Volunteer opportunities for web developer, web designer, or database designer in Afghanistan

I met Azi when he visited Boston last year.  He's a very nice guy with modest but focused goals.  Bpeace works to institute positive change through the creation of jobs.  I've been a member and supporter for almost a year now.

 If you know anyone with the proper background looking to make a difference, here's an opportunity.

Help expand an exciting young company in northern Afghanistan with a director and staff passionate about growth. Work in a focused, warm and hospitable environment.


The non-profit organization Bpeace (The Business Council for Peace) is actively recruiting volunteers with experience in web development for RAHA, an IT service provider and technology training center for individuals in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan. The owner of RAHA, Azimulhaq Azimi, is an Afghan entrepreneur being assisted by Bpeace, a non-profit coalition of business professionals who volunteer to help small and growing businesses in conflict affected countries.

About Azimulhaq and RAHA
RAHA, a locally-owned and operated IT service provider company, was established in 2010 by Azimulhaq (Azi) Azimi and has enjoyed increased success in the Mazar-i-Sharif area. Azi is trained as a lawyer and civil engineer and started his career in a high-level position as the Youth Officer in Mazar. In 2010 he decided to start RAHA to take advantage of the burgeoning IT scene in Afghanistan. The company quickly took off and is currently involved with multiple projects, ranging from the development of promotional materials for young entrepreneurs in Balkh Province to company websites, database development and network creation for major municipalities in the region.

As a participant in the Bpeace Fast Runner program, Azi has benefitted from exposure to U.S. based IT professionals in diverse business environments. During this time Azimulhaq has proven to be a curious, eager and a rapid learner who is determined to compete against the large non-Afghan competitors.

For more information about RAHA and its specific goals and projects, please refer to the company website (in Dari, but Google Chrome will translate).

General Volunteer Description
Train RAHA staff of web developers, improving their competency and knowledge of web development and design and database design. The volunteer must be prepared to work in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan with Azimulhaq and his staff for a period of three to six months, supporting them through project lifecycles.

Compensation
This is an unpaid volunteer position; however, housing and a small stipend will be provided by Azi.

Job Responsibilities
 Train staff of 4 web developers, improving their competency and knowledge of web development and design.

 Act as project manager and mentor guiding RAHA staff on how to manage a project from beginning to end, for example:

­ Development of project proposal

­ Create work plan outlining project tasks and roles
 Identifying and organizing data for database consumption

 Aid in code architecture design

 Programming

 Help staff develop process manuals.

Technical Requirements

Developer
 Experience acquiring appropriate web-host services and web-site deployment.

 Knowledge and experience working with both, Windows and Linux hosting environments

 Minimum 2 years development experience working with ASP.NET and MSSQL database server.

 Knowledge of HTML.

 Java and/or PHP experience a plus.

 Knowledge of CMS applications such as WordPress or Joomla.

Designer
 Minimum 2 years experience designing websites.

 Experience with Photoshop and CSS.

 Ability to designing websites to run on multiple browsers across platforms.

 Knowledge of HTML.

 PHP and or ASP.NET a plus.

General
 Able to procure visa and travel.

 Experience working in or with small businesses a preference, but not required.

 Proven level of cultural competence; experience working or living in the developing world preferred.

 Experience teaching or training others to learn the above programs.

 Ability to work independently.

 Excellent communication skills.

 Flexibility; able to work in an environment in which there may be ambiguity and uncertainty.

 Sense of humor.

 Fluency in Persian a plus, otherwise a translator will be provided.

If you are interested in this position or would like additional information, please send resume to Marla Gitterman at mgitterman@bpeace.org.

About Bpeace
Bpeace believes the path to peace is lined with jobs. We work with entrepreneurs in conflict-affected countries, Afghanistan, Rwanda and El Salvador, to scale their businesses, create significant employment for all, and expand the economic power of women. More jobs mean less violence.®