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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.
Charlie Yang
The Bullis School
Class of 2023
Zechang (Charlie) Yang has participated in Leadership Initiatives (LI) Youth Development Programs (YDP) since eighth grade. In the summer of 2019, he became an intern at the Advanced Law & Trial Internship Summit and the International Leadership & Business Internship Summit, after which he continued to work with other team members on the International Business Internship Program (IBIP, or IIP) for the next several years and participated in National Security & Intelligence Internship Program in the summer of 2021. At the same time, he became a website intern for LI and worked on website development for YDP and IIP programs.
Charlie has been a student at Bullis since eighth grade. He enjoys a variety of activities at his school. He serves as Director of Bullis Student Tutors (BST), co-president of the Math Club, co-founding president of the Financial Education Club and the Biology Club, leadership team member of the MUN Club, the secretary of the Internation Thespian Society (ITS), a member of the National Honor Society (NHS), Science National Honor Society (SNHS), National English Honor Society (NEHS), Student Government Association (SGA), Conduct Review Board (CRB), and the Institutional Identity Committee as part of the Bullis Strategic Plan. He is also proud to be a member of the varsity Rock Climbing team and the Bulldog Productions team to help broadcast home sports games. Charlie is honored to receive the Outstanding Scholar Award (for the past two years), Head of School Award, Excellence in Theatre Award, and Excellence in Mathematics Award. For college, Charlie plans to major in Applied Mathematics, Economics, or Statistics and to continue learning Latin and Ancient Greek.
Charlie is extremely excited to participate in the International Business Internship Program!
Andy Guo
The Bullis School
Class of 2025
Andy Guo is a rising sophomore at Bullis School. Andy Guo is a dedicated honor student who is enrolled in both Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment courses.
Andy Guo enjoys swimming, playing piano, and playing tennis. At school, he is one of the Vice Presidents and co-founder of the Biology Club. Andy Guo is also a member of the Varsity Swimming team of Bullis. During his free time, Andy Guo enjoys playing the piano.
Andy Guo is excited to be participating in the International Business & Development Internship summit this summer. He loves learning about business and hopes to someday be a pediatrician. In the future, Andy Guo wants to take the skills she has learned and help make advances in the Bank.
Sophia Guo
The Bullis School
Class of 2026
Sophia Guo is a rising 9th grader at Bullis School. Sophia Guo is a student who enrolled in honor courses.
Sophia Guo has the hobbies of playing tennis, piano, and drawing. At school, she is presented as Music Honors Recital Performer, an outstanding achievement. At her free time, Sophia Guo likes to draw and read.
Sophia Guo is looking forward to International Business & Development Internship Program. She loves learning about international business and is excited to internship and learn about these things. In the future, Sophia Guo wants to use the skills she has learned in this program, to have a deeper understanding of International Business.
Our Internship Team
CLICK EACH MEMBER TO LEARN MORE.
Emily Wang
The Bullis School
Class of 2024
Emily Wang is a Junior at Bullis School. She spends a lot of her life traveling and learning about different cultures. As a student with a strong passion for academics, she also enrolled in multiple AP-level classes.
Emily Wang is the kind of person who enjoys everything in her life. At school, she participates in clubs, volunteers, and arts. Academically, Emily Wang loves STEM but is also interested in Humanities. At the same time, she is an Artist. She is excited to create the world with her painting and drawing. As a reward for her effort, she won the Excellence in Visual Arts Award. She is also a great Baker, a Beverage Maker, a curious Reader, and a Personal Financier & Investor.
Emily Wang is glad to join the International Internship Program. For herself, she wants to use this opportunity to develop leadership skills, practice her business skill, and study different cultures. For others, Emily wants to help people explore their business potential, develop their companies, and connect them to the international network. She loves to see and help business to grow, so here she is, in the International Internship Program.
Julia Zhu
The Bullis School
Class of 2023
Julia Zhu is a senior at Bullis School, in Potomac Maryland. Julia is a dedicated honor student who is enrolled in both Advanced Placement and Dual Enrollment courses.
Julia enjoys singing and playing volleyball. At school, she is part of the school concert choir and volleyball team. She is also a member of Peer Mentors and the National Honor Society. During her free time, Julia enjoys reading and writing.
Julia is excited to be participating in the International Business Internship Program. She loves learning about the business world and helping people to make their business idea to alive. In the future, Julia wants to take the skills she has learned and help make advances in the business field.
Zhengyang Wu
The Bullis School
Class of 2023
try to become a better person through this program
Liwen Yang
The Bullis School
Class of 2024
Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times.
Our Business Partner
Silifat Salisu
Business Statistics
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Silifat Salisu
About Silifat
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Silifat Salisu
Community Impact
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Silifat Salisu
Our Partnership
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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
$0 RAISED
$750 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
