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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.
Brigid Wagner
The Willows Academy
Class of 2023
Brigid Wagner is a senior at Willows Academy, an all-girls private college prep school. She is enrolled in all AP and honors classes at her school with an unweighted GPA of 98.5/100. She got a 36 on the ACT.
A year-round competitive swimmer since age 6, Brigid aspires to swim in college. She is a state-level swimmer working to achieve national times. She was also a member of her school's Varsity soccer team for two years before she focused on swimming. She participated in both the National Security and Intelligence Summit and the Advanced Law and Trial Internship Summit Tier II in summer 2020 and the International Leadership and Business Internship in summer 2021. She also participated in the International Law and Advocacy Internship during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years. In her free time, Brigid enjoys watching the Detroit Red Wings and playing sports with her siblings.
Brigid is very excited to participate in the International Business and Development Internship in order to help people who would not have the resources otherwise to achieve their dreams. She hopes her participation in this program will help an aspiring business owner be able to run their business and eventually inspire others in their community to do the same. She is also looking forward to learning skills she can carry with her to future business endeavors.
Audrey Anastasi
The Willows Academy
Class of 2024
Audrey Anastasi is a rising sophomore. Audrey is a highly motivated Dean's List student and is enrolled in all either Advanced Placement or Honors classes. She has received 6 out of 7 Excellence Awards for highest marks in her freshmen class.
Audrey enjoys rowing, tennis, and playing piano. She is first chair pianist in her school's musical Ensemble. In her free time she loves to go to the beach, workout, and travel.
Audrey is absolutely thrilled to be participating in the International Leadership & Business Internship, as she loves learning about other cultures and hopes to start her own business in the future. Audrey wishes to gather valuable knowledge from this program and carry it with her into other stages her life. She is eager to use this experience to make a difference in any way possible
Emily Elder
The Willows Academy
Class of 2024
Emily Elder is a junior at The Willows Academy. Emily is an honor student who is dedicated to her school. She is a House Leader for The Willows Academy, which is a leadership position given to eight students in her school who reflect the school's mission. As House Leader, Emily's job is to keep her house sisters spirited and excited about the school year.
EMily Elder is enrolled in multiple AP courses but has a specific interest in math. She takes AB and BC Calculus as a junior and hopes to become a mechanical engineer when she's older. As an extracurricular, Emily is a core member of the group Stemxx. Stemxx's mission is to bring Stem opportunities to young girls who are interested in going into a STEM profession. In this group, along with being a core member, Emily is also a speaker who gives lectures to the young girls on various topics.
Emily is so excited to become part of the International Interm Program team for the first time. She so thoroughly enjoyed her National Intelligence and Security Program over the summer that she sought out a group to join in her school. She is very excited about the work she has started and cannot wait to make a difference and help people around the world.
Elaina Niemczura
The Willows Academy
Class of 2023
Elaina Niemczura is a rising senior at Willows Academy. Elaina is a dedicated Dean’s List student who is enrolled in Advanced Placement courses, as well as an all-honors curriculum.
Elaina enjoys running and playing sports, especially soccer. Elaina has been involved in her class student council team throughout high school, and is currently President of her school-wide student council. She is also a member of the National Honor Society, Sociedad Honoraria Hispanica, and Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society. Elaina is also the president and founder of her school’s Book Club. During her free time, Elaina enjoys reading and spending time with her family and friends.
Elaina is excited to be participating in the International Business and Development Internship this year. She loves helping others, and is excited to aid in the development of a business in Bauchi. She looks forward to working with people from around the world, and hopes to help her business partner achieve success. In the future, Elaina wants to take the skills she has learned and help her in future business endeavors.
Our Business Partner
Aisha Isa
Business Statistics
Aisha’s restaurant has a very varied menu, helping it to stand out in the community because of its many options.
Aisha loves the satisfaction she gives people by providing their favorite foods.
Aisha Isa
About Aisha
Despite having no prior experience in business, Aisha has been able to keep her restaurant in business for four years. Learning from her mother and from cooking at home, Aisha’s quality home-cooked meals define her restaurant. Aisha hopes to grow her business so that she can employ young girls and single mothers with no other means of making money to help support them in the community.
Aisha Isa
Community Impact
Although Aisha currently does not have any employees, she hopes to hire young girls and single mothers to work at her restaurant once she has the means because she thinks it is important to help those who were in the situation she was once in.
Aisha Isa
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
$715 RAISED
$35 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.
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