What is the Nutrition Internship in Swaziland all about?

Develop and share your knowledge and studies in healthy eating, cooking methods and the impact of diet on childhood development and growth by joining this nutrition internship in Swaziland.  The project supports local vulnerable children and low income communities with growing their own produce and eating healthily at community pre-schools.  The project researches the impact a nutritious diet can make to lives and communicates this to members of the local community through a range of activities.  

Working under the guidance of the director of a local organisation the internship will offer you an incredible opportunity to learn about the challenges facing poorer communities, how different cultures view food, and the approaches undertaken to educate and overcome these. Interns are already looking at land use and recording child heights and weights to be used in monitoring the impact of the programme. You will be able to contribute your time and help to develop the scope of the project while gaining experience in nutrition with low income families to support your studies or career.

Why choose this Nutrition Internship programme?

By sharing your existing knowledge about food, diet and development with the project staff and communities, you will be helping to develop local capacity.  You will also be using your skills to assist the overstretched staff to develop materials that can be used long after you have returned home.  From a personal perspective you will gain an insight into the challenges facing poorer communities and those who are suffering from HIV.  It will enable you to put into action your studies or experience while providing invaluable assistance to the Swazi team.

If you want to read about this project from a volunteers point of view then click here to read our blog post.

Role of the Healthcare Intern

During this internship you will learn about Swazi foods, culture and cooking methods and how they impact on the meals that are served, the development of children and attitudes to food. You may be involved in the following activities:

• researching produce to grow in gardens for sustainability and to meet nutritional needs
• designing monitoring and evaluations methods to assess the impact of nutrition on health, education and well-being of orphans and vulnerable children
• designing training programs, workshops and materials on nutrition and health
• participating in advocacy activities for nutrition and different food types and ingredients

Potential study related learning outcomes from this internship include;

• identification of methods to educate pre-school and school children and their parents/ guardians about food and nutrition
• ability to produce materials for different audiences that are culturally appropriate and reflect the demographic of the community
• understanding of community awareness events to raise knowledge about nutrition
• designing recipes, nutrition leaflets and information for children, guardians and teachers
• knowledge about the challenges and solutions to food sustainability in the local context

You will be asked to attend a weekly meeting to review your progress and at the end of your placement you will share your learning with the local team through a presentation.

What skills do I need to be a Nutrition Intern in Swaziland?

Interns should be studying nutrition or a health related topic or be a professional in the fields of nursing, health promotion or health, or alternatively a dietitian. You should be comfortable working closely with local staff developing the programme, and contributing your ideas and experience to help staff and community members. You will be supported during your placement by a local professional but you will be expected to drive forward your activities and become actively involved in all aspects of your internship. Please bring a laptop to work on training materials, research and your final presentation. You will be asked to submit a full CV/resume and a letter of motivation plus any evidence with your application. You will attend a telephone interview to discuss your expectations and suitability for this internship.

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