Social Entrepreneurship and Community Peacebuilding
Nairobi, Kenya
June 8 - August 4, 2014
The School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution/
Center for Field Studies / The Amani Institute
Are you looking for adventure and employable skills? The chance to team up and make an impact in peacebulding and social entrepreneurship? Do you enjoy splitting your time between beautiful natural sites and vibrant city life? Previous participants have experienced this program as "the time of their life" or "the experience of a lifetime, for a lifetime". Read on!
The School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution and the Amani Institute have partnered to offer students an 8-week service learning field experience in Nairobi, Kenya. This program provides students opportunities to get an intensive experience of cross-boundary work, develop practical skills to build their professional toolkit, and understand the personal journey this work requires in order to effective and sustainable as an individual over time.
Nairobi is a major hub across the continent. It is a cosmopolitan city with a vibrant culture and beautiful surrounding countryside. Several major non-profit organizations, UN programs and aid agencies are headquartered in Nairobi, and the Amani Institute strives to provide its students with meaningful connections to grow their professional networks and concrete opportunities. (Watch one of our recent success stories!) Above all, Nairobi exudes an air of progress and possibility, and is rapidly becoming a major global center for entrepreneurship, innovation, and sustainable development.
The program comprises three interlocking streams of activity:
- Experiential learning through a problem-solving consulting experience with a local partner and site visits
- Professional skill-building to learn core skills of the future practitioner and leader
- A signature personal leadership journey
The personal leadership journey helps students reflect on their own leadership path and integrate their field experience and professional skills courses into a coherent whole picture. Throughout the program, students will be able to interact with both leading experts and a wide array of relevant actors on the ground, and also learn about the history, society, and state of development in Kenya.
The cost of the trip is $5250, which includes:
- Tuition
- Pre-arrival preparation session (online)
- Orientation to Nairobi and Kenya and Swahili for Beginners Session
- Four workshops and courses such as: Social entrepreneurship, Storytelling, How to work with youth, and Innovating Peace and Justice that will provide you tools to work with different stakeholders, communicate better your ideas, and understand deeply how development and peace building happen in the field.
- The development, organization and facilitation of the consulting project with a local organization working on issues related to conflict
- Personal and meaningful interactions with over 10 special guests and role models. Past guests have included leading social entrepreneurs and international development experts from Nairobi and beyond.
- Structured and facilitated opportunities to reflect on personal leadership, growth and learning
- Complimentary airport pick-up in Nairobi and ground transportation associated with the program
- Shared accommodation (w/ single rooms) in modern, furnished apartments, including wi-fi and security personnel
- All site visits, special activities and learning journeys, such as last year’s trip to Samburu.
- Effective and professional management of your experience by the staff of The Amani Institute, including advising on local issues and life in Kenya
- Ongoing support and network weaving beyond the summer program
- This program fulfills GMU requirements for Field Experience (Undergraduate students) and Integration (Masters students)
The cost of the program does not include:
- Travel to and from Nairobi
- Visa fees
- Vaccinations (if any)
- Travel Insurance
- Daily food and transport (excluding meals and transport related to the program)
- Personal costs