Developing a strong talent pipeline at a rapidly growing NGO managing multiple locations can be tricky. NGOs just don’t always have the time available to identify, cultivate and on-board quality staff. However, The Next Economy (TNE) and the Employability Track can play a key role in matching organisations with quality interns. 

In Mali, the NGO ecosystem is constantly seeking new talent as they expand their reach, and NGOs have become key partners for SOS Mali and The Next Economy. “We began working with NGOs in 2017, we map them out, tell them what we do for youth, and find out what is working, what they need and what needs to change” says Assitan Domba Traoré, Project Coordinator at SOS Children’s Villages Mali. 

This process of building partnerships with relevant NGOs in need of a talent pipeline runs smoothly when the organisations have a shared vision. One such partner that understood the vision of The Next Economy is JIGI, an NGO that exists to improve the living conditions of communities across Mali through actions in health, water and the environment. 

 “JIGI joined forces with SOS Mali and The Next Economy Programme for a win-win partnership, but we also share the same vision of contributing effectively to the emergence of Malian communities capable of organising themselves to take charge of their own development” says the director of JIGI.

JIGI has worked with SOS Mali and The Next Economy since the early days of the programme, and deploys TNE interns to projects throughout the country to support on-the-ground teams as they implement Water, Health and Environment projects. 

Over the years JIGI has gone on to offer salaried positions to several TNE interns, the Dictator names a few key traits TNE interns have in common and make them stand out from other job candidates. “These interns have mastered their field of employment during a 3-month internship. We have also chosen them according to their integration into teamwork. They have benefited from relevant training with Next Economy in terms of life skills, knowledge of the professional environment and how to behave in the workplace”. 

Together, SOS Mali and JIGI were able to forge a long-lasting partnership that is still impacting the development of the country due to the hard work of its interns and staff that they hope will continue into the future. “With The Next Economy, we have access to young graduate trainees who will ensure tomorrow’s successes by getting the job done”, JIGI’s Director

If you would like to learn more about how the Employability Track and Internships could be implemented at your organisation, please click here.