About the Organization

FINCA's broadest goals are to build human capacity and participation, and particularly that of women who are often most disenfranchised. FINCA Peru's Huamanga-Ayacucho program supports community savings and lending services (village/community banks) reaching over 9,600 indigenous small entrepreneurs who otherwise have no access to the formal banking system. These entrepreneurs are almost all Quechua women working as market and street vendors, small store owners, artisans, food processors, agricultural producers, and in other family income generating activities. Through communal cooperation and education, local savings and client-oriented lending is used to build group solidarity, bolster individual confidence and skills, and help grow these micro and small enterprises.

A new division, FINCA Peru Exports, is establishing a mechanism for collective export of selective products. FINCA's program in Huamanga-Ayacucho has a Director and 40 field promoters, supervisors, and support staff.

Job Description

Interns will be assigned specific objectives and tasks consistent with their previous preparation and the particular needs of the program. Some illustrative tasks are: interview loan recipients and compile information, translation, hands-on accounting, budgeting and business guidance to individual micro enterprises;helping to put together budgets and business plans; pulling together program documentation, syntheses of results and presentations for the Promoters and the board of directors; help with training in good business practices, cooperative action and group solidarity; support leadership training; and, develop awareness of basic human rights. Interns may wish to work with FINCA Peru Exports to help manage the operations, expand export markets and assist with product development and quality control, and manage communications with distributors.

Interns will prepare a written specific work plan with their supervisor and have monthly performance reviews. Local orientation to cultural aspects of working with Quechua clients will be provided on-site by FINCA personnel and resource persons.

# of Positions per term

2

Start Dates

Any academic quarter or semester

Duration of Internship

3-6 Months

Academic Background

Economics, Business, Marketing, Merchandising Management, Apparel Design, Anthropology, Latin American Studies or Women's Studies/Gender Studies with a focus on international development.

Skills/Experience

Interest/knowledge of small/medium business planning and practices highly useful. Also management, organizational development, social communications and gender in development skills and backgrounds are very pertinent. International marketing course work or experience is a plus. Women's Studies/Gender Studies coursework strongly recommended. Prior exposure to third world poverty and interest in poverty alleviation. Generalists are welcome, but must have strong cross-cultural communication skills and be able to work collaboratively and creatively with members.

Language Ability

Quechua is the native language in the area, but Spanish is also widely spoken as a second language. Spanish coursework or practical language ability equivalent to completion of 4th-year university level strongly preferred (completion of 3rd year plus study abroad in Latin America would be fine).

Other Requirements

The nature of this internship is very independent. It is best for interns who are highly self-motivated and willing to take initiative.

Good interpersonal and cross-cultural communication skills, team work, cultural sensitivity and flexibility to adapt to on-going and multiple activities. Prior study abroad or international living experience or significant travel experience required.

Total costs vary depending on how long you plan to be abroad, where you will be living, your personal spending habits, and current exchange rates. The following estimates will give you a ballpark figure for this internship. Get help with the math from our handy Cost Calculator.

IE₃ Program Fee

The program fee for the first term of any internship is $2,750 - $2,950. You do not pay tuition in addition to the program fee. Visit your University's IE₃ page for details, costs for additional terms, and campus administrative fees.

Estimated One-Time Expenses

Expense Type	Price
International Travel	$1500-$1800
Visa Fees
Recommended Immunizations	$500

*See Additional Cost Information below.

Estimated Monthly Expenses

Expense Type	Price/month
Housing	$80-$150
Food	$250
Local Transportation	$50
Recreation	$50
Personal Expenses	$50

Compensation

None.

Additional Expense Information

$1200-$1400 Rountrip Airfare to Lima plus $220 Roundtrip Airfare from Lima to Ayacucho

Finca Peru will arrange a room for the intern. The location is one block from the office. The rent is about $80-$90 per month (without kitchen facilities) and meals out can run another $5-$8 per day. Plan an additional $150-$200 per month for incidentals, local transport and travel, and recreation. Opportunities exist to visit Cuzco, Machu Picchu, Lake Titicaca, so factor in some additional travel money and time after the internship for personal travel.

Ayacucho information - Ayacucho is a colonial style city with approximately 120,000 citizens, calm and quiet, with old streets full of charm where it is good to walk in order to accustom to the extremely quiet atmosphere. It was the capital of the last pre-Inca Empire and a big colonial town. It is located in the middle of the driest area of Peru. It is known as the city of churches. It is about 300 miles from the capitol city of Lima and it is about 8000 feet above sea level. It is also the major business and commercial center in this region of Peru.

Finca Peru website

Finca Peru Exports website

Newsletter_Summer2008

Link to video of Ayacucho and some of the artisans.

Link to a final report from a past intern:

Liz

Megan

Rachel

Read IE3 Blog - regional director's visit to Ayacucho

Student blog entries (spring 2008): Teresa Roark and Dustin Cady