life and leadership skills, computer skills, feeding schemes, soup kitchens, sewing project, sports programmes linked to awareness education, training support and many other awareness raising programmes in order for people to take their rightful place in society. The foundation also focuses on issues of unemployment, crime, domestic violence, drugs, alcohol abuse, prostitution, teenage pregnancy, HIV/AIDS and health.

The foundation is involved in annual events like Women’s Day Celebrations, Youth Day, Clean-up campaigns, holiday programmes, Human Rights Day, World Aids Day, Talent Search and a Community Christmas Party. These events have different themes that highlight the positive elements of the community and present an opportunity to raise awareness of the social problems affecting the community.

Volunteering on an International Development Placement 

Volunteers with a basic knowledge of business or management can get involved in the following areas:

• Business courses - giving business courses to entrepreneurs in Vrygrond or to people who are generally interested in starting their own businesses.
• Computer courses - running computer courses to adults within the community, to help qualify them for office work and to help them write a CV for example.
• Administration - helping to organise the office (filing, photocopying, answering the phone, typing CVs, helping students to fill out registration forms).
• Marketing - keeping the website of Where Rainbows Meet up to date, including writing articles and uploading photos of activities.
• Fundraising - sending business fundraising proposals to different firms and individuals. Developing relationships with existing sponsors and writing motivation letters and developing contacts.

Volunteers who have in depth knowledge of business and/or management can also get involved in the following range of work, depending on your experience:

• Market research - formulating and executing market research, including collecting statistics from questionnaires. More work in this area is needed to further explore the needs of the community, the achievements and to enhance the business plan.
• Fundraising - coming up with new, low cost fundraising ideas and implementing these proposals. Making current proposals more detailed so they can be targeted at specific investors, focusing on sports or the arts for example.
• Staff training - teaching and co-ordinating book keeping and market research with local members of staff.
• Business development - guiding businesses in Vrygrond, helping to develop the businesses and establishing plans to improve the business through better marketing and finance management. You may also develop business plans for new, start up businesses, register new businesses and develop three-year business plans for existing businesses.
• Taxation workshops - volunteers and local business course students can attend workshops on taxation in South Africa and how small businesses are registered in the Western Cape.

The placement staff also encourage all the volunteers to come up with new and innovative ideas!

As with all internships you should show a high level of motivation and a willingness to participate in any task given to you, whether it is as glamorous as organising a campaign rally, or spending a few hours proof reading a project proposal. By working within all areas of the organisation, you'll gain a well-rounded view of how international development charities work and the unique set of challenges they face in achieving their goals.

The placement will accept anyone who is motivated to get involved and help, but would also be particularly suitable for students and recent graduates of business studies or development studies. Please let us know if you have any experience or a special interest in any particular area.

During the placement, volunteers are expected to be punctual, professional and hard-working. You will be required to work an average of 35 hours per week, usually Monday-Friday. When you arrive at work on your first day, you will be assigned a supervisor who will be able to advise and support you during your placement, and of course our Projects Abroad staff are always available to support you throughout your placement.

Always remember that the more questions you ask, and the more you show you are willing to learn, the more time your colleagues will spend with you. If you complete every task to the best of your ability, you are certain to go home having gained valuable practical experience for your CV, whilst also having supported a worthwhile cause.