The Forgotten International - Current Fellowship Opportunities

The Forgotten International is presently seeking applicants for volunteer placements abroad whereby we place caring individuals in the field to do the work of poverty alleviation around the world.
Applications and any question should be sent to our Fellows Program Officer, Jeffrey Kaloustian at Jeffrey@theforgottenintl.org. Applications are due by March 5, 2012.
Please include Fellowships in the subject line.
We are pleased to offer the following opportunities in India, Kenya and Peru.
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INDIA

Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy (TCHRD)

Location: Dharamsala, India - Preferred Dates: Summer & Fall

The TFI fellows placed at TCHRD will work on issues related to Human Rights in Tibet. We have two positions, one in the Summer and one in the Fall. This placement will involve research, writing and editing, and may include interviewing refugees or engaging with other Tibetan NGOs. The agency requests help with writing briefing papers and in-depth reports on specific human rights topics, as well as help producing their comprehensive Annual Report. Strong analytical and narrative writing skills are desired. Preference will be given to those with prior knowledge of and experience in international human rights law. TCHRD’s office is located on the grounds of the Central Tibetan Administration of the Tibetan Government in Exile. This placement requires that a Fellow stay off-site. We will help you arrange housing.

Central Tibetan Administration – Dept. of Information and International Relations (DIIR)

Location: Dharamsala, India - Preferred Dates: Summer

This unique placement will have you working directly with the DIIR of the Tibetan Government in Exile. Former TFI Fellows placed at the DIIR wrote reports for the Tibetan Bulletin, an official bi-monthly journal of the Central Tibetan Administration, and helped polish the language on Tibet.net. Skills that would be useful include work with media, both print and electronic; layout and design of publications; some related knowledge of human rights and international relations. English language and writing skills are essential. This placement requires that a Fellow stay off-site. We will help you arrange housing.

Member of Indian Parliament

Location: New Delhi, India - Preferred Dates: July to August or November to December *** UPDATED

This opportunity places a Fellow as an intern with a member of the Indian Parliament in New Delhi, Mr. B.J. Panda from the State of Odisha. The TFI fellow will be primarily working on issues related to poverty in India at the government level. This position may include research, writing, field work and other duties as assigned. The type and focus of the work largely depends on what projects and legislation Mr. Panda is working on during the parliamentary session. This placement involves staying in Delhi with possible travel to Mr. Panda’s Constituency State of Odisha. We will post additional updates on our website regarding this position. Housing is included with this placement.

Jagriti Vihara - Hospital for Hope

Location: Jharkhand, India - Preferred Dates: Summer

Hospital for Hope is a new placement opportunity offered this year through our friendship with another nonprofit, One World Children’s Fund. (see OWCF website for greater description of Hospital for Hope and Jagriti Vihara). JV has been working in Jharkhand, India for over 30 years and has built schools, promotes agricultural sustainability and provides vocational training for the local community. The community that JV serves is among the poorest in all of India with high rates of infant mortality, illiteracy and unemployment, as well as struggling with poor health and sanitation issues. The new hospital is expected to launch by June 2012, and they are requesting two volunteers to assist JV. We will help you arrange housing.

Healthcare: There are opportunities to serve as a doctor, nurse or as a medical assistant in the hospital. A primary area of concern is around pediatrics and maternal health.

Public Health Policy: For those interested in economics, sociology or anthropology there is opportunity to conduct health and economic surveys. The health surveys provide the opportunity to help design the hospital to best serve the local community. The economic surveys can provide data which can be useful in helping establish an appropriate sliding scale in fees to help ensure the hospital stays sustainable and is not dependent on donations or grants for continuation. We have drafted basic surveys already that the volunteers can use as a starting point.

KENYA

St. Vincent de Paul Community Development Organization

Location: Kibera, Nairobi, Kenya - Preferred Dates: Summer

St. Vincent’s is a new placement opportunity offered this year through our friendship with another nonprofit, One World Children’s Fund. (see OWCF website for greater description of St. Vincent’s) St. Vincent’s is run by a small group of volunteers who have established a day care and nursery school for the children of Kibera in addition to the children’s Rescue Centre, which provides housing, food, school fees and medical support to orphaned children. Their programs currently serve over 100 children, no matter their religious background. St. Vincent’s is seeking two types of volunteers. We will help you arrange housing.

A Social Work Fellow should have a minimum of one academic year in a Masters in Social Work program. The Fellow's responsibilities can include, but are not limited to: assessments of children and families to identify the need for further resources, identifying contacts within Kibera where children and families can receive support, develop classroom plans for children with additional needs, and provide basic training to develop awareness amongst the staff and board of general social work practices.

