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Location
Multiple Locations +4
  • Uganda
  • Philippines
  • Kenya
  • Ghana
    • Cape Coast
Industry
Accounting Advertising Business Communications Computer Science Economics Education Finance History International Business International Relations Journalism Marketing Sustainable Development +4

Program Details

Housing
Apartment Hotel
Language
English

Pricing

Starting Price
2000
Price Details
The full programme fee is £1995 ($2,830 on 26th of Jan 2016).
Dec 16, 2019
Sep 22, 2015
Wish List
10 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

In week 1 you will complete a world-class enterprise and innovation course that introduces the key tools and methodologies that drive our entrepreneurial process; the Business Model Canvas, Customer Development, Lean Start-up, Design Thinking.

From week 2 you will work in small teams of International Fellows supporting a group of ambitious local entrepreneurs. Together you will imagine, plan and deliver high impact enterprise support, applying the tools learned during week 1.

As the program progresses, you will work side-by-side with your entrepreneur groups, helping them to develop and test exciting new business ideas. This might involve anything from creating marketing strategies and conducting customer interviews to building prototypes and making sales.

On the final weekend your entrepreneurs will pitch for investment from our Balloon Fund and we’ll support the best ideas to help them launch and grow.

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Program Reviews

5.00 Rating
based on 12 reviews
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  • Growth 4.95
  • Support 5
  • Fun 4.5
  • Housing 5
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 9 - 12 of 12 reviews
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Nirmal
32
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Experiences

Jan 20, 2014

A daily routine in the first week involved a training session between 9 am to 5 pm with a few short breaks in between.
The next 5 weeks involved meeting up with our Balloon Kenya entrepreneurs between week days whilst having weekends off.
My highlight of the trip was the effect i had on people's life. It is an incredible feeling what supporting someone can do for their life. Two people i worked with got funding for their businesses and knowing i am in their prayers everyday is refreshing.
The difficulties was certainly the time period. Some kenyan entrepreneurs were behind on schedule or joined the program late due to their own relevant reasons. It was very difficult refusing to help someone who would not be able to meet the presentation date for funding.
All in all, it was a great experience.

What would you improve about this program?
The time limit. If i could, i would make it longer as some entrepreneurs require more time.
62 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Nick123
32
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Career Changer

Jan 20, 2014

Actually going out with entrepreneurs and seeing what works and does not work is the best possible education in business. This combined with the cultural immersion has inspired me to become a social entrepreneur in Africa.

What would you improve about this program?
I would like the trip to be longer than 6 weeks so that I could see the real effects of my work with the entrepreneurs.
62 people found this review helpful.
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Default avatar
Dan
32
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

BALLOON KENYA 2013

Jan 20, 2014

Spent 6 weeks with Balloon Kenya in 2013 thoroughly enjoyed my time on the program. Brilliant set of Kenyans to mentor who were creative and had exciting business ideas. Great insight into differing aspects of Kenyan life and opportunity to see the country.

61 people found this review helpful.
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Toby
32
Male
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An unbelievable experience

Jan 20, 2014

Absolutely incredible experience that challenged my innovative and creative disposition. Learnt more about entrepreneurship and enterprise than I ever thought was possible in such a short space of time. Came away truly believing that I had made a difference. It has helped me no end with job applications. Employers are fascinated with it.

62 people found this review helpful.
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Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Dan Garlick

Program
Global Enterprise Fellowship in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana or Philippines
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Why did you decide to intern abroad with Balloon Kenya in Kenya?

In January last year, mid way through a Finance Placement with German giants Bosch, I began to look at ways I could spend my summer. Many of my friends were heading to the Balearic’s for an alcohol fuelled summer, but I wanted to do something different that would help with my final year of University and also with the ever increasing competition in the graduate market. Whilst applying for internships with major banks I stumbled upon Balloon Kenya, a project based in Nakuru, Kenya that works with entrepreneurs in Africa’s fastest growing city.

Balloon Kenya offered a direct link with my course and enabled me to use what I had learnt on my years placement and my first two years at University and the business side attracted me. I could see benefits for both parties with the entrepreneurs and I both gaining something.

