Building Futures: Inside AIA's Internship Program with Bisaso Lewis

Upon successful completion of Secondary School, students can apply to intern with Action in Africa as a direct pathway to joining our University Scholarship Program. The AIA Internship Program is competitive, only offering 5 slots a year. This 9-month program is an opportunity for students to work with Action in Africa prior to joining University, gaining hard and soft skills to help set them up for success once on campus. This includes public speaking skills, computer classes, resume building, participating in community service projects, budgeting and so much more.

I had the chance to sit down with Bisaso Lewis about his experience interning with AIA before joining campus. Lewis completed his internship earlier this year and then joined the AIA University Scholarship Program. He is currently a Civil Engineering student at the International University of East Africa. Here is his interview with us about the Internship program.

How do you feel about the AIA Internship program?

“Personally, I am very grateful. My life was a struggle and if it wasn't for AIA I wouldn't have gone to school. My dad has 16 kids and I am the only one that has studied up to the university level. Without AIA that wouldn't have been possible. The internship program never felt like work to me, because every day felt like a lesson, I was learning.”

What were the selection criteria for the internship program?

“They don't base the selection on the high school results for the internship because the results come out months after we sit for the exams. We are given a break for a month after completing our final exams and then we were given the opportunity to apply for the internship. You fill in the forms and are selected, I think they base on one’s consistent participation in AIA programs. We were also interviewed by a local leader who isn't an AIA staff, but the AIA staff are included in the evaluation and selection process. The professional staff, cooks, and Askaris (gatekeepers) all contribute to the selection. I think that's really because those are the people that get to truly observe our behavior.”

Which kind of tasks were you assigned during your internship?

“The tasks weren't exactly tasks, they were more like lessons, we usually helped out in the cleaning and dusting after the programs, and sometimes we assisted in the facilitation of the programs. Having studied physics in high school, I really enjoyed helping students out with physics. Other tasks were; learning office etiquette, learning ICT skills, and being tasked to read certain books. I remember I was tasked to read Grit by Angela Duckworth.”

How did the program contribute to your growth?

“They train us into young professionals, most people join university when they are not even computer literate, but after the internship program, I found most computer tasks simple. We were encouraged to read, I wasn't really the reader, but I was surprised at how much I enjoyed reading Angela Duckworth’s book, Grit. It was a bit hard for me at the start, but I learned so much and was motivated because it was about someone's life.

I personally became professional because of working with professionals. I became more disciplined and clean, you had to be clean and smart, and the mamas would spare you if you weren't, they would call you and be like ‘lewis Lelo kibuzemu’ (You aren't clean enough today). The Internship program taught me humility and responsibility, I think that is partly why I was elected to be my class coordinator.

One of my favorite parts of the internship program was lunch. I remember when I was in Senior 3 and I would come to The Center when I was very hungry with no hope of getting anything to eat, but then I would have that AIA porridge. Even in the internship program, they were providing lunch and good delicious lunch at that. Honestly, that was a great motivation for me.

I never considered the AIA internship as working, I was learning, and even in the tasks I did, I was still learning, it was helping me skills-wise and discipline-wise. All this was happening with a stipend, part of which was subjected to compulsory saving.”

The impact the Internship Program has on students like Lewis is beyond powerful and sets them up for a successful university experience. In the next blog post from our scholarship series, we will share what life is like as An AIA University Scholarship student. We cannot wait to introduce you to Ndagire Joan.

Until next time,
Kalinda Jamada