Launched in 2020, CSP’s internship program provides students from 11 Lebanese universities the opportunity to gain professional and practical experience to start their careers and generate a temporary income to support their families during the current economic crisis. Nassab Shayya and Tamara El Khouri, Chemistry, and Psychology graduates from the Lebanese American University (LAU) and the American University of Beirut (AUB), are two of 162 fresh graduates and undergraduate students who have benefitted from the internship program so far. During their internships, Nassab supported the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) unit of the USAID-funded Quality Instruction Towards Access & Basic Education Improvement (QITABI-2) project, while Tamara worked as a grants management and civic engagement intern at the USAID-funded Water Sanitation and Conservation (WSC) project. During their internships, both Tamara and Nassab enhanced their critical thinking, data analysis, communication, reporting, and management skills.

On July 1, 2023 Nassab accepted a full-time employment offer as a Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) and Logistics Assistant at the UNICEF-funded DIRASA project implemented by World Learning, while Tamara was recruited as a full-time Civic Engagement and Grants Assistant at the USAID-WSC project. This brings the total number of CSP internship graduates who have found employment to 55, 11 of whom are now working at USAID-funded projects.

“Throughout this transformational journey, the CSP internship program has supported my growth and shown my potential. I’m starting a new chapter in my life today as a full-time employee with the intention of having a significant influence on the community”, said Nassab Shayya, Monitoring, Evaluation, Research and Learning (MERL) and Logistics Assistant at UNICEF-funded DIRASA project.