Internship - FOSCOD

Make a Difference in Your Community

Join our internship program and help create positive change while developing valuable skills

About Our Internship Program

The internship program with the Foundation for Sustainable Community Based Development (FOSCOD) in Uganda offers students and professionals a unique opportunity to engage in hands-on, impactful work that aligns with both personal and community goals. Rooted in an asset-based approach, the program empowers you to collaborate with FOSCOD local communities and partner development organizations in addressing critical community development needs. This sustainable model promotes a rich exchange of ideas and skills, fostering the growth of both community members and interns.

Under FOSCOD’s guidance, interns immerse themselves in the complexities of development work, gaining practical insights into community-driven initiatives that prioritize local wisdom and leadership. Positioned in Uganda, a country known for its vibrant culture and challenging yet rewarding development landscape, interns experience an invaluable blend of professional skill-building and cultural enrichment. This transformative program equips you to make lasting contributions to community well-being while deepening their understanding of sustainable development practices.

Internship Opportunities

Impact of the elimination of mother to child HIV transmission

Price : $1000 for 2 Weeks

Extra Weeks :$300

Minimum Duration : 2 Weeks

Age: 16 and Above

Start Date : Any time

Improving Community Hygiene and Sanitation – Buwaguma Village, Kamuli District

Internship Project Opportunities by Development sector

Who Can Intern?

FOSCOD’s internship program is ideal for individuals passionate about community-driven development and eager to gain hands-on experience in sustainable development. It’s designed for university students, recent graduates, and early-career professionals who want to expand their knowledge in grassroots development while contributing to meaningful projects.

Interns work directly with local NGOs and CBOs, gaining practical skills in program management, cultural exchange, and community assessment. FOSCOD’s structured programs ensure that interns are thoroughly oriented in ethical development practices and prepared to work collaboratively with local leaders.

Whether interested in global health, education, sustainable agriculture, or women’s empowerment, FOSCOD offers internships that provide valuable field experience and foster professional growth. Interns are encouraged to reflect critically on their work’s impact, building a foundation for a future in international development.

What types of interns are eligible

Group interns

Immerse yourself in a collaborative group internship experience, where you’ll work alongside like-minded peers on community-driven projects that drive sustainable development. Through intensive training and hands-on learning, you’ll gain valuable skills in asset-based development, cultural exchange, and project management, all while contributing to meaningful change in Uganda.ct

Individual interns

Immerse yourself in sustainable development with our individual internship program, tailored for young professionals and students passionate about creating lasting impact. Gain hands-on experience in community-driven initiatives, foster cultural exchange, and develop valuable skills in asset-based development, all while contributing to a more just and sustainable future.

What are our internship start dates?

Program	Application Deadline	Start Date	End Date
Summer 2025	March 15, 2025	June 1, 2025	August 15, 2025
Fall 2025	July 1, 2025	September 1, 2025	December 20, 2025
Spring 2026	November 15, 2025	January 15, 2026	May 1, 2026

What are the program fees?

The program fee covers all the in-country costs of your program, including the following items:

Airport pickup and drop off
Programorientation
Training workshops in sustainable development principles, project planning and budgeting, program evaluation, community assessment, and proposal writing OR basics of Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR)
Cultural activities
Family homestay
Three meals per day
Local mobile phone and mobile WIFI
Money for local transportation (commuting between host home and the development project)
A midterm retreat
In-country support from your FSD Uganda team 24/7
Seed funding for the sustainable development project

The Program cost is USD $2,148 for the first week and USD$168 for each added week thereafter as listed and illustrated below:

WEEKLY COSTING

WEEKS	COST
2	2316
3	2484
4	2652
5	2820
6	2988
7	3156
8	3324
9	3492
10	3660
11	3828
12	3996

What is our impact?

90%

of our interns secure full-time positions within 6 months of program completion

500+

alumni working at leading companies worldwidean

85%

of interns rate their experience as “excellent”

Intern Alumni Experiences

" My internship with FOSCOD was far more than I could have imagined. The wide range of experiences, many of which were outside of my comfort, helped me grow. Before my internship I was uncertain of my ability to learn a new language; I invested time to learn Luganda and reaped considerable benefits. I knew nothing about VSLAs or microfinancing prior to arrival. I consider my new knowledge as a helpful tool to combat poverty and prevent conflict in the future. My fondest memories will be the time I spent in Naluvule and with the FOSCOD team. I was humbled by everyone I met. Learning Ugandan culture and exploring Jinja and Eastern Africa are things I never dreamt I’d do." I feel more confident and reaffirmed to take on project management following my graduation from Duke. I am adamant that my experiences will serve him well in life both personally and professionally.

I am grateful to have had the opportunity to participate in this program in-person, despite all of the COVID-19 related challenges. Looking back on the past nine weeks, I am very proud of the work that has been accomplished, the skills and relationships I have been able to foster, and the way I have grown as a global citizen. Some of my favorite parts of my program have been FOSCOD’s weekend retreat to Sipi, taking a boat ride on Lake Victoria and the Nile River, learning Ugandan sign language at Kyomya Primary School, exchanging recipes with my host family, and going on random adventures around Jinja. Getting to experience Uganda with all five senses, getting healthily pushed outside my comfort zone, and being fully immersed in a new culture has given me skills in cross-cultural communication, adaptability, open-mindedness, sustainable community capacity-building, monitoring and evaluation, and self-confidence that I am capable of growing wherever I am planted

The FOSCOD In-person Internship Program was a life-changing experience that taught me invaluable lessons about the challenges and opportunities of social development in low-resource settings. Our program director wisely emphasized the value of learning from failures and obstacles in the field, even though I had trouble pursuing my learning objectives due to a lack of proper communication with our supervisor. The close contact with locals was one of the most enriching aspects of the experience. Working with locals has shown me the strength, creativity, and diversity of their culture. From these experiences, I learned the value of community-driven strategies and the significance of involving beneficiaries in decision-making for sustainable development projects.

Ready To Apply?

You can engage with us in various ways—whether through in-person involvement or virtual participation—by interning with our direct support communities or our local development partner organizations. Directly support our capacity-building initiatives across different sectors. This experience will enrich your training and prepare you for future endeavors in international development. Start your journey of community transformation by applying today!