Cloneshouse Internship Programme
Applications Open for the 2027 Cohort
At Cloneshouse, we encourage cooperative agreements with individuals and international and national partners. If you would like to support the internship program for young emerging evaluators, you can reach out to our Nigerian team at foundation@cloneshouse.com
Background
The Cloneshouse Internship Programme is a practical learning and professional development initiative designed to equip young professionals with hands-on experience, ethical grounding, and relevant skills in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL), Business Development, Evidence Generation, and Impact Technology.
Delivered by Cloneshouse Foundation in collaboration with Cloneshouse LLC, a specialised MEL firm, the programme bridges theory and practice by giving interns exposure to real assignments, technical mentorship, and professional workflows. Through this learning ecosystem, CIP strengthens local capacity, develops a pipeline of emerging development professionals, and prepares participants to contribute meaningfully to evidence-informed decision-making, accountability, and sustainable development. The Cloneshouse Foundation invites applications for the 2027 Cloneshouse Internship Programme (CIP). Kindly submit applications before the deadline.
Who Can Apply?
We welcome applications from young and emerging professionals in Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
We are looking for individuals who are curious, diligent, goal-oriented, willing to learn, and prepared to invest the time and effort required to develop both theoretical knowledge and practical competencies. Applicants do not need to begin the programme as M&E experts. However, they should demonstrate a genuine interest in evaluation, evidence, development practice, research, learning, technology, or related areas, as well as a willingness to participate actively throughout the internship.
Currently, we have increased the number of vacancies for interested individuals per cohort. We started out with two interns, increased to four interns, then to eight interns. For the 2027 cohort, we aim to take in fifteen (15) interns in total, from Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
How Many Interns Per Cohort?
The Cloneshouse Internship Programme has grown steadily since its inception. We started with two interns, increased to four, and later to eight interns per cohort. For the 2027 cohort, fifteen (15) applicants will be selected. The intentionally limited cohort size allows interns to receive meaningful mentorship, participate actively in team activities, build relationships with peers, and gain practical exposure to Cloneshouse’s work.
Program Experience
Our interns also get the opportunity to be involved in business development, proposal tendering, monitoring and evaluation stand-ups, desk research, and rendering technical assistance to some of our partners via capacity strengthening programmes, which exposes them to various methods of facilitating and implementing successful and impactful M&E training.
CIP goes beyond classroom learning. Interns combine structured training with practical assignments, mentorship, peer learning, reflective practice, and exposure to professional development workflows. Interns typically undertake a three-week Basic Monitoring and Evaluation course and a six-week Advanced Programme Evaluation Management course, while also learning alongside mid-level and senior consultants.
Depending on organisational and project needs, interns may be exposed to areas such as: Evaluation design and management, Research and evidence generation, Data collection, analysis, interpretation, and visualisation etc
Where appropriate, interns may also support real assignments and technical activities, providing an opportunity to understand how MEL concepts and tools are applied within actual development projects.
Learning by Doing
A central principle of CIP is that professional capacity is strengthened not only by learning concepts but also by applying them.
Interns are therefore expected to participate actively in assignments, consultations, group work, learning sessions, project activities, and reflective exercises throughout the programme. They may work with other interns, Cloneshouse staff, consultants, and project teams, gaining exposure to the standards, responsibilities, communication practices, and problem-solving skills required in professional development work.
The programme is designed to help participants move from simply understanding MEL concepts to being able to apply, communicate, question, analyse, contribute, and learn independently.
What We Expect From Interns
CIP requires commitment. Successful applicants should be prepared to learn independently, meet deadlines, participate in scheduled learning and mentorship activities, contribute to team assignments, receive and apply feedback, communicate professionally, and take responsibility for the quality of their work.
Because the programme is fully remote, interns must also be able to organise their time effectively and maintain consistent participation throughout the internship period. CIP is best suited to people who want to learn by doing, are comfortable asking questions, are open to feedback, and are willing to take ownership of their professional development.
What our Past Interns Have to Say
As a young program officer in a thriving non-profit organization in Nigeria, I had the opportunity to be on some development projects, supporting the organization in supervising and managing her programs and initiatives. But there was something missing; the ability to effectively conduct monitoring and evaluation assessment on these projects with other team members. I applied for the Cloneshouse Nigeria Monitoring and Evaluation Internship programme, believing that it will afford me the opportunity to acquire the requisite knowledge on M&E. I consider this opportunity an invaluable one. The team took me through some courses with rich practical case studies that deepened my understanding of the concepts, theories and practices of M&E. It was a decision I was glad I made.
My internship program at Cloneshouse has provided an in-depth insight on the development of Monitoring and Evaluation plan or framework, on how its utilization can help with the strategic implementation of a project or programme from start to finish. And most importantly the benefit of working as a team with a common goal and common passion to make a change. The internship has given me the passion and curiosity to be a changemaker with the right skills and tools to implement a project.
I dived into the M&E community fully through my internship program at Cloneshouse, and since then, it has been from one level of experience to another. Right now, I am the Lead M&E for Hope Behind Bars Africa. I look forward to advancing learning opportunities, especially on analytical tools for visualization.
God bless you, Cloneshouse management.
Do We Pay Interns?
We deliberately refer to this as an unpaid internship, but practically, it functions as a paid apprenticeship. Cloneshouse Foundation does not provide a salary to interns; however, at the discretion of project teams, interns may earn a stipend from projects they are attached to. Per diems and travel expenses are also provided if the intern agrees to travel for Cloneshouse projects outside their location. It is important to note that this internship is a 100% remote engagement. Notably, some of our past interns have become junior consultants, actively participating in projects within the firm.
There have been arguments and counterarguments about whether companies should pay their interns. Interns are valuable in any establishment, as they provide much-needed support, even though their mistakes can sometimes be costly. Interns are also easier to train, which means that if the company eventually hires them, they often become excellent employees. Whether an intern is paid or not, the most important aspect is that there is a clear agreement between both parties, the employer and the intern.
Application Process
Applications for the 2027 Cloneshouse Internship Programme will open on Monday, September 14, 2026, and close on Friday, November 6, 2026.
Applicants will complete an online application form providing basic personal and professional information and a statement of interest explaining their motivation for applying to the programme.
Applications will be reviewed through a competitive selection process. Shortlisted candidates may be invited to complete additional stages of assessment, which may include a screening exercise and/or interview.
Candidates progressing through the selection process may also be requested to provide additional documentation, including a curriculum vitae and relevant supporting information. Where referees are required, applicants will be informed during the selection process.
Only applicants selected to proceed to subsequent stages will be contacted. Successful candidates will be formally notified following the completion of the selection process and will be expected to commence the 2027 Cloneshouse Internship Programme in February 2027.
Information Session
Interested applicants are invited to attend the CIP 2027 Information Session on Tuesday, September 29, 2026 at 2 PM WAT.
The session will provide an opportunity to learn more about the internship, programme structure, learning expectations, selection process, and what participation in CIP involves. Prospective applicants will also have an opportunity to ask questions before completing their applications.
Register here
Data Privacy Statement
All applications are stored in a database that is consulted by our HR Team based on business needs. Please note that candidates will not hear from us unless they are shortlisted by our HR Team. Candidates who are selected from the applicants’ pool for further review will subsequently be required to provide their CV and proof of enrollment in a graduate degree. CVs should contain 2 Referees. A referral form is attached to offer letters issued to successful candidates who are required to submit the form alongside their proof of acceptance of the internship offer.
At Cloneshouse, we encourage cooperative agreements with individuals, international and national partners. If you would like to support the internship program for young emerging evaluators, you can reach out to our Nigerian team at foundation@cloneshouse.com
