Health and Nutrition Intern / HIV and Sexual Health Intern

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Community Partner:

MASINFA strives to promote sustainable development through education, health care, sound agriculture, and civic participation. MASINFA provides technological, practical education to low-income residents of Masaya and offers health care and education through prevention programs. MASINFA works to conserve the environment through the facilitation of sustainable practices in agriculture and increasing food security. They also provide small loans and promote housing development and community involvement.

MASINFA is composed of three main areas:

1. A technical continuation school (NAMBUE)

2. A cancer prevention and healthcare center (Programa Salud - CIPO)

3. A housing and local development arm that elaborates home construction and infrastructure projects (Programa Desarrollo Local Sostenible -DLS) incorporating microfinance

An overarching objective of the organization’s upcoming Strategic Plan is to emphasize the importance of proper nutrition and physical activity for long-term health and disease prevention through a multidisciplinary approach, targeting the youth population, pregnant women, and parents.

Internship Description:

Public Health/Nutrition Intern

The health clinic run by MASINFA (CIPO) is currently aiming to further build on the awareness generated through their work by engaging the resources and beneficiaries of the health clinic (CIPO) to deliver the values of proper nutrition at all stages of healthcare delivery to the adult population. A Public Health/Nutrition Intern would have an opportunity to research and learn about issues regarding nutrition in Nicaragua, and work with the nurses and physicians to design public health campaigns that will directly benefit the citizens living in Masaya, Nicaragua.

HIV and Sexual Health Intern

The Centro de Investigacion y Prevencion Oncologica (CIPO) primary objective is the prevention of Uteran and Breast Cancer, though the clinic also offers: general consults, gynecological consults, pap smears, mammograms, minor breast and vaginal surgeries, ultrasounds, pregnancy prevention, and biopsy. The clinic is always in need of, in fact depends on, interns to build capacity in the form of new techniques for messaging, engaging, and evaluating of existing activities, which include the following:

• Forums, workshops, health fairs at the departmental and national level in conjunction with the Nicaraguan AIDS Commission (CONISIDA)
• HIV prevention
• Distribution of/education about contraceptive methods
• Youth counsel and education regarding topics of reproductive health, STIs and STDs, Teen pregnancy, self-care and general health, promotion of health amongst peers
• House to house visits - urban and rural - throughout various municipalities to distribute educational materials on the topic of health

Qualifications:

• Student studying public health, nutrition, global health, or similar field
• Motivated to work in rural areas and among underserved populations
• Self-motivated, able to work independently and with little material resources
• Culturally respectful, wants to learn more than teach
• Curious, innovative, and quick learners
• Resilient, open-minded, and hard-working
• Creative and positive problem-solver, adaptable to challenging environments
• Genuinely interested in community development and integrating into the community
• Conversational Spanish for placements in Latin America

Schedule:

Interns will receive in-country orientation upon arrival facilitated by the FSD site team, which includes training in sustainable development principles, health and safety, cultural integration, and project management. After orientation, interns live with host-families and work full-time at the organization Monday-Friday. In the first week at the organization, the intern will gain an understanding of ongoing initiatives and conduct field visits to learn about the communities they serve. The supervisor and intern will collaborate to develop a workplan and budget that focuses on a specific youth/environmental project that addresses the long-term needs of the community. FSD will facilitate reflections and a midterm retreat, as well as provide project planning support and collect deliverables.

Internship program includes airport pick up, accommodation and meals, supervision, pre-departure training, on-site orientation and in-country support, medical/evacuation insurance, and project seed fund.