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The International Business Development Internship
Leadership Initiatives is working to end extreme poverty in Northern Nigeria through entrepreneurship and innovation. As part of the International Business & Development Program, Leadership Initiatives identifies small business owners who live under $1.90 a day, have little formal business education, and are struggling to provide for their family’s basic needs.
Once business owners have completed training, Leadership Initiatives pairs International Business & Development Interns with a business partner and business mentor. Interns are given the opportunity to help tackle major issues at the grassroots level by working directly with small business owners to support and incubate local entrepreneurs. Students will work with Leadership Initiatives staff over the course of nine months to provide income-generating solutions that focus on food supply, women empowerment, environment and sustainability, personal care, and mobility.
The International Business & Development Internship aims to introduce interns to the complexities and challenges of running a small business and working within community development. Interns will gain an understanding of the unwavering commitment, focus, and determination required to work within this field. From working with interns, local business owners will have new knowledge of entrepreneurial skills they need to create business opportunities that will contribute to socio-economic development and significantly transform their lives.
Our Internship Team
CLICK EACH MEMBER TO LEARN MORE.
Sahana Behera
Lexington High School
Class of 2024
Sahana Behera is a junior at Lexington High School who is deeply interested in computer science and healthcare. She is a driven student who strives to have a future career where she helps the world in some way or another.
Sahana partakes in various activities in school including HOSA, the Students Against Destructive Decisions Club, and is a News Editor for the Musket (her school newspaper). Apart from her academics, Sahana loves Bollywood dance and has recently cofounded a Bollywood Dance Team at her school. Outside of school, she also volunteers on a suicide helpline, Samaritans, where she is able to give back to her community.
Sahana is extremely excited to join the Business and Development program because she will be able to expand her skillset through learning entrepreneurial and economic principles, something she doesn't have much experience with. In doing so, she will also be aiding communities in need of support which is something she is passionate about.
Anvi Patel
Lexington High School
Class of 2024
Anvi Patel is a junior at Lexington High School. Not only is she a dedicated student but also participates in many other extracurricular outside of school such as Brazilian Jiu Jistu, parade band, and community service related activities such as tutoring children.
Anvi is excited to be able to participate in the International Business and Development Internship. She is hoping that her skills in business and management are better able to support businesses in Nigeria and she hopes to gain a perspective on how small businesses struggle due to a negative environment, how they end up thriving with the help of others, and what we can do as a community to help support business owners.
Our Business Partner
Monday Yohanna Azi
Business Statistics
Monday Yohanna Azi
About Monday
2. Monday sponsored himself through his education.
3. Monday started learning about laundry businesses in 2008.
Monday Yohanna Azi
Community Impact
Monday Yohanna Azi
Our Partnership
Our Approach
FINANCIAL TRACKING
Financially literate entrepreneurs make growth-oriented financial and economic decisions for their savings, borrowing, and investments. Our team is working with Isiyaka Sa’ad to create an effective financial tracking system for his business finances, receipts, and daily costs.
OUR ADVERTISING
Our team identified target markets and key demographics to create a customer acquisition plan. We are working with Isiyaka Sa’ad to redesign his brand and create effective marketing campaigns.
BUSINESS IMPROVEMENTS
Steady growth is a critical component of creating self-sustaining communities. Our team is working to identify key areas of opportunity for Isiyaka Sa’ad and design solutions with grant money to improve his business to foster growth.
Our Fundraising
$150 RAISED
$600 NEEDED
$750 GOAL
Sub-Saharan Africa has experienced some of the highest growth rates globally over the past 10 years. While this means that people in these nations have become more optimistic about their social and economic future, the region continues to face a myriad of historical problems. In order to continue steady growth and achieve a future of equitable conditions in the region, our International Internship Program team seeks to build stronger communities from the grassroots level through fundraising for community development.
Funds raised are used to implement community-based education programs, pay staff to run the operations on-site, and invest in training for local leaders. Leadership Initiatives uses fundraised money to develop a network of support for actionable change and accountability between our team, the Leadership Initiatives staff, and the community stakeholders we work with.
CLICK BELOW TO VIEW OUR GLOBALGIVING PAGE
