Internship, WASH Section, UNICEF Bissau, Guinea Bissau

UNICEF Guinea Bissau is opening an internship opportunity for a dynamic and dedicated student in architecture to review the current and past designs and suggest improvements to ensure that the latrines are inviting for students and appropriate to use. Child friendly latrines is an integral part of the child friendly schools. All new latrines built by UNICEF are gender segregated and inclusive for all students. There is a problem of access to many areas as well as serious limitation in quality construction companies. This leads to elevated prices for all construction, limiting the reach of the relatively scarce budget of the office.

UNICEF works in 190 countries and territories to protect the rights of every child. UNICEF has spent 70 years working to improve the lives of children and their families. Defending children's rights throughout their lives requires a global presence, aiming to produce results and understand their effects. UNICEF believes all children have a right to survive, thrive and fulfill their potential – to the benefit of a better world.

For every child, hope.

The UNICEF Internship Programme offers qualified and eligible students at both Headquarters (HQ) and Country Offices (CO) the unique opportunity to acquire direct practical experience in UNICEF's work and the United Nations system under the direct supervision of experienced UNICEF staff.

To be considered for an internship with UNICEF, applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate degree programme; and
• Be proficient in at least one of UNICEF's working languages: English, French, Spanish. Russian, Mandarin or Arabic. Additional language requirements may apply;  and
• Have excellent academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records

Purpose of the internship:

UNICEF is supporting the Government of Guinea-Bissau through the Ministry of Education (MoE) to ensure proper school sanitation. Good WASH practises in school influences a young person life as well as their families. Children are very powerful agents of change and will bring the good knowledge they have learned in school back to their family. Additionally it is shown in several studies that appropriate sanitation has a large effect on school attendance, especially for girls.

UNICEF has promoted several different toilet designs throughout the years. The continuous field visit by the section as well as project evaluations show worrying signs of limited use of the latrines and poorly functional handwashing practises. To a large degree this is depending on ineffective or non-recurring hygiene promotion but a properly designed latrine that is inviting and safe to use adds significantly to toilet usage. UNICEF Guinea-Bissau is currently reformulating the hygiene education programme for larger impact and with this internship intends to improve on the designs of school latrines

Tasks

The successful intern candidate would accompany the section, in close collaboration with the relevant department in the Ministry of Education, in reviewing past designs of latrines, identifying what has been functioning well and what has not. The intern would also accompany the section and the MoE in the identification of children´s desire for their sanitation upgrade.

With the basis of the child consultation and the analysis of past designs, the intern will together with the section and the Ministry of Education visualize an updated school toilet design that is scalable and ensure the usage of the structures. The new design should be durable and cost effective, preferably modular. Additionally a new simplified design utilizing natural materials should be developed for settings within the natural parks and for cost effectiveness

Finally the intern, with the ideas of new designs, will liaise with the construction unit to develop construction drawings and bill of quantities.

Start date: 1 March 2017

Duration: The duration of the internship is three months with possible extension up to a maximum of 6 months.

Qualifications:

• Enrolled in a first-level university degree in Architecture

• Fluency in English is required, knowledge of local language is an asset (Portuguese and Creole)

• Knowledge of relevant computer systems and applications; excellent knowledge of MS Office is required. Excellent knowledge of smartphone usage, especially for survey gathering meriting

• Knowledge of Architectural design software

• Experience of working or living in a development setting is an asset.

For this purpose, UNICEF Guinea Bissau is opening an internship opportunity for a dynamic and dedicated student in architecture to review the current and past designs and suggest improvements to ensure that the latrines are inviting for students and appropriate to use. Child friendly latrines is an integral part of the child friendly schools. All new latrines built by UNICEF are gender segregated and inclusive for all students. There is a problem of access to many areas as well as serious limitation in quality construction companies. This leads to elevated prices for all construction, limiting the reach of the relatively scarce budget of the office.

Salary/Payment:

UNICEF will not pay for services provided by an intern and all the expenses connected with these services must be borne by the intern. There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.

Insurance:

UNICEF will not be responsible for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the intern's service, whether on or off UNICEF premises. Therefore, the selected candidate must provide proof of enrolment in a health/accident plan prior to start his/her work with WASH Section.

Confidentiality:

You must be discreet and keep confidential any and all unpublished information obtained during the course of the internship and may not publish any documents based on such information.

If accepted, the intern will be required to provide a copy of health insurance coverage and to fill out the UNICEF form on conditions regarding service as an intern.

For every Child, you demonstrate…

Our core values are Commitment, Diversity and Integrity and our Core Competencies in Communication, Working with People and Drive for Results.

UNICEF is committed to diversity and inclusion within its workforce, and encourages qualified female and male candidates from all national, religious and ethnic backgrounds, including persons living with disabilities, to apply to become a part of our organization.