WSC - RFA8 - Internship Program 2

Despite ample natural water sources, Lebanon is a country in a state of “water impoverishment”. Inefficient water resources management (WRM) and deficient Wastewater (WW) management capacity are jeopardizing the health of the Lebanese people and overwhelming the environment.

The Lebanon Water, Sanitation, and Conservation (WSC) USAID-funded Project engages citizens and the private sector to enhance their water stewardship, increasing efficiency in the protection of water resources, and improve water and wastewater services to around 600,000 people by expanding the capacity of public water utilities and local governments to treat- wastewater.

WSC is increasing the volumes of wastewater treated, reducing the pollution and water losses that harm water sources, improving service delivery to citizens, and facilitating partnerships between public water utilities, municipalities, the private sector, civil society organizations, and citizen groups to introduce innovative solutions and improve governance in the water and wastewater sector across Lebanon.

The Water Sanitation and Conservation (WSC) Project’s purpose is the enhanced conservation and protection of Lebanon’s water resources through achieving three objectives:

1) Capacity of wastewater (WW) and sanitation management expanded

2) Efficiency of public water utilities to manage water resources increased

3) Citizens’ water stewardship enhanced

As part of its objective to promote community, women, youth, and student engagement in the water and sanitation sectors, WSC wishes to engage legally registered organizations in Lebanon in an internship program. DAI intends to provide grant/s to one or more legally registered organization, ranging from USD 50,000 to 150,000 subject to the availability of funds and depending on the type and size of the proposed solution.

The objectives of the program are the following:

• Raise awareness on the employment possibilities in the water and sanitation sectors
• Engage young men and women, university students and fresh graduates in experiential learning opportunities related to water and sanitation

Create partnerships among various water and sanitation stakeholders such as universities, companies, CSOs, project implementers, municipalities, Regional Water Establishments, the Litani River Authority, the relevant ministries, etc.

 Eligibility Requirements: 

The following are requirements of eligibility for applicants (noting that the below are pass/fail criteria):

• A legally registered Higher Education Institution recognized by the Lebanese Ministry of Education and Higher Education and/or Civil Society Organizations with previous experience in managing internship programs are also eligible to apply
• Can demonstrate at least five years of previous experience in managing internship programs
• Has clear intern/extern selection criteria
• Can provide a proof of placement network for potential interns
• Can provide proof of internal managerial and financial management procedures that comply with USAID grant management requirements (Organizational Chart, Audited Financial Statements)
• The team managing the project should at least include (full time or part time basis, depending on the need):
  • A project coordinator with at least 5 years’ experience in designing and implementing internship programs and managing similar projects
  • An M&E and Reporting Specialist on the team with at least 3 years’ experience