Key Information:
Title: International Volunteer (Lusophone) for the Ashinaga Africa Initiative.
Start Date: May 5th, 2025 (Earlier starts also considered). Initial 1-year contract. Opportunity to be promoted to full-time staff if good performance.
Days of Duty: 5 days/ week, Mon-Fri
Reports To: Program Manager.
Working Hours: 09:00-17:00.
Job Overview:
The International Volunteer (Lusophone) works mainly with the Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI), an international leadership program that supports the next generation of leaders who will contribute to the development of Sub-Saharan Africa.
The International Volunteer (Lusophone Program Coordinator) manages the Preparatory Year of Lusophone candidates, ensuring their transition to universities in Brazil through the PEC-G scholarship. The coordinator also ensures an efficient academic transition by managing logistics, academic support, and administrative procedures. In addition, the coordinator teaches some classes and is responsible for developing the curriculum that will be followed by Portuguese-speaking candidates throughout the preparatory year.
Benefits:
- Accommodation: Provided
- Communication Stipend: USD 100 per month
- Flights: Provided
- Living Stipend: USD 400 per month
- Insurance: Provided
- Meals Stipend: USD 250 per month
- Settling in Grant: USD 1400 one-off payment
- Training Stipend: USD 100 per month
- Transport Stipend: USD 250 per month
The total value of the stipends is USD 1250 net per month.
Deadline for applications:
March 31st, 2025
Role Description:
- Oversee consultation, application, and study support for Ashinaga Africa Initiative Candidates.
- Interface with students regarding their plans, subject of study in overseas universities, and university applications.
- Facilitate the operation of the Preparation Year for all students.
- Contribute to the development of innovative and evidence-based curricula and optimized course scheduling.
- Assist in managing service providers who support the delivery of Ashinaga Uganda’s activities.
- Support the collection, entry, and analysis of academic and leadership-related data collected across the year.
- Assist management in the growth and development of program strategy and delivery.
- Recruiting and supervising interns as required.
- Providing support with marketing, promotion, and fundraising as required.
- Support with all student and organization-related administration.
Requirements:
Education
- Bachelor’s Degree in education, African Studies, International Development, or related degrees.
- Master’s Degree (preferred for renewal of contract).
- Experience studying in Brazil (desired).
- Experience with ENEM vestibular and Celipe-Bras exam (desired).
Experience
- Can speak, write, and read Portuguese and English fluently.
- 1-3 years’ work experience in a similar organization.
- Experience leading a team in a professional setting.
- Experience with clerical desk work and following strict administrative procedures.
- Experience in tutoring or teaching.
- A track record of meeting tight deadlines and balancing several tasks.
Skills and Abilities
- Excellent communication, verbal and written, skills.
- Advanced with Microsoft Office Suite (this will be tested).
- Japanese or French proficiency (desired – this will be tested if listed).
- Experience with social media, photography, videography, marketing, fundraising, and partnerships (desired)
Qualities and Characteristics
- Demonstrable interest in youth empowerment and education.
- Ability to multi-task and manage concurrent timelines.
- Proactive and positive attitude – a collaborative team player.
- Critical thinker – unafraid to tackle complex issues.
- Passionate about social impact, especially in an African context.
How to apply
Application Procedure:
Please send your CV/ Resume and Cover Letter by March 31st, 2025, to Davidson Correia dos Santos (correia.d@ashinaga.org). Please ensure both documents are in Microsoft Word or PDF format. Please include the role you are applying for in the email subject in the title.
Invitations for further assessment and/ or interview will be sent by April 15th. If you have not heard from us by this stage, please assume your application was unsuccessful.
Additional Information:
Ashinaga
Ashinaga is a Japanese non-profit organization that provides educational and emotional support to young people who have experienced the loss of one or both parents. In the past 45 years, Ashinaga has raised over $1 billion to enable more than 100,000 orphaned students to complete higher education in Japan. In 2001, Ashinaga expanded beyond its domestic activities and now supports a global community of disadvantaged young people, with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa. We now have offices in Uganda, Senegal, the United States, the United Kingdom, Brazil, and France. We have supported over 100 orphaned students from Sub-Saharan Africa to study at universities in Japan, Europe, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Brazil.
Ashinaga Africa Initiative
The Ashinaga Africa Initiative (AAI) is an academic leadership program that aims to provide higher education opportunities at the world’s leading institutions to orphaned students from 49 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. The program’s goal is to nurture future leaders who will contribute to democratic realization, economic development, and poverty eradication in their home countries post-graduation. Ashinaga hopes that education will empower these students to overcome their difficult backgrounds and bring positive change to their communities. One outstanding student from each Sub-Saharan African country will be selected to join the program every year. Ashinaga will provide these students with the training, opportunities, and finances necessary to study at academic institutions worldwide.
Ashinaga Uganda
The Ashinaga Uganda Kokoro-Juku serves as the core of the AAI’s recruitment and training. Selected students from English-speaking and Portuguese-speaking countries join a six-month “Study Camp” to improve academics, apply for global universities, and expand leadership capacity. After application, students again gather in Uganda to join “Preparation Camp” to apply for Visas, improve academic skills, and adopt new culture and life. We also work to establish a wider network of academic, financial, and career development support for our scholars, as well as activities to ensure the economic sustainability of our work.