ADVERTISEMENT FOR 2009 YOUNG WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP PROGRAMME

Do you want to experience a nine-month –long internship programme (April to November 2009) at a regional women’s rights organization based in Kampala , Uganda ? Do you want to interact with young women from four countries in the region? Do you want to experience a multicultural networking, educational, empowerment and capacity building? Do you want to be part of the women’s movement in Eastern Africa ?

Then why don’t you apply to be one of the fortunate 4 young women to be selected for mentoring and coaching by the Eastern African sub Regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women? You must be a female from Burundi Ethiopia , Rwanda or Uganda between the ages of 20 and 35.

The Eastern African Sub-regional Support Initiative for the Advancement of Women (EASSI) was formed in 1996 as a mechanism that would facilitate networking within the Eastern African sub Region ( Burundi , Eritrea , Ethiopia , Kenya , Rwanda , Somali , Tanzania , and Uganda ) to build on the gains made following the Beijing 4th World Conference on Women. EASSI prioritizes on the 12 critical areas of concern for women identified in the Beijing and the African Platforms for Action. The founding principle of EASSI was to stimulate activism at national, regional and international levels and to make concrete and meaningful change for women of the sub-region.

The young women’s internship programme provides opportunities for learning, interacting and networking. Its objective is to develop and enhance young women’s skills in leadership, gender, lobbying and advocacy, management, report writing and analysis, research and documentation, information management, developing resourceful data bases, website maintenance and resource centre management. In 2008 the young women in this programme came from Eritrea , Kenya , Somalia and Tanzania .

The programme also provides opportunity to the interns to gain hands on experiences in working within a women's organisation. They have the chance to bring their own perspectives into the work of EASSI and to shape the internship programme. The programme will also shape their approach to feminism and issues at regional and global level that impact women. At the end of the internship programme, each intern is expected to produce a research report on an area of their choice linked to EASSI’s work and women’s rights perspectives.

Criteria for Selection for the Internship Programme

* Females aged between the age of 20 to 35
* Citizens of Burundi , Ethiopia , Rwanda or Uganda .
* Must have at least a Bachelors Degree in Social Sciences, Law, Development Studies, Mass Communication, Education, Information Technology, Gender and Women Studies, Economics and other related Arts and Science subjects
* Must be able to communicate fluently in spoken and written English. Ability to speak and write in French and Kiswahili are an added advantage
* Demonstrate interest in the advancement of women in any sphere of development
* Must ably demonstrate how they will apply their skills to the advancement of young women’s concerns within their own countries
* Should have some workable knowledge of IT although training will be provided for non IT users
* Be willing to share living space with other interns
* Be able work as a team
* Must be willing to be away from home country for nine months from April 1 to December 15 2009
* Must possess at least a one year valid passport

Requirements for the Application Process

1. Letter of application
2. Letter of recommendation by a credible women’s organization and endorsed by EASSI’s Focal Point in member country. Please find the focal point contacts below
3. Curriculum vitae-not more than 3 A4 pages, including three referees, one academic, one personal and one from a women’s organization
4. One recent colour passport photo-(either scan one or send by post)
5. Evidence of commitment to the women’s movement in the region
6. Copy of passport
7. Copy of academic certificates
8. One A4 page of written work in a field of women’s concerns
9. Copy of a criminal free record/certificate of good conduct for the purpose of processing a work permit (This is a requirement by the Uganda Immigration Department) (This can be done after selection).

EASSI will provide suitable accommodation and a monthly stipend for each intern. They will also be entitled to five working days leave.
The deadline for submission is Friday 13th February 2009 at 1200pm GMT.

Applications should be submitted to:
Marren Akatsa-Bukachi
Executive Director-EASSI
P O Box 24965
Kampala, Uganda
East Africa

[email][email protected]

FOCAL POINT MEMBERS ARE BELOW.

BURUNDI
CONCILLE GAHUNGERE
Collectif Des Associations et Ongs Feminines du Burundi
(CAFOB)
Email: [email][email protected]/
[email][email protected]
+ 257 218409

ETHIOPIA
Ms. Selama Witt
Christian Relief Development Association
(CRDA)
Email: [email][email protected]
Tel: + 251 11392394

RWANDA
Agnes Mujawayezu
Profemme Twese-Hamwe
Email: [email][email protected]
Tel: +250 518648

UGANDA
Jolly Mugisha
Uganda Women’s Network (UWONET)
Email:[email protected]
Tel: + 256 414 286539

EASSI
The East African Sub-regional Support Initiative for The Advancement of Women (EASSI)
Plot 87 Bukoto-Ntinda Road P. O. BOX 24965, Kampala Uganda
Tel: 256-414-285163, 285194
Fax: 256-414-285306
[email][email protected]
Website: http//www.eassi.org
Blog: www.eassi.wordpress.com