Internship Programme - Rural Water Supply Programme Intern (Three months, for Afghan Nationals Only), Batch Recruitment for 3 Interns - Kabul - Afghanistan

The Rural Water Supply (RWS) Programme in Afghanistan aims to address the water supply needs of the most vulnerable communities with high stunting and open defecation prevalence. It is exclusively implemented through the Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Irrigation department (Ru-WatSIP) of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD). There have been important gains in rural WASH access over the past 15 years under the leadership of MRRD and currently, the coverage of improved drinking water supply in rural areas of Afghanistan is estimated in 53%, according to the latest report of the WHO/UNICEF JMP in 2017. In line with the revised Rural WASH Policy, Ru-WatSIP aims to maximize the potential of using gravity-fed systems to provide community water supply and prioritize solar powered piped schemes over boreholes with hand pumps, as these modalities have been proved to be more resilient and provide a higher level of service to the community. UNICEF and Ru-WatSIP are also supporting piped house connections for its systems, answering to the President’s call that everyone in Afghanistan should pay for its drinking water and that all house connections should be metered, and field-based water quality testing for E.coli, arsenic and fluoride in the new water supply systems. The RWS programme is aligned with the UNICEF WASH Strategy 2016-2030, which considers the inclusion of gender as a main cross cutting component to contribute to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, aiming to achieve the SDG 6 “By 2030, achieve access to safe and affordable drinking water and access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.”

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, a champion!

Purpose of the internship:

The Rural Water Supply (RWS) Programme in Afghanistan aims to address the water supply needs of the most vulnerable communities with high stunting and open defecation prevalence. It is exclusively implemented through the Rural Water Supply, Sanitation and Irrigation department (Ru-WatSIP) of the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD). There have been important gains in rural WASH access over the past 15 years under the leadership of MRRD and currently, the coverage of improved drinking water supply in rural areas of Afghanistan is estimated in 53%, according to the latest report of the WHO/UNICEF JMP in 2017.

In line with the revised Rural WASH Policy, Ru-WatSIP aims to maximize the potential of using gravity-fed systems to provide community water supply and prioritize solar powered piped schemes over boreholes with hand pumps, as these modalities have been proved to be more resilient and provide a higher level of service to the community. UNICEF and Ru-WatSIP are also supporting piped house connections for its systems, answering to the President’s call that everyone in Afghanistan should pay for its drinking water and that all house connections should be metered, and field-based water quality testing for E.coli, arsenic and fluoride in the new water supply systems.

The RWS programme is aligned with the UNICEF WASH Strategy 2016-2030, which considers the inclusion of gender as a main cross cutting component to contribute to gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls, aiming to achieve the SDG 6 “By 2030, achieve access to safe and affordable drinking water and access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all and end open defecation, paying special attention to the needs of women and girls and those in vulnerable situations.”

Key Duties and Tasks

Under the supervision of the Programme Officers responsible for the Rural Water Supply program at UNICEF, three interns are sought to support the team in the following tasks:

• Support the compilation of experiences on metered household connections in rural areas of Afghanistan;
• Document human stories around the use of metered house connections focused on the impact of the RWS projects in different provinces of the country;
• analysis of the data collected for the District-Wide School-Based WASH programme;
• to support the planning of the Zonal WinS programmes and its compilation at national level based on the reformulated decentralized WinS strategy;
• Support and document the integration of the community-based nutrition package in the Community –Led-Total-Sanitation program.

To qualify as a champion you will have:

Education: Current enrolment in, or recent graduation from an undergraduate or master’s programme within the last two years in one of the disciplines relevant to the following areas: Development Studies, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Sanitation Engineering, Social Work, or a field relevant to international WASH related development assistance.

Have excellent academic performance as demonstrated by recent university or institution records.

Language: Fluency in English as well as Dari/Pashto is required.

Skills:

a. Good reading skills: Ability to read and understand English articles.

b. Good writing skills: ability to write up reports or briefing with UNICEF provided template.

c. Good technical skills: familiarity with MS Office, ability to conduct comprehensive research via internet research as well as developing and using spreadsheets is an asset.

d. Good communication skills: Ability to work independently and also as a team member both within and outside the office.

e.   Experience in a similar field would be beneficial but is not essential.

For every Child, you demonstrate… 

• Respect for and adherence to UNICEF’s core values of Commitment, Diversity and Inclusion, and Integrity;
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and team working skills and capacity to work in a multicultural environment;
• Strong drive for results, setting high standards for the quality of work;
• Interest in learning and researching, gathering comprehensive information to support decision making.

Conditions of Intern:

Expenses: Please note that Internships at UNICEF are unpaid. However a small stipend may be available inclusive of transport cost.

Health/Medical insurance: Intern is required to hold valid health/accident insurance. UNICEF accepts no responsibilities for costs arising from accidents and/or illness incurred during the internship whether on or off UNICEF premises.

Employment: This is a full time internship job for an initial period of three months. There is no expectancy of employment at the end of the internship.

How to apply:

• If you recognize yourself from the above and wish to make a difference for every child; you are requested to apply through this online system by 27 December 2017.  When you apply, please attach the following:

  • your CV and a cover letter in English to state the majors/areas of your study and the reason for application;
  • include two letters of recommendation (can be from employers, internships, university professor, etc.);
  • attach a proof of excellent academic performance/transcript through recent university or institution records.

     

• Only qualified applicants will be short-listed and notified for further screening and interview.  Thank you for your understanding.  

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.