Start date
May 5, 2026

End date
September 22, 2026

Duration
20 weeks

ELIGIBILITY: Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be a U.S. citizen.

Activity/project background

Pally Creative Empowerment Foundation is dedicated to supporting local entrepreneurs in Namibia. The organization focuses on startup incubation, funding opportunities, technology adoption, and creative development through writing workshops and mentorship programs. Current activities include organizing networking events and providing workshops aimed at fostering innovation and economic growth. There is a growing need for online training and mentorship to support remote or restricted areas where in-person support is difficult. The intended audience for this engagement includes small business owners and innovators in Namibia who need enhanced virtual skills and resources to advance their projects and businesses.

The foundation is requesting the support of one Virtual Service Pilot Participant (VSPP) to strengthen its capacity to deliver basic business development and prototyping training, followed by guided collaborative product or service development. The VSPP will support short foundational training sessions, mentor coordination, prototyping guidance, and pitch preparation to ensure entrepreneurs develop practical, testable solutions.

The organization has previously collaborated with the Peace Corps through a Virtual Service Pilot Participant engagement. The organization understands that the role of a VSPP is very different from that of a Peace Corps Volunteer or Peace Corps Response Volunteer.

Engagement and tasks

The VSPP will engage in the following tasks, in collaboration with their host country partners:

• Co-design and deliver basic business development and prototyping training sessions during the first 2–5 weeks of the program
• Co-facilitate weekly collaborative product or service development sessions with entrepreneur groups
• Support four entrepreneur groups to develop, test, and refine at least one product or service prototype per group (consisting of five people per group)
• Provide structured feedback and guidance during weekly mentor-supported sessions
• Support coordination and facilitation of a virtual pitch day scheduled for the first week of August in 2026
• Support assessment, document lessons learned, and close-out activities for the program
  
  

VSPPs are expected to engage on the tasks listed above for an estimated 5–15 hours per week. This engagement is estimated to be between 7–9 hours per week.

Online collaboration will generally occur between 6:00 p.m.–9:00 p.m. Namibia time on weekdays and 3:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. Namibia time on Saturdays. Specific times will be determined during orientation.

The host country counterpart will have access to Google Meet, Zoom, WhatsApp, and email for regular communication and collaboration.

Per the Child Protection Code of Conduct, when engaging online with minors (0–18), two adults must be present.

Optional Additional Activities

The Peace Corps mission is to promote world peace and friendship by fulfilling three goals:

• To help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women.
• To help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served.
• To help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans.
  
  

Goal 1 will be achieved through the VSPP's engagement and completion of the above tasks. The counterpart and VSPP may also choose to identify an activity that aligns with Goal 2. Additionally, the VSPP may identify a Goal 3 activity to implement during their engagement. See recommendations and tools for Goal 3 activities.

Experience:

Essential qualifications

• 3 years of entrepreneurship support, business development, innovation, or startup-related work
• Mentoring, coaching, or supporting entrepreneurs, small business owners, or innovators
• Facilitating or supporting virtual meetings, workshops, or collaborative online activities
  
  

Intercultural skills and motivation: Flexible, strong cross-cultural agility, high tolerance for ambiguity, able to work independently, resourceful, creative, and genuinely motivated and capable to serve virtually