Work with a nongovernmental organization (NGO) or social enterprise and address a social issue you are passionate about.
The Kelley Institute for Social Impact (KISI) offers summer internships that provide students with the opportunity to use their business skills to create social change. KISI internships are unpaid and co-curricular, and two interns will be selected for each internship opportunity.
For questions about the KISI International Internships, contact Stacie Ballard at staballa@iu.edu.
Applications for summer 2024 will be available December 1, 2023.
Feel free to explore resources below from summer 2023 to gain an understanding of the process and internship experiences.
All interns will receive a comprehensive Welcome Pack or go through a comprehensive webinar that covers everything from cultural norms to housing details, safety suggestions, emergency contact information, and other information that participants need in order to feel adequately prepared for the cultural context they are entering. Upon arrival, interns will also have an in-country orientation. This information will cover both navigating the culture and internship.
All interns will also participate in a KISI orientation prior to the end of the spring semester. Interns will be required to write four blog posts throughout the duration of their internship. This culminates with a re-entry workshop at the beginning of the fall semester that will provide a space to both reflect on the internship and learn how to use new skills to market yourself to employers.
The cost varies for each internship. Some funding support is available through KISI.
Global Mamas is a fair trade network of more than 600 women who produce handmade products using traditional methods and sell their goods locally and overseas, with the mission of creating prosperity for African women and their families.
This internship in Cape Coast, Ghana could include projects focused on:
Interns from summer 2022 with Global Mamas Office Manager and her children on the Cape Coast beach
Intern on the canopy walk in Ghana’s Kakum National Park
Cape Coast Design Mama Abigail holding most popular prints
Three interns from summer 2022 with Global Mamas Office Manager in front of Global Mamas sign in Cape Coast, Ghana
Global Mamas is a Fair-Trade Network of nearly 400 women in Ghana. It is a community comprised of thousands of people from around the world working together with the mission of creating prosperity for African women and their families. The Mamas define prosperity as going beyond financial well-being to include happiness and good health. They achieve prosperity by creating and selling unique, handcrafted products of the highest quality. Being able to do the work they love and achieving financial independence leads to greater happiness. The Mamas realize their dreams of having the opportunity to support their families, send their children to school, improve their health, and save for the future. Most Mamas are trained in a craft (batiking, sewing, bead-making, shea butter production, etc.). The role of Global Mamas is to enhance their skills by providing hands-on training in advanced techniques, quality improvement, and creative design. Many of the women are business owners and Global Mamas helps them to expand their businesses by training them in leadership, financial management, marketing, and merchandising.
Global Mamas will partner with you to customize a project that best fits your strengths, interests, and academic major. Possibilities include marketing and content development, accounting and financial management, supply chain management, trend research and new product development, fundraising, and one-on-one business training with the mamas. It can be expected to work on average 40 hours per week during the eight weeks. Interns are required to bring their personal laptop to work (Wi-Fi is available at the internship site).
Late May to early August
Interns will live in Cape Coast, Ghana with an optional visit to the new Global Mamas Fair Trade Zone in Kpong. Cape Coast is the original and largest Global Mamas production location. Cape Coast is a fishing port on the Gulf of Guinea. There is plenty to do in the city, but there is also time to travel on weekends. Popular activities include doing a Canopy walk in the Kakum National Forest or visiting a nearby beach town.
Both interns will homestay in the private home of one of the Mamas. The homestay Mama will provide breakfast for about $2/day, if wanting to eat with the family for other meals that can be worked out with the Mama directly. Each lunch at home would cost approximately $2 to 4 and dinner would range $4 to 5. The interns will have access to the kitchen in the homestay and all utensils to cook for themselves should they wish to purchase and cook their own food. Housing accommodations are simple, but clean and comfortable. Rooms and bathrooms are shared with other interns. The bathroom includes a shower, but only cold water. There is running water most of the time, but unreliable infrastructure can sometimes result in disruptions. When running water is not available, water will be provided for bucket showers and flushes, which are easy to learn to use. There are regular power outages, but Global Mamas has a generator so devices can be charged during the day at the office if outages extend beyond a few hours. Lanterns will be provided at night as needed. Wi-Fi is available at the Global Mamas office, but it also experiences outages from time to time.
Program cost is $1,810 and includes:
KISI will cover the cost of:
Additional costs
Niños de Guatemala (NDG) is a Dutch-Guatemalan NGO whose aim is to assist in breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering empowerment in Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala by providing education and social services to children from low-income families. NDG operates three schools that provide high quality education to 385 children (and growing every year). Speaking Spanish is not required, however, having some knowledge of the language will be helpful.
