We’re Recruiting a Part-time Software Engineer Intern or Volunteer!

Kupenda for the Children seeks an energetic, results-driven, independent, self-starting intern to support our work of improving the lives of children with disabilities in low income countries.

The Position

Kupenda is looking for a Software Engineer Intern or Volunteer to join our U.S. team for 5 – 20 hours per week. This position is 100% remote. The Intern or Volunteer will be asked to join 15-minute stand-up calls 2 times per week with our Boston-based Development Director and app development team of graduate students from Boston University School of Public Health and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). We also have one or two weekly app content demonstration and training meetings with our Kenyan team. We work with a support team from Dimagi (the company that developed the CommCare platform on which the app is built) and a software technology advisor from Sabrams Consulting LLC who provide support for our work and teams, as needed. The Software Engineer Intern will work with all of these parties to assist in developing and testing our CommCare mobile application for Covid-19 screening and case management of children with disabilities in low-income countries. In fall of 2021, Kupenda will be focused on pilot testing the tool. The Software Engineer Intern will develop and implement testing plans, create training videos, and receive feedback from our field team in Kenya that they will then incorporate into the app revisions.

The Mobile Application

In partnership with Kuhenza for the Children, Dimagi, Boston University, MIT, and Sabrams Consulting, Kupenda is developing a mobile application to support Covid-19 screening and case management of children with disabilities in low income countries. The app has the following features:

• Child Progress Tracking: The app features enable Kupenda and Kuhenza to track the physical, social, academic and emotional progress of vulnerable children in our programs, based on the Measure Evaluation project’s Child Status Index, which we have tailored for children with disabilities. Our Kenyan staff and community leader child advocates have used this tool and our Kilifi County Service Referral Guide to successfully support children with disabilities in Kilifi, Kenya for several years. We are now refining the tool by infusing it with elements of the Washington Group measurements and adapting it for a mobile platform. Pilot testing of the application began with Kuhenza’s staff in early 2020 and is now expanding for use by community leader child advocates throughout Kilifi. The tool is also now available for wider use by our partners in and beyond Kenya.

• Community Leader Child Case Management: The app also includes a survey tool that our community leader child advocates use to counsel children with disabilities and their caregivers who live in their communities. The app also provides leaders with access to a series of informational resources, including our Service Referral Guide, Disability Guidebook, and Disability Law Guide. Community leaders refer to these resources during family counseling sessions and use the reporting form to communicate questions and needs to Kupenda and Kuhenza in a timely manner. Using the app’s prioritization and emergency care features, our office staff are then able to provide immediate support to children who are showing signs of medical needs, malnutrition, illness, or abuse.

• GIS Mapping for Community Care Coordination: We are now integrating the app with a GIS map of our innovation center (Kilifi County, Kenya) that shows where the children live, what their needs are, and what services have or have not been provided to them. This map will allow us to prioritize and coordinate our community outreach efforts so more children are served each time we conduct food delivery, home visits, mobile clinics or trainings. This map and our app’s reporting features also allow us to prepare and share data that inspires ministries, organizations and agencies to implement policies and systems that help more vulnerable children access the services they need to thrive.

Responsibilities

• Writing and editing programs in Comm Care
• Develop and implement app content testing plans
• Assisting with data mappings for interfaces
• Developing and supporting application integrations
• Create training videos for our field staff in Kenya
• Validating system enhancements, fixes, and user workflows
• Developing and releasing new versions of the Comm Care mobile applications
• Leading and participating in content demonstrations for our field team in Kenya
• Collecting and incorporating feedback from our field team into the app revisions

Required Skills and Qualifications

• Familiarity with programming language, such as Java or Python
• Familiarity with the principles of good test-writing, and comfortable writing thorough tests for your code
• Strong work ethic
• Ability to adapt to change and learn new skills quickly
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Flexibility and ability to work in a fast-paced environment

Preferred Skills (not required)

• Programming experience with at least one programming language (ex. Python, Javascript, SQL, and / or UBA (Excel)
• Familiarity with using a version control system to facilitate collaborative work
• Experience in web or mobile development
• Web application development experience
• Experience working with GIS and exporting into Excel
• Interest or experience in disability justice and / or with nonprofit organizations

About Kupenda for the Children

Kupenda works collaboratively with its Kenya partner, Kuhenza for the Children, to enable children with disabilities to reach their full potential through education, medical intervention, and advocacy. Although Kenya is our innovation and testing center, we also support disability programs in countries around the world, including Zambia, Zimbabwe, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Haiti, Uganda, Malawi, and the United States. We are highly collaborative with partner organizations and strong advocates for open-source. Over the past year, Kupenda’s programs have improved the quality of life of more than 40,000 people with disabilities in seven low- income African countries. At Kupenda, you will have the opportunity to grow your skillset as well as make a real impact across the world.

How to Apply

Send a resume and cover letter to [email protected].

Kupenda is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate and support diversity and are committed to providing a work environment that is inclusive and free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions are based on individual qualifications without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, family or parental status, veteran or disability status

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If you’re interested in supporting one of the many children we serve, head over to our sponsorship page to learn about how you can make a difference for just $30 / month.

You can also help children with disabilities stay safe and healthy during COVID-19 by donating here.