Specific to the Rescue Center, the Fellow can develop and implement transition plans for children residing in the Rescue Center. Duties include research on specific requirements to meet government standards, introduce job and life skills, and health and sexual health education. Working with staff, board members and volunteers, the fellow will have the opportunity to engage in both micro and macro social work practice and community development. Experience working with teens and pre-teens is a must. Experience developing assessment plans helpful.

A Resource Development Fellow will be responsible for developing and initiating a resource development strategy for St. Vincent's that will outline the existing opportunities and set forth an action plan for St. Vincent's to attract support (both financial and in-kind) and establish partnerships with local and international entities with a presence in Kenya that is complementary to St. Vincent's current funding streams. The Fellow will produce profiles of companies, international NGOs and foundations that are operational in Kenya, and with St. Vincent's staff, initiate meetings to determine funding interests and present St. Vincent's work. The Fellow will work in close coordination with St. Vincent's staff to determine the organization's resource needs, forecast future needs and identify anticipated funding streams. The Fellow should help produce profiles of possible donors, an action plan and at least three submitted proposals/concept notes. To gain understanding of St. Vincent's work and their role in the community, the Fellow will spend an initial period interviewing St. Vincent's Board and staff (i.e., teachers) and spending time in the classroom so that he/she can communicate effectively with local donors.

Qualifications: In-depth experience in resource development (including grant/proposal writing), generating corporate support and/or managing corporate social responsibility initiatives for international development programs. Demonstrated ability to develop strategic, proactive relationships with donors (foundations, NGOs, private companies) as well as identify donor interests and match them with St. Vincent's work. Awareness of various funding streams and budgeting processes. Strong interpersonal skills, including cross cultural communication skills and ability to conduct meetings with potential donors (including international NGOs, local/international businesses, local NGOs and foundations). Excellent written communication skills. Strong initiative and self-motivation. Experience working in a Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly East Africa is preferred.

PERU

La Comunidad de Ninos Sagrada Familia

Location: Lima, Peru - Preferred Dates: March to June or mid-August to November

TFI has two positions available at La Comunidad de Ninos Sagrada Familia, a community and shelter that comprises, among other things, a school, a medical clinic, vocational workshops and dorm-style housing for young people who may not have anywhere else to go. This refuge inside a large slum houses over 800 children between the ages of 1 month to 17-years-old. The needs of the community are diverse because it serves as a home and a school with their corresponding daily activities. They prefer volunteers with teaching experience in English and/or computer classes. Someone with a public health background can also help in the medical clinic and lead informal workshops on health topics. A background in working with and mentoring youth will be very useful to help lead sports, music and crafts activities as well. This placement requires a high level of Spanish language ability, and a phone interview with a Director from Sagrada Familia for acceptance. Sagrada Familia requires volunteers to live in the community during their stay to serve as mentors to the young people and to be involved with the community’s daily routines. Because of the unique circumstances of this placement, TFI will send two volunteers together to live and work at the same time to serve as support for each other.

Mama Victoria

Location: Lima, Peru - Preferred Dates: Flexible / TBA

Mama Victoria is a supportive shelter for women escaping domestic violence with their children. The family lives there temporarily while the women acquire the skills they need to get back on their feet in a safe environment. Mama Victoria also houses an after-school program for neighborhood kids and a volunteer with Spanish/English teaching experience would be best suited for this placement. Strong Spanish language ability is required, as well someone who is flexible and willing to take on different tasks as needed. We will post additional updates on our website regarding this position. This placement requires that a Fellow stay off-site. We will help you arrange housing.

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Fellowship Eligibility:
Applicants must be at least 21 years of age, have relevant experience and skills as well as be physically able to endure the sometimes difficult conditions associated with living in a developing country for an extended period of time. A time commitment of at least 8 weeks is required by our organization before we will place you abroad. Candidates from the San Francisco Bay Area are preferred so that we might conduct in-person final interviews, as well as possibly having them work with us as alumni of the program, but ultimately the best-suited applicants will be selected for each placement, regardless of your place of residence. For additional information on TFI’s Fellowship Program, please see our Guidelines.

Compensation:
TFI will help you arrange travel and accommodations and will provide a stipend of up to $2,500 based on an 8-week stay to help offset half of the Fellow's estimated budget for travel-related costs. Upon your return, we would expect a brief report about your work experiences for our website, as well as photos which capture some of your work and time abroad. TFI Fellows can receive funding from other sources as well.

To Apply:
We require a resume with relevant education or experience and a cover letter describing your interest in a specific program or programs and ability to do this type of work. Please send these materials by email to Fellows Program Officer, Jeffrey Kaloustian at Jeffrey@theforgottenintl.org by March 5, 2012. Please include Fellowships in the subject line.

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***Note: This is not a Fellowship, but an announcement from Tibetan Delek Hospital, a charitable hospital TFI supports in Dharamsala, India. They are in desperate need of volunteer physicians. If you know a medical doctor who can help, please contact: zpaster@wisc.edu. Thank you!