This internship in Antigua, Guatemala has possibilities of projects within:
Intern from summer 2022 holding up Niños de Guatemala T-shirt on her homestay balcony
Lake Atitlán, a volcanic lake surrounded by volcanos and Mayan villages
Intern eating fresh watermelon at a restaurant in Antigua
A traditional Mayan worry doll handmade by an intern
Niños de Guatemala is a Dutch-Guatemalan NGO whose aim is to assist in breaking the cycle of poverty and fostering empowerment in Guatemala by providing education and social services to children from low-income families in the town of Ciudad Vieja, Guatemala. Niños de Guatemala (NDG) has been in operation since 2006 and currently operates two primary schools and a middle school that provide high quality education to 385 children (and growing every year).
In addition, Niños de Guatemala has a partner social enterprise, called Cambio NDG, that financially supports the NGO. Cambio NDG operates a Spanish language school and various cultural tours to Antigua visitors. Cambio NDG’s “Experience Guatemala Tour” visits NDG schools, local businesses, and the community where most NDG children and their families live. The tour generates funding for NDG schools, and participants learn about social issues in Guatemala.
The intern will be responsible for tasks related to the growth and professionalization of the social enterprise Cambio NDG. They will work predominantly in an office environment in Antigua, Guatemala, conducting a part-time role 30 hours per week for 10 weeks. The intern’s tasks will be oriented around current operations of Cambio NDG, as well as preparing the social enterprise to move into its next phase of development through strategizing, professionalizing, and branding the business. The intern will be supervised by the Head of Social Enterprise & Social Business Manager, but will also be expected to work independently on tasks assigned. The overall goal is to create the biggest and best-qualified commercial tourist hub in Antigua, which is known by all tourists visiting the city. There are internships available in the areas of Marketing and Business Development. Speaking Spanish is not required, however, having some knowledge of the language will be helpful. Interns will be required to bring their personal laptop to work.
Late May to early August
Antigua, Guatemala is located in the central highlands of Guatemala. It is known for its architecture and has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is a growing tourist destination known for its chocolate. It is also popular for people who want to learn Spanish through immersion. The beautiful city is surrounded by three volcanoes, and it is easy to explore other parts of the country from there.
Students will live in a single room with a private bathroom in a homestay. All homestays are located within 10 to 15 minutes of internship sites. Homestay families will provide three meals per day, every day except Sunday.
Program cost: $1,645 includes:
KISI will dover the cost of health insurance.
Additional costs:
Puente Desarrollo Internacional is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization who uses data collection and analysis technology to address and prioritize community need. Communities are surveyed, needs are established, and solutions are designed. Speaking Spanish is required, and students must have taken or plan to complete HISP-S250 before the internship begins.
This internship in Constanza, Dominican Republic could include projects focused on:
Two Puente staff during weekly internal meeting at the office
Community residents pose during a stakeholders meeting, where Puente’s water engineer discussed alternative sources
View of Constanza from Puente office window
Group of Puente staff, Dominican doctors, and people from Health Outreach Foundation from Kansas City and Boston gather for a photo post medical mission
Puente was established in 2018 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Constanza, Dominican Republic with offices in Indiana. Puente uses data collection and analysis technology to address and prioritize community need. Communities are surveyed, needs are established, and solutions are designed.
Intern projects will be solidified once the intern and partner are introduced and discuss the needs of Puente and the intern’s areas of interest. The following projects are options:
Interns should be self-starters and feel comfortable socializing as it’s not the norm to stay inside all day in the DR! It can be expected to work between 20-30 hours a week, 4 to 5 days a week during the eight weeks. Work days are typically 8 a.m. to noon and 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Speaking Spanish is required, and KISI will require that participating students have completed Second-Year Spanish II (HISP-S250) prior to departure. Interns are also required to bring their personal laptop to work (WiFi is available at the homestay and internship site).
Mid May to mid August
Constanza, Dominican Republic is bordered by four large national parks and is the highest altitude town in the Caribbean region. Motorcycle transportation is extremely common in Constanza and interns should plan to buy a reliable helmet to ride with Puente staff on days when the work is in the field. Students will be encouraged to seek out activities outside of internship work hours as it’s key in the culture to build rapport and trust. Opportunities to go to the park, play sports with the youth, play dominos, teach classes (English, cooking, fitness, gardening, zumba, drawing, excel, etc.), go on runs, hikes, visit neighbors, drink coffee with locals, and the list continues.
While staying in Constanza interns will stay in homestays with families that typically have 1 to 3 children, this provides the interns a friend from the start. They almost always become lifelong friends! Interns will have their own room (with a lock), a private bathroom (shared by no more than 2 people), cement floor, block house and bars on the windows, access to WiFi, and 24/7 access to water and electricity. Interns will not be staying in a loud part of the community where there are bars, convenience stores, or heavy traffic. However, stores, hospitals, clinics, etc. will be within a 5 to 10 minute walk if not closer. Host families also have access to cars and/or motorcycles. Interns will be expected to eat all meals with the family unless the intern has notified the family prior to the meal. It is likely interns will eat meals at some point with Puente staff out in the community, but it is encouraged to eat at least 2 meals at home per day. Lunch is always at noon sharp and the country breaks from 12-2pm to eat. Rice, beans, meat, eggs, plantains, yucca, and all types of fruits are staples. It is very hard to be vegan/vegetarian in this culture. KISI Interns will not stay in the same homestay but will be within a 5 minute walk from each other as well as within walking distance to the internship site. On days where interns are out in the field they can travel with the local partner via motorcycle or car.
Program cost: $1,900 includes:
KISI will cover the cost of additional health insurance.
Additional costs:
Raj Uphaar is an initiative of Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care (SRLC), which empowers women by providing them employment opportunities leading to social acceptance and financial independence. SRLC was established in 2003 and is an NGO that offers services and brings joy to the lives of the underserved of society. SRLC endeavors to deliver high quality, charitable and sustainable initiatives for the welfare of mankind, animals, and the environment. This internship will be working with Raj Uphaar, assisting their growth and expansion.
This internship in Dharampur, India could include projects focused on:
Women at Raj Uphaar making khakra (thin Indian cracker)
Bird's-eye view of personal residences and Community Garden at the Ashram
Women sewing various products at Raj Uphaar
Amphitheater and Dining Hall at Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram
Raj Uphaar employees standing outside main facility
Shrimad Rajchandra Love and Care (SRLC) was established in 2003 as a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that offers services and brings joy to the lives of underserved populations. SRLC’s holistic, multi-pronged community support and development programs are powered by genuine empathy, love, and care of highly motivated volunteers. SRLC endeavors to deliver high quality, charitable, and sustainable initiatives for the welfare of mankind, animals, and the environment. The ten-care approach leads efforts in the following areas: health, education, children, women, tribal, community, humanitarian, animals, environment, and emergency relief.
This internship program will revolve around a women’s empowerment initiative undertaken by SRLC, ‘Raj Uphaar’. This program empowers rural women by providing them with employment opportunities leading to social acceptance and financial independence. Rural women are employed by Raj Uphaar, and they are then trained in a variety of different skills. They help create a multitude of products, including savory food items, confectionaries, fragrances, and more. These products are in turn sold to individuals and corporations across the country and overseas. More information on Raj Uphaar can be found at the Raj Uphaar website. Intern projects will be solidified once the intern and partner are introduced and discuss the needs of Raj Uphaar and the intern’s areas of interest.
The following projects are options:
It can be expected to work ~25 hrs. per week during the 8 weeks. Interns are also required to bring their personal laptop to work (WiFi is available at home and the internship site).
Mid May to mid August
Six weeks in Dharampur at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram and two weeks in Mumbai through a homestay (eight weeks total)
Interns will be able to travel around Dharampur and explore the Gujarat region when they are in Dharampur staying at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram. Life in the Ashram is an experience of community living, inner growth, spirituality, cultural immersion, silence, and celebration. The Ashram is built on 223 acres, has many facilities such as the community gardens, dining halls, a sports arena, as well as a state-of-the-art fitness recreational center. Interns will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of optional activities including sports, yoga, meditation retreats, as well as volunteering. Volunteering opportunities aside from the internship program include volunteering with disabled children and engaging in beautification activities in the Ashram. While in Mumbai for two weeks, interns will be immersed in a homestay with host families who are also volunteers among the SRLC community.
Upon arrival, interns will travel to Mumbai to stay with a host family. Homestays will take place in Mumbai the first and final week of the internship. Interns will have their own bedroom, eat meals with the family, and stay with the same family during the first week and final week. The host families are individuals who work closely with SRLC. Throughout weeks two through seven of the internship, the interns will stay at the Shrimad Rajchandra Ashram. If interns are the same gender, they will likely share a room. If they are not the same gender, they will likely have their own room in the same building. Three wholesome, nutritious, vegetarian meals are served daily in the Ashram’s dining hall during fixed times each day. Please note that all meals provided in the Ashram and at the homestay will be vegetarian. These include breakfast, lunch, dinner. Vegan food is also available. There is also a small grocery store in the Ashram, where snacks, beverages, and other essentials can be bought.
Program cost: $1,600 includes:
Costs covered by KISI:
Additional costs:
Roots Interns partners with nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, and NGOs with ethical and sustainable practices in Africa. Roots Interns was established in 2016. This internship will be working with one of these three community organizations: Butterfly Space, Malawi Schools Permaculture Clubs (MSPC), or Supreme.
This internship in Nkhata Bay, Malawi, could include projects focused on:
Students learning how to make Supreme products.
Morning yoga at the lodge before a work day.
Interns hard at work on-site at the lodge & project hub.
Interns took a cooking class with the chef on-site the lodge to learn how to make a local Malawian dish.
An intern helping plant indigenous trees with students at an international primary school.
An intern with the fabulous Supreme team.
Roots Interns was established in 2016 and partners with nonprofit organizations, social enterprises, NGOs, and small start-up companies with ethical and sustainable practices to create valuable internship experiences in Africa for undergraduate students. Roots Interns offers personal and professional development, support, internship logistics, connections with in-country partners, and accommodations. The community organizations students could work with are Butterfly Space, Malawi Schools Permaculture Clubs (MSPC), and Supreme. Butterfly Space is an eco-friendly lodge that combines sustainable tourism and community development. The lodge is home to various social and environmental projects in the neighboring communities, such as HIV support groups, permaculture clubs, educational programs, and media development projects. One of these projects is MSPC, a nonprofit that promotes permaculture principles to children in Malawi by supporting teachers who want to run after-school permaculture clubs. MSPC works with over 600 children yearly at 21 different school clubs and plans to expand around Malawi and beyond. Lastly, Supreme is a social enterprise that creates reusable sanitary pads and spreads education about menstrual hygiene in local communities. Supreme also runs a nonprofit organization in which they provide necessary educational programs to rural communities around Malawi.
Internship projects will be solidified once the intern and partner are introduced and discuss the needs of the community organization. The following projects are options:
Interns can expect to work approximately 30 hours per week during the eight week internship. Interns are required to bring their personal laptop to work and may occasionally have weekend tasks.
Mid-May through mid-August
Malawi is small (roughly the size of England) which makes it relatively easy to travel around in terms of distance. Malawians are known for their friendliness. The country is landlocked with borders to Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia. Lake Malawi consumes a fifth of the country’s land mass, making Malawi strikingly green during the rainy season that lasts from November to May. There are five main cities: Lilongwe (the capital), Mzuzu, Karonga, Zomba, and Blantyre. In most parts of the country, public facilities are limited and lack of infrastructure can cause irregularities in electricity, roads, water supply, and telecommunications, although this is gradually improving. Nkhata Bay is a small, busy port town in the north of Malawi and is located on the banks of Lake Malawi. Interns will be encouraged to explore and seek out activities outside of work hours. There are opportunities for visiting The Mushroom Farm, Usisya via the Ilala ferry, boat trips, kayaking, hiking, village tours, cooking lessons, market trips, and more.
Interns will stay at an ecolodge in the northern town of Nkhata Bay. This lodge has an idyllic location and a relaxed vibe with a private beach (with snorkeling and paddleboarding included), beautiful permaculture gardens, and several communal spaces. The rooms are comfortable dormitories, although there are options of upgrading to a single chalet. The lodge is a hub for people who are volunteering their time at different community and environmental projects in the area. The lodge is the office for Butterfly Space and MSPC, and a short drive from the Supreme office. Two meals a day are included for the first month. For the second month, interns will be able to eat out in town, shop for food at a local market, or opt in to a package for two meals a day for an additional fee. Roots Interns has found that most interns want the first month of food provided and then look forward to meal planning on their own for the second and final month of the internship, once they are more settled.
Program costs: $1,407 for the internship with Supreme and $1,657 for the internships with Butterfly Space and MSPC. Cost includes:
KISI will cover the costs of additional health insurance and visas.
Additional costs:
In my internship, I developed a reusable packaging price model to compete with traditional cardboard packaging that could save the client thousands of dollars per year. Considering this was my first professional experience, my opportunities have been greatly expanded.
Clay Keiser, BA'23International Studies and Liberal Arts Management Program (LAMP) certificate