Internship Opportunity (WASH Department)

Action Against Hunger (ACF) is a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) that was created in France in1979. ACF has been active in Afghanistan in the medical, nutrition, food security, and water and sanitation fields since 1995. ACF improved access to health and nutrition services for the most vulnerable people, who live in remote areas without a localhealth system. In particular, the country team supported pregnant and breastfeeding women and children under five, who are atgreater risk of malnutrition. Nutrition programs rely on an integrated approach, addressing both primary and underlying causes, inorder to have a lasting impact on nutritional status. The country team worked at community level, in villages and at provincial level,strengthening the public health system. It also worked at national level to ensure reliable information about the nutritional situation reached the wider humanitarian community. Covid-19 prevention was integrated into all interventions and additional responseactivities were implemented, such as the disinfection of health facilities and public places, cash assistance, psychosocial support andthe distribution of hygiene kits to affected populations.

Background:

In today’s highly competitive job market in Afghanistan, employment opportunities are typically offered to candidates having enough experience, while those lacking practical work experience are rarely considered. To support students and newly graduated Afghan youth, Action Against Hunger has launched an internship program alongside its humanitarian activities. This initiative aims to bridge the gap between academic learning and practical experience, recognizing that individuals—particularly those from underrepresented groups or with limited access to professional opportunities—may face challenges in effectively applying their knowledge and skills in real-world organizational settings." 

Purpose:

The purpose of this internship ACF Internship program is to provide learning and professional development opportunities while supporting the department in achieving its objectives. Through this program Action Against Hunger offers internship opportunities to a limited number of recently graduated Afghans and students from academic institutions, particularly those for whom practical work is a graduation requirement to get hands-on work experience. 

Objectives of the Internship Program:

Through the internship program  Action Against Hunger is aiming to achieve the following objectives:

·         Provide an opportunity to fresh graduates for gaining practical work experience to apply the theoretical knowledge in real-life situations related to his/her field of study or interest.

·         Develop professional skills by demonstrating them in practice to see the impact and result 

·         Help in meeting the graduation requirements for a student where practical work is part of his/her education curriculum

·         Test a career path to help the intern in choosing a long-term employment in term of work environment and the role that best suits him/her.

·         Support the graduate interns in building his/her capacity to find a job

·         Support the organization’s projects and activities through intern contributions.

·         Foster a mutually beneficial learning environment.

Duration of the Internship program:

Duration of the Internship program for graduate interns is in between 3-6 months while for student interns, its 3-4 months or based on the request of the institute.

Recommended duration: Six-6 months

Roles and Responsibilities of Intern:

Roles:

Intern is expected to perform the following tasks diligently based on the plan and assigned by the Supervisor:

·         Assist in technical assessments, surveys, and data collection for WASH infrastructure and soft components.

·         Support preparation of technical drawings, BOQs, cost estimates, and project documentation.

·         Participate in construction monitoring, quality assurance, and site supervision activities.

·         Assist in preparing progress reports, site visit reports, technical presentations, and project records.

·         Support the use of digital monitoring and reporting tools such as MS Office and other data management systems where applicable.

·         Participate in coordination meetings, technical reviews, and capacity-building activities within the department.

Responsibilities:

Intern is responsible to:

·         Adhere to the organizational policies, values, and principles and seek guidance when needed.

·         Sign the code of conduct, Internal Regulations, Charter of principles etc forms before signing the agreement letter

·         Sign the attendance sheet from HR office or at the Facility In charge office

·         Should work full time (unless otherwise agreed for part time) in the office and adhere to the working hours stipulated.

·         If any intern is absent for 5 working days in a month without any authorized/approved leave, and if it is found that the absence is a deliberate act and negligence of responsibility then this absence will lead to immediate termination of Internship agreement. 

Expected Deliverables:

The Intern will be expected to:

·         Complete assigned tasks within agreed timelines.

·         Maintain accurate records and reports.

·         Submit a final internship report summarizing achievements, lessons learned, and recommendations.

·         Demonstrate professional conduct throughout the internship period

·         Education requirements:

o   Recent graduate  of Civil Engineering from a recognized university with no practical experience

·         Technical skills and competencies:

o   Basic understanding of civil engineering principles and construction practices.

o   Familiarity with engineering drawings, quantity calculations, and construction materials.

o   Knowledge of AutoCAD or similar engineering software is desirable.

o   Basic understanding of WASH infrastructure systems, including water supply and sanitation facilities.

o   Ability to collect, analyze, and present technical information and field data.

o   Strong willingness to learn and work in both office and field environments.

o   Good interpersonal and communication skills.

o   Ability to work independently and in a team.

o   Basic knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

o   Strong organizational and time-management skills.

o    Attention to detail and willingness to learn

·         Expected Deliverables (Additional WASH-Specific Deliverables)

o   Site assessment and monitoring reports completed as assigned.

o   Technical drawings, BOQs, and engineering documentation supported and updated when required.

o   Construction monitoring records and quality control checklists maintained.

o    Final internship report demonstrating learning achievements and contributions to WASH projects.

·         Language Skills:

o   Able to write, read and understand English Language

• •       Fluent in both Dari and Pashtu Language

Qualified and interested candidates should submit a cover letter and full CV with three Referees indicating the vacancy announcement to the address: Human Resources Department ACF office or can also be emailed to:

vacancies@af-actionagainsthunger.org indicating the job tile and vacancy number of the position in the email subject line.

Eligible applicants are invited to apply by the earliest possible, until 18 Oct 2026. 

Qualified female applicants are highly encouraged to apply.

Do not submit academic certificates with the application. These will be requested if the candidate is selected. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for the written test/interview.  

Action Against Hunger is an equal opportunity employer.  We strongly encourage women and people with disabilities to apply.  ACF has zero-tolerance policy on sexual exploitation, sexual harassment, and abuse (SEA)

Female candidates & People with Disability are strongly encourage to apply.

Employment at Action Against Hunger is free of charge. Action Against Hunger does not charge any fee at any stage of the recruitment process to the candidates. Therefore, please refrain of offering money or any other form of compensation to anyone claiming that they can secure you a job or assist you in the hiring process and this is strictly against our recruitment policy.