INTERNSHIP IN NAIROBI
Three Months on the Ground in Africa,
Learning As You Work.
We are looking for interns to join us in Nairobi, Kenya, working on business development for Japanese companies, training programmes and community projects. We recruit year-round. Our interns have stayed for about five months on average.
HOW IT WORKS
A Long-term Regular Track, and a Short-term Challenge Track.
We are looking for interns to help run our work here in Kenya. Until now we only took long-term interns of three months or more; by popular request, we have added a short-term challenge track. We recruit year-round, and the start date is flexible.
LONG-TERM
Long-term Internship (Regular track)
Three months or more in Kenya, preceded by one month online from Japan. Housing at JENGA and the internship visa fee are covered by the company. Interns staying five to six months also receive a flight ticket.
SHORT-TERM
Short-term Internship (Challenge track)
Under three months; length and schedule by arrangement. Year-round, any time. Housing at JENGA (USD 500 per month, self-funded). Flights and visa fees are self-funded.
We also welcome people who would like to work with us remotely from Japan. If you are interested in Africa-related work, feel free to get in touch.
HOW IT WORKS
What You Will Do
The list below is an example. We decide the details together, based on your strengths and interests and on what the company is working on at the time. Please note that the projects you join will depend on when you are with us.
CONSULTING
Business Consulting
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Supporting local market research (with many chances to attend business expos and seminars)
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Preparing client deliverables and research summaries (e.g. start-up lists)
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Meeting minutes and translation (mainly English to Japanese)
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Marketing and PR (website updates, social media)
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Other related tasks
TRAINING
Training Programmes
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Supporting programme operations (booking site visits, local logistics), helping shape the programme and mentoring participants
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Supporting acceleration projects (coordinating programmes for local start-ups)
COMMUNITY
Community
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Managing the JENGA community house
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Running Africa Quest Innovation Hub (study sessions, pitch contests, online and offline events)
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Running Africa Quest.com (interviews, field research, from planning to publishing)
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Social media for our media channels
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Managing the other interns
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Other related tasks
LIFE IN NAIROBI
Home is JENGA HOUSE.
A community house in Nairobi where entrepreneurs, local residents and travellers come together. This is where our interns live.
Location
Nairobi, Kenya. Office-based as a rule
Hours
Flexitime: a nine-hour window between 8:00 and 19:00, with eight hours of work (e.g. 9:00–18:00 or 10:00–19:00)
Days off
Saturdays, Sundays and Kenyan public holidays as a rule. Occasional weekend work (e.g. the JENGA HOUSE Meetup)
WHO WE LOOK FOR
The Skills We Need, and The People We Look For
Skills
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Intermediate English (TOEIC 800 or above)
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Japanese sufficient for the work
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Basic PC skills
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Working experience with Google apps (Docs, Sheets, Slides) and email
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Comfortable with online meetings (Zoom etc.), chat and social media
Who we look for
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People who share our vision and will give their all to Africa's development
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People who think for themselves and take the initiative
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People who care about results and take on challenges responsibly
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People who bring a professional mindset to the work
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People who respect different cultures and values
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People who want to learn the basics of working life, such as reporting and communication
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People who want to grow through business and build a career overseas
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People who take their own safety in Kenya seriously
WHAT YOU GAIN
What You Will Gain
01
Thinking for yourself
Working out what to do from the goal and the problem, and acting on it
04
Planning and execution
Planning marketing and events yourself, and seeing them through
02
Problem-solving
A positive approach to the unexpected problems that come up on the ground
05
Business fundamentals
Consulting, business-building and business etiquette, learned on the job
03
Cross-cultural communication
Working with people of different nationalities and values
06
A view of Africa's frontier
Exposure to fast-growing sectors such as Web3 and fintech
ALUMNI
Alumni Stories
24 interns so far, with the 25th cohort confirmed. Six stories from our intern diary series.
PROCESS
Selection Process
STEP 01
Application review
Based on what you write in the application form.
STEP 02
First interview
Online (Zoom). Includes questions in English.
STEP 03
Second round
Online (Zoom). A case-study exercise.
STEP 04
Final interview
Online (Zoom). Recruitment closes once places are filled.
FROM THE CEO
From the CEO
Since we welcomed our first intern in Nairobi in October 2022, AXCEL AFRICA has hosted 24 interns. Honestly, the only thing I can offer is opportunity. I got here because many people ahead of me gave me opportunities. Now I think it is my turn to give them.
But a company is not a school. We treat our interns as adults, not as students on work experience. From a client's point of view, it makes no difference whether the person handling their request is an employee or an intern; they hired AXCEL AFRICA. Many of our interns started as assistants and were, by the end, running the project almost on their own. Even the name JENGA HOUSE came from an intern's idea.
Africa is a society held together by giving. People introduce people, people support each other, and business is built on top of that. If you come not only wanting to learn, but wanting to live up to what is expected of you, I believe this place will give something back.
To be honest, we cannot look after every detail. There is a curfew, and work and private life do not separate cleanly. If what you want is simply to enjoy life in Kenya, this is probably not for you. But if you come seriously, we will meet you with everything we have.
The first three months are for building the basics. Not one student has arrived ready to hit the ground running, and that is exactly why we ask for three months or more. Come and jump into Africa. Let's get things moving on the ground, together!
Hiroshi Yokoyama, CEO
READ MORE ON NOTE
More from the CEO on note.
A series that breaks the internship down job by job, and articles on what it is like from the host's side. Worth reading before you apply. All in Japanese.
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