Project profile — Mennonite Economic Development Associates (MEDA) - IYIP Internships 2015-2017

• Uganda (7.18%)
• Ethiopia (13.68%)
• Ghana (29.83%)
• Tanzania (36.67%)
• Nicaragua (12.64%)

• Banking And Financial Services: Education/training in banking and financial services (24081) (12.64%)
• Business And Other Services: Business support services and institutions (25010) (87.36%)

• Gender equality (not targeted)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (not targeted)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)

This project is part of the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development (DFATD) International Youth Internship Program (IYIP), funded by the Government of Canada's Youth Employment Strategy (YES). The IYIP contributes to the YES by providing a large spectrum of Canadian graduates with valuable international development work experience abroad. Mennonite Economic Development Associates’ two-year International Youth Internship Program provides 24 interns with internship assignments based in Ghana, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda and Nicaragua. The programming supports sustainable economic growth through applying business solutions to poverty. The placements allow interns to gain practical, hands-on experience complementing many of the skills they have learned through their education by working alongside MEDA’s staff and partners.

The expected intermediate outcomes for this program include: (1) increased access by Canadian interns (young men and women) to Canadian labour market opportunities, including in the field of international development; and (2) increased engagement of Canadian interns (young men and women) as global citizens in supporting international development in Canada and abroad.

Results achieved as of March 2017 include: (1) a total of 19 interns (12 female and 7 male) were hired and attended the orientation sessions which were scheduled during the months of October, February and April held at MEDA’s head office in Waterloo; (2) each intern participated in a four day orientation session at MEDA headquarter office. The orientation sessions covered such topics as cultural sensitivity, Information and Communications Technology, MEDA’s gender and environment policies; (3) 12 interns reported using MEDA’s social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) and published blogs on MEDA’s website to share their internship experience; and (4) all 19 hired interns have developed their action plans for the period of their internship.

• Proactive disclosure