Balloon Kenya encouraged you to endulge in the local culture planning a weekend in a rural village and also allowed you to take weekends to travel and explore Kenya.

What made this experience unique and special?

There were lots of opportunities to volunteer abroad, however few had a unique link to business like Balloon Kenya offered. Balloon Kenya allowed me to see a business world which differed heavily from that of the western world, which I thoroughly enjoyed learning about.

Over the process you build really strong bonds with both the entrepreneurs and the other fellows and the programme definitely has a family feel to it. I still keep in contact with the Kenyans I worked with and also the fellows from across the world that I forged strong friendships with.

Balloon Kenya wanted us to experience as much of Kenya as possible, which was evident through the varying weekend trips they organized for us to see the country and culture. The weekend in a rural village was an eye opener at the beginning of the trip. The visit allowed us to spend a few days experiencing their lifestyles, we helped build mud huts, beat kidney beans, milk cows and then spent the night with a host family. We spent a weekend camping by Lake Naivasha and some of us went on safari whilst others climbed Mount Kenya.

The mix of helping locals and also experiencing their culture and country made the experience special.

How has this experience impacted your future?

I returned to University with more confidence in presenting, having spent my summer teaching groups it helped my presentation skills. I’ve shared my experience with up to audiences of 200 since coming back and it hasn’t phased me.

Despite the Kenyans I met being happy and willing to share everything they had it made me realise how fortunate we are in the UK. I had the chance to see different struggles that I cannot witness on my door step and made me appreciate what I have a lot more.

I’m currently in the process of applying for graduate jobs and hope my experience in Kenya will help me stand out in the highly competitive graduate market. I’ll be able to share my experience in interviews which will hopefully give me the edge.

What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering interning abroad in Kenya?

Go for it, step out of your comfort zone and experience something different! There were a lot of fellows who weren’t from a business back ground, yet they all thoroughly enjoyed it! The structure of the course allows somebody to come with little business knowledge and learn and feel confident to deliver it to the Kenyan entrepreneurs, due to the support from the Balloon Kenya team.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Kiran Sahib

Program
Global Enterprise Fellowship in Kenya, Uganda, Ghana or Philippines
Job Title
Program Manager
Kiran joined the team in 2013 after learning about Balloon Venutres while interning at the Young Foundation. Having graduated from SOAS with a BA in African studies and Development studies, Kiran has a keen interest in aiding social and economic development in Africa. Kiran spent a year in Ghana working on two small agri-businesses, which fuelled her desire to support small businesses and start-ups.
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What does the future hold for Balloon Kenya - any exciting new programs to share?

Balloon will be expanding into Uganda in the next few months, to deliver our ICS Entrepreneur Programme. Plans are being made to move into Mbale, which is a city in Eastern Uganda. This will be the second country that we move into, Kenya being the first, and we are so excited!

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I think the key to a successful company is having a strong committed team who are passionate about what they do and have the right knowledge to run successful programs.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

The best story I have heard from a returning student is from a volunteer called Anna. Anna was partnered up with an entrepreneur called Gideon who had opened a fruit stall and was keen to drum up business.

Through the ‘getting to know your entrepreneur’ exercise she found out that Gideon had set up the stall after coming out of rehab, because of issues he had with alcohol and drugs. He set it up not only to support his livelihood but promote a healthy lifestyle amongst the youth in Kericho.

His passion and drive for ensuring the youth in Kericho were healthy seeped into his sales plan and new products, which were integral with helping him to secure a loan to grow his business.

What unique qualities does your company possess?

Two recent graduates started Balloon (Doug and Josh) and a key focus has always been to help young people develop useful transferrable skills that employers look for.

They have built a team of staff who are passionate about nurturing young people’s talents. As a result the entire organization has a innovative, fresh, youthful feel to it and has a core focus to support young people to get the careers they are keen to have.

About Balloon Ventures

Do you want to develop outstanding start-up and enterprise skills? Help change lives? Experience a new culture and travel? As featured in the Financial Times, the Guardian and Virgin.com, Balloon is an award-winning social enterprise defeating poverty through entrepreneurship, not aid. Since 2012 Balloon has placed 250 volunteers in Africa, worked...

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