Volunteer programs in Mauritius

About Mauritius

About Mauritius

Mauritius is a tropical island located in the southern Indian Ocean, about 900 kilometers east of Madagascar. Officially known as the Republic of Mauritius, it is also simply referred to as Mauritius or Isle of Beach. It is a piece of paradise with white sandy beaches, turquoise waters, and a tropical climate. Your trip to Mauritius will become a multicultural experience due to its past Portuguese, Dutch, French, and British colonies, offering excellent leisure activities and cherished gastronomy.

Climate in Mauritius

Mauritius has a relatively temperate climate throughout the year. Temperatures are moderate with occasional rainfall. In the central plateau, temperatures range from 20ºC in August to 26ºC in February. Coastal areas usually have higher temperatures. The northern and western regions of Mauritius are warmer and drier compared to the southern and eastern parts of the island. It’s worth noting that Mauritius is located in the southern hemisphere, so the seasons are the opposite of Europe