INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS
INNOVATIVE INTERNSHIPS
Keiga Foundation prepares the next generation of leaders through its innovative internship programs, which are aligned with its vision and programmatic mission. Through the power real-work experiential learning, our interns have a unique opportunity to apply their classroom knowledge in a practical setting and develop new skills to increase employment opportunities for use in the rapidly changing professional world.
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Keiga Foundation interns provide valuable support to fulfill our vision and mission. Our highly motivated interns bring new ideas and fresh approaches, increase our diversity, and raises the visibility of our non-profit and its vision and critical mission on global campuses.
Offering internships is aligned with our philosophy of non-profit work, which is focused on giving back to the community. We provide our highly qualified pre-professional interns with training and experience in the workforce and multi-faceted personal and professional mentoring.
While our internships are relatively short-term, they are power-packed with enriching experiences. In addition, modest stipends and additional compensation options are available based on exceptional performance. Keiga Foundation Innovative Internships (KFII) are a win-win for our interns and Keiga Foundation.
Please see our internships and featured interns:
Keiga Foundation Appoints Melody Fakhourie
Program Development Intern
Melody Fakhourie, a Master’s candidate at the University of Michigan School of Social Work studying global social work practice, has been appointed to Program Intern for Keiga Foundation.
Melody’s zest for what Keiga Foundation provides the world traces back to her pre-professional days. She has a music-focused arts background that includes writing, recording, and performing songs of freedom and empowerment, creative writing, expressive arts in social work practice, and multi-disciplinary arts program management for youth in non-profit settings. She considers artistic disciplines to be effective vehicles with the political agency needed for raising awareness and creating change.
Melody believes the mission and vision of the Keiga Foundation are meaningful and unmatched towards her goals and will empower her future work in spaces dedicated to addressing issues caused by international conflicts, poverty, and economic exploitation.
Melody states, “I am grateful for the opportunity to hone skills essential to program development and fundraising with Keiga Foundation. This opportunity will allow me to propel my intentions into reality as a member of a stellar team that converges unity and diversity with art and an intention to see an improved world.”
Under the Paulo Freire-styled supervision of Charles Ezra Ferrell, SVP for Development and Global Programs and Field Instructor for the University of Michigan School of Social Work, Melody will ignite her long-anticipated vision of grant writing and program development through Keiga Foundation’s global diversity programs.
Ferrell states, “The executive management team at Keiga Foundation is pleased to welcome Melody Fakhourie to our global team. Melody’s multifaceted skill sets in grant writing and program development, which are guided by her deep passion for excellence, will surely accelerate the successful growth of our organization in the United States, Uganda and Germany.”
Keiga Foundation Appoints Kaija Traidl
International Dance Ballet Intern
April 2021 – Dance and choreography training is the foundational pillar of Keiga Foundation’s mission. The core reason Dr. Christof Traidl, president & CEO, founded Keiga Foundation was to support and expand the vision and work of world-renowned Ugandan dancer and choreographer, Jonas Byaruhanga. Jonas serves on the Board of Keiga Foundation and is the Artistic Director of Keiga Dance School in Kampala, Uganda, which is partnered with the Uganda National Theatre. While Jonas’ work has been centered on traditional and modern African Dance modalities, including Afro-Beat and Hip-Hop genres, classical ballet is also an important offering that requires integration into Keiga Dance School’s the core curriculum and Keiga Foundation programming.
Charles Ezra Ferrell, Senior Vice-President for Development and Global Programs stated, “Keiga Foundation is truly elated to appoint Kaija Traidl, a prodigy ballerina, as our international dance intern to strengthen and expand our dance programming offerings by providing youth instruction, and collaborating with Jonas Byaruhanga to create innovative, exciting and integrated mixed-genre of African Dance, Hip-Hop and Ballet performances and social media ‘infomercials’ to expand our global dance-centric audience in the US, Europe and Africa.“
Kaija Traidl has a prolific developing career and won or highly placed at various international ballet competitions in Homburg (05/2017), Fürth (02/2018), Nürnberg (05/2018), Homburg (06/2018), Prague/Czech Republic (2018), Nürnberg (2019), Augsburg (2019), Homburg (05/2019), Nürnberg (2019), Berlin (02/2020), and Hamme/Belgium (03/2020).
Keiga Foundation Appoints Rachel C. Germaine
Program Development and Marketing & Communications Intern
Rachel Catalina Germaine, a 3.5 GPA Master’s candidate at the University of Michigan School of Social Work studying macro social work and community change, has been appointed to Program Development and Marketing & Communications Intern for Keiga Foundation.
Rachel has a strong background in art and design and is studying social work and community change to learn to incorporate her art and design experience into developing social justice-oriented programs. Her primary career objectives are assisting non-profit organizations in presenting a cohesive brand identity and boosting community outreach. Upon completing her graduate studies and internship, she will seek a career in program development and evaluation. She understands the power that creative expression has in
fostering understanding and breaking down walls of perceived differences. Rachel has the heart of an activist and is eager to advocate for social justice, particularly issues focused on US Hispanic populations.
Under the supervision of Charles Ezra Ferrell, SVP for Development and Global Programs and Field Instructor for the University of Michigan School of Social Work, Rachel will develop programs addressing US Hispanic social justice topics such as immigration, DACA, migrant worker rights, family separation issues at the border, and discrimination surrounding false accusations of criminality. She will also utilize state-of-the-art software to secure grant funding for Keiga Foundation’s global diversity programs. Rachel will also work with Julian Traidl, Global Director for Marketing and Communications, to expand and share her marketing skills, assist in the improvement of web content management, develop an enterprise calendar, and design marketing collateral.
Rachel states, “Keiga Foundation provides me the opportunity to learn key program development and grant writing skills that will be crucial in securing a challenging career opportunity upon graduation, while simultaneously offering space for me to engage in the passions that I have cultivated for years: the exchange of cultures and ideas and social justice advocacy through the creative arts.”
Ferrell adds, “The entire executive management team at Keiga Foundation joins me in welcoming Rachel Catalina Germaine to our team. We recognize that her well-honed creative skill sets, coupled with her passion for excellence and community service will bring immediate and sustained value to our growing organization.”
Successfully Completed Internships
Keiga Foundation Appoints Elisa Hermann
Literacy & Educational Prison Outreach Intern
Keiga Foundation, a global non-profit charitable 501(c)(3) organization, has launched a Literacy & Educational Prison Outreach Internship to address the literacy crisis in prisons through innovative educational interventions based on critical pedagogical science advanced by Dr. Paulo Freire and the works of Dr. Walter Anthony Rodney and Dr. Ngugi wa Thiong’o. The lived experiences of these scholars as well as Malcolm X and Dr. Ahmad Rahman will be key referential points.
Elisa Hermann will work closely with Charles Ezra Ferrell, Vice-President of Development and Global Programs at Keiga Foundation and Field Instructor of the University of Michigan School of Social Work Graduate Internship Program. She will also be mentored by leading former university professors and Foundation advisors. Hermann will utilize her specialized expertise in education science to create program content that will attract funders and transform the lives of program participants.
Dr. Christof Traidl, president and CEO of Keiga Foundation, stated “We are excited to partner with the Phillips University of Marburg in Germany and are especially thrilled to offer Elisa Hermann this exciting inaugural internship opportunity to expand a core area of our mission, which is to eradicate literacy among underserved and oppressed communities, particularly in prisons.”
Eliza stated, “I have always been interested in the different cultures. The work of Keiga Foundation brings three continents and several cultures together. I love to work with new people on other continents and to see what similarities or differences there are in the educational work between the US and Germany. My hope is that both I, and the other organization members, will learn and benefit from each other during this internship experience and that we will create a common and mutually beneficial value.”
The Philipps University of Marburg (Philipps-Universität Marburg), founded in 1527 in Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world. It has approximately 25,000 students located in Marburg, a town of the 72,000 residents.
Keiga Foundation Appoints Amanda Elizabeth Onusko
Development & Grant Intern
Amanda Elizabeth Onusko, a Master’s candidate and geriatric scholar in the School of Social Work at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, Michigan, who seeks a career as a grant writer and foundation administrator, has been appointed by as a development and grant intern by Keiga Foundation.
Charles Ezra Ferrell, Vice-President of Development and Global Programs for Keiga Foundation and a field instructor for the University of Michigan School of Social Work, supervised Amanda as an intern in his former role as Vice-President of Public Programs and Community Engagement at the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History in Detroit. Ferrell stated, “Amanda demonstrated superior research, communication, program development, and leadership skills in her previous role. I was pleased to create an internship at Keiga Foundation that aligned with her career objectives.”
Amanda will conduct development research, assist in building a development campaign, and utilize state-of-the-art grant management software to seek funding to support Keiga Foundation’s mission-driven programmatic focus: dance and choreography training, global artistic exchange, literacy, and social justice, diversity and inclusion. She will also assist in the development of social justice programs.
Onusko stated, “I went to graduate school because of my passion for macro social work and I needed exposure to knowledge and experiences that would qualify me for a career in philanthropy. When Mr. Ferrell offered me an internship at Keiga Foundation, I felt my skills and dedication would thrive in this new environment. I am excited to become a team member of Keiga Foundation. My passion for philanthropy will drive my work to promote the vision and mission of the Foundation.”