Start date: ASAP
Duration: 6 months
Location: Luang Prabang, Laos
About Pencils of Promise: www.pencilsofpromise.org
Pencils of Promise is one of the fastest growing nonprofits in the country. Founded with only $25 dollars, in less than three years PoP has broken ground on more than 100 schools in Laos, Nicaragua and Guatemala and delivered more than 3M education hours. Together, we build sustainable schools, partnerships and solutions to enable basic education for underserved children in the developing world. We are proof that a generation empowered will empower the world: one child, one pencil at a time.
Pencils of Promise has been growing explosively in Laos, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Ghana. In Laos, PoP's first country of impact, we've built over 30 schools and now have a full-time local staff of over 30 people. You will work closely with local staff to help support rural education in Luang Prabang province.
Role and Responsibilities
Pencils of Promise is seeking a fellow who will support operations in Laos by developing programming related to community engagement. You will work directly with our Programs Manager and local Programming Team to help establish community events to engage local communities, build consensus, impart the importance of education and PoP programming, and gain participation from community members.
This is a unique opportunity to be closely involved with the daily on-the-ground operations of an international non-profit. You will work closely with local staff, and spend time visiting our completed, ongoing, and upcoming project sites. Your responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:
- Design, develop and implement programming to engage local communities and gain village buy-in (i.e. pre-build workshops, post-build community events, school opening ceremonies)
- Document best practices, lessons learned and augment programming accordingly
- Build staff capacity to be able to take on coordination and implementation upon completion of fellowship
- Provide support to other areas of operation at the discretion of the Programs Manager
End of fellowship deliverables are likely to include:
- Refined and contextually appropriate community engagement programming tied seamlessly into current PoP operations
- Trained local staff to effectively coordinate and implement programming
Qualifications
- Bachelor's and/or Master's degree in International Education or Development or related fields, and/or 1 to 2 years of on-the-ground community development experience
- Proficient in Lao language and culture (preferred)
- Demonstrated experience living and working in a different culture
- Demonstrated experience working with developing communities
- High energy and ability to interface with and engage both adults and children in a foreign context
- Excellent oral and written English language skills
- Some understanding of photography and visual documentation preferred
- Ability to work independently and take initiative
- Strong communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills
- Good computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Office
- Fun loving and great sense of humor
