Business Cost Analysis Internship, Fair Trade Production

An internship opportunity is available with a small fair trade, organic farming cooperative, as part of CRACYP’s sustainable rural development work in the Ecuadorian Andes. 

CRACYP (which stands for Rural Reforestation and Progress Network Corporation, in Spanish) is a non profit organisation working in over 200 communities on the borders of the Cotopaxi, Bolivar and Los Rios provinces in Ecuador.  

CRACYP’s aim is "Progreso Verde" or "Green Progress" - conservation of the environment and economic and social development of local communities.  We aim to transfer appropriate technology and sustainable alternative agricultural methods, in exchange for community participation in reforestation.  This process also increases the production alternatives and resources of the communities involved, improving their quality of life.  

Our organic sugarcane farming cooperative, CADO, markets organic alcohol for use in cosmetics.  We need a business intern with the experience to do a cost analysis of the management and administrative side of the enterprise.  As an intern, you will analyse current costs and identify opportunities to increase efficiency and reduce costs.  In this way, the enterprise will be able to make its prices more competitive, and so gain new buyers, which will enable more farmers to benefit from fair prices.  If you have time, you might also help to implement some of your suggested changes.

This is a great opportunity for a student or graduate to gain practical experience in business analysis in a rural development and fair trade production setting.  As well as helping the project improve its cost efficiency and thus sell more, the intern will also participate in monthly development workshops. 

Interns will be based in an organic sugar cane farming community in the foothills of the Andes, a beautiful area with a subtropical climate.

Start date: as soon as possible, preferably early July.  Time commitment: 4-12 weeks.  Prospective interns must have strong Spanish language skills, a good rapport with people and the ability to create simple spreadsheets in Excel and produce concise, informative reports.

More details:  http://www.progresoverde.org/internship.html or email internship.ecuador@yahoo.co.uk.  Please quote reference SDBusJun12 when you apply.