Where Students can Intern Locally:
A Partial List of International Organizations Located in the State of Rhode Island and Nearby MA/CT
Created by:
Crystal Dussault, M.A.
June 2010
With support from URI’s College of Continuing Education
Khadarlis for Sierra Leone
Non-profit Organization
99 Academy Avenue
Providence, RI 02908
Organization phone number: (401) 454-6916
Executive Director cell phone number: (401) 481-6529
Description: This organization works to provide villages in Sierra Leone (located in West Africa) with clean water supply systems, solar electricity, health education, and housing. In addition, this organization works to create programs that will assist villages with farming so they may become self reliant.
Internship: Students are welcome to contact the Khadarlis for Sierra Leone when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: fundraising, communications, and marketing.
Longitude
Non-profit Organization
21 Crescent Street
Providence, RI
Executive Director: Shawn Rubin
Executive Director’s phone number: (401) 688-4787
Executive Director’s E-mail:
Description: The organization provides resources and support to educational and human rights initiatives in underdeveloped countries. For instance, this organization is currently aiding in the development of a community school in Ghana and aiding in the development of a human rights organization in India.
Internships:Students are welcome to contact Longitude when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: fundraising, grant-writing, and local presentations.
Adopt-A-Doctor
Non-profit Organization
101 Dyer Street
Providence, RI 02903
Organization phone number: (401) 421-0606
Organization E-mail:
Description: This organization works to increase the salaries and resources provided to medical doctors working in underdeveloped countries so they may be able to stay for a longer period of time and continue working where they are needed.
Internship: Students are welcome to contact Adopt-A-Doctor when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: event planning, media communications, and research.
The Haitian Project, Inc.
Non-profit Organization
P.O. Box 6891
Providence, RI 02940
Organization phone number: (401) 351-3624
Description: This organization is run by a Catholic Mission. The Haitian Project supports and operates a boarding school for disadvantaged children in Haiti. The Haitian Project provides children with free education in a safe environment in hopes of inspiring learning and leadership.
Internship:Students are welcome to contact the Haitian Project when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: fundraising and administrative duties.
Plan U.S.A.
Non-profit Organization
155 Plan Way
Warwick, RI 02886
Organization phone number: 1-800-556-7918
Internship Coordinator: Samuel Koroma
Internship Coordinator cell phone number: (401) 738-5600
Description: This organization works to improve the lives of children and adults living in underdeveloped countries by providing education, protection, water sanitation, income-generation and cross-cultural communication.
Internships:Students are welcome to contact Plan USA when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: fundraising, grant-writing, and marketing.
Aids Relief International
Non-profit Organization
P.O Box 2346
Providence, RI 02906
Organization’s E-mail:
Contact person: Lauren Krumeich
Contact person’s E-mail:
Contact person’s cell phone number: (914) 715-8198
Description: This organization works to support children and adults around the world who are living with HIV and AIDS. In addition, Aids Relief International works to provide patients with medication and treatment. Aids Relief International also works to incorporate nutritional counseling in order to teach patients how to maintain a healthy diet.
Internships: Students are welcome to contact AIDS Relief International when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: grant-writing, fundraising, publicity, marketing, website development, and data analysis. AIDS Relief International is particularly interested in student volunteers who speak Spanish and who have knowledge in the areas of biology/website development.
Edesia Global Nutrition Solutions
Non-profit Organization
88 Royal Little Drive
Providence, RI 02904
Contact person: Maria Kasparian, Project Manager
Contact phone number: (401) 272-4319
Contact E-mail:
Description: Edesia produces ready-to-use foods to treat children from underdeveloped countries who are undernourished or suffering from malnutrition. In addition, this organization participates in current nutrition research studies in order to develop new products and better distribution. Edesia also supports local companies within underdeveloped nations that also produce ready-to-use foods.
Internships: Students are welcome to contact Edesia when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs and assessed through an interview process. Examples of some activities student volunteers may assist with include: research projects focusing on nutrition, marketing via social networking sites such as Facebook /Twitter, giving tours of the facility to visitors, organizing events/information tables on campus, and fundraising. Edesia is particularly interested in student volunteers who speak Spanish and who have knowledge in the areas of nutrition/public health.
The Jewish Federation of Rhode Island
Non-profit Organization
130 Sessions Street
Providence, RI 02906
Organization phone number: (401) 421-4111
Description: This organization supports and raises funds for Jewish communities located in Rhode Island and throughout the world. In addition, this organization works to strengthen Jewish communities by reducing poverty and hunger and assisting Jewish immigrants in re-settling.
Internships: Students are welcome to contact the Jewish Federation of RI when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: fundraising, advocacy for new immigrants, and communications.
International Institute of Rhode Island
Non-profit Organization
645 Elmwood Avenue
Providence, RI 02907
Organization phone number: (401) 461- 5940
Organization E-mail:
Description: This organization works to provide educational, legal and social services to immigrants and refugees in Rhode Island. The goal of the International Institute is to assist all immigrants and refugees in becoming self-reliant while still respecting and understanding cultural differences.
Internships:Students are welcome to contact the International Institute when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: citizenship/immigration and refugee resettlement. The International Institute is particularly interested in student volunteers who are bi-lingual.
1000 Jobs Haiti
Non-profit Organization
316 West Main Road
Little Compton, RI 02837
Organization’s E-mail:
Founder: Leroy Close
Founder’s E-mail:
Description: This organization works to create job opportunities that provide fair wages in Haiti. 1000 Jobs Haiti also provides business assistance to Haitian entrepreneurs in order to promote self-reliance.
Internships:Students are welcome to contact 1000 Jobs Haiti when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: fundraising, grant writing, and website maintenance.
The Foundation for West Africa
Non-profit Organization
27 Walnut Street
Barrington, RI 02806
President: Christopher Hamblett
President phone number:(401) 578-0269
President E-mail:
Description: This organization works primarily in Sierra Leone and Liberia to develop programs that assist with accountable governance, human rights, literacy, health care and economic development. Currently, The Foundation for West Africa is assisting with the development of independent community radio stations.
Internships: Students are welcome to contact the Foundation for West Africa when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: marketing, fundraising, and grant writing.
Kenya AIDS Intervention/Prevention Project Group (KAIPPG)
Non-profit Organization
6 Echo Drive
Barrington, RI 02806
Founder: Janet Feldman
Founder’s E-mail:
Founder’s phone number: (401) 245-5520
Description: This organization works towards preventing the transmission of HIV/AIDS, poverty, and malnutrition in Mumias, Kenya. In addition, KAIPPG works to reduce stigma associated with HIV/AIDS through education. KAIPPG also works to provide training, support and counseling to individuals in Kenya in order to promote self-reliance.
Internships: Students are welcome to contact KAIPPG when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: web-site development, fundraising, grant writing, and marketing.
Higher Ground International
Non-profit Organization
1228 Westminster Street
Providence, RI
Contact person: Henrietta White-Holder
Contact person’s cell phone number: (401) 339-2948
Contact person’s E-mail:
Organization phone number: (401) 724-1503
Description: This organization works to support and provide opportunities to teenagers and young adults who are former child combatants in the region of West Africa. Higher Ground International also works to support females, orphans and disabled individuals. In addition, Higher Ground International works to provide skills training, education and employment opportunities to individuals in West Africa.
Internships: Students are welcome to contact Higher Ground International when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: web-site support, fundraising, grant writing, and marketing.
Friends of Shelter Associates
Non-profit Organization
Barrington, RI
Founder: Sunil Bhatia
Founder’s E-mail:
Founder’s Phone number: (401) 289-0253
Description: This organization works to raise awareness surrounding the issue of global poverty. In addition, FSA works to construct sanitation systems in underdeveloped nations to support safe and private toileting and to prevent the spread of disease.
Internships: Students are welcome to contact FSA when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: website maintenance, fundraising, administrative duties, grant writing, and marketing.
The Right to Learn
Non-profit Organization
P.O. Box 165
Block Island, RI 02807
Executive Director: Alex Fuller-Young
Executive Director E-mail:
Executive Director Phone number: (610) 933-7024
Description: This organization works to provide children in Nagarote and Nicaragua with high quality education. In addition, this organization works to provide children with transportation to and from school, school supplies, uniforms, shoes, breakfast and lunch. The Right to Learn also works to train teachers and provide necessary compensation.
Internships: Students are welcome to contact The Right to Learn when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: website maintenance, fundraising, administrative duties, grant writing, and marketing.
Haiti Charity Hope Foundation
Non-profit Organization
P.O Box 40
Central Falls, RI 02863
President: Jack Hurley
President E-mail:
President phone number: (401) 231-3238
Founder: Marie Gabriel
Founder’s phone number: (401) 663-3376
Description: This organization works to collect and transport food, medical supplies and other resources to individuals living in Haiti. In addition, the Haiti Charity Hope Foundation works to build and support schools and orphanages in Haiti. The Haiti Charity Hope Foundation anticipates a project in the near-future in which wells will be created to provide a village in Haiti with clean water.
Internships: Students are welcome to contact The Haiti Charity Hope Foundation when seeking volunteer opportunities for class credit. Opportunities available to students will be based on the organization’s current needs. Examples of some activities student volunteers may be able to assist with include: fundraising, presentation preparation, grant writing, publicity, and newsletter updates.
Possible Internship:
Partners with Haiti
Non-profit Organization
25 Old County Road
Barrington, RI 02806
Organization’s phone number: (843) 757-7940
Description: This organization works to build and develop churches in Haiti. In addition, Partners with Haiti works to raise funds in order to provide continued support for ministries and churches in Haiti.
Possible Internship:
The MWEA Fund
Non-profit Organization
P.O. Box 478
Charlestown, RI
02813
Organization’s E-mail:
Description: This organization works to build and establish schools in order to provide better educational opportunities for children living in the village of MWEA (located in East Africa).
Possible Internship:
Flying Kites Global
Non-profit Organization
604 Thames Street
Newport, RI 02840
Organization’s phone number: (401) 619-5919
Organization’s E-mail address:
Description: This organization works to improve the conditions of care and education provided to children living in orphanages in Kenya and other countries.
Possible Internship:
Rainwater for Humanity
Non-profit Organization
Providence, RI 02912
Organization’s E-mail:
Description: This organization is led by Brown University and Rhode Island School of Design students. Rainwater for Humanity works to provide affordable rainwater harvesting tanks to the people of Kuttanad, India so they may have clean water for drinking and cooking purposes.
Possible Internship:
Namaste International Healthcare Foundation
Non-profit Organization
186 Park Avenue
Woonsocket, RI 02895
Organization’s phone number: (508) 536-7186
Organization’s E-mail:
Description: This organization works to provide medical assistance to third world countries. In addition, Namaste International Healthcare Foundation raises money to provide critically ill children with quality medical attention.
Possible Internship:
Primate Conservation Inc.
Non-profit Organization
1411 Shannock Road
Charlestown, RI 02813
Organization’s E-mail:
Description: This organization works to preserve and maintain the natural habitats of endangered primates throughout the world.
Possible Internship:
Global Health through Education, Training and Service
Non-profit Organization
8 North Main Street
Suite 404
Attleboro, MA 02703
Description: This organization works to improve the health of individuals living in under-developed countries by providing service and education. In addition, GHETS works to financially support healthcare workers in poor communities throughout the world.