EMI Senegal Internship, T1 2027

Mid-January to May/June 2027

Interns in the EMI Senegal office will have the chance to experience life within the beautiful country of Senegal, participate in the work of EMI, and explore a unique area of the world. As Africa’s westernmost country, Senegal has many different landscapes and environments. To the north is the southwestern tip of the Sahara Desert, to the south is the tropical Casamance region, to the west is the Atlantic Ocean. The large capital city of Dakar is a bustling urban hub filled with people, shops, and food, while the outer regions of the country are characterized by smaller communities and peaceful life. 

The office is located in Saly, Senegal which can best be described as a beachfront tourist town. The ocean is nearby and can be a frequent staple of your non-office activities. Runners and walkers frequent the beaches and roads in the early morning and evening, and good street food can be found close to the office for lunch or dinner. Interns may find themselves trying a new Senegalese dish at a coworker’s house for dinner, learning how to surf, or, if you are lucky, watching traditional wrestling. The people of Senegal are friendly are always ready to greet you. Life here is all about community and hospitality.

You will start your day waking up in your apartment. After a short commute, you will arrive at the office and be immersed in the work of designing a world of hope. The office, like the country itself, is a very communal place with a tight-knit, multicultural group of people devoted to EMI’s mission. Sometimes the office shares communal meals which spread a sense of unity throughout the office. Interns will have both a professional mentor focused on helping you through your work, and a spiritual mentor to guide and counsel you through your time in Senegal. Interns are assigned fulfilling work in their discipline and have real responsibilities within their projects. You will have the opportunity to join a project team on a trip somewhere in Senegal or West Africa and work alongside highly experienced professionals from whom you can learn a great deal. You can also expect to learn how to work alongside the multiple disciplines found in the office, such as architects and engineers, to create a single unified design. Common projects include hospitals, churches, schools, master planning for ministries, and community development. Through this work, interns will have the opportunity to hold a real stake in God’s kingdom-building work in West Africa. “Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?’

And I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” 

Isaiah 6:8 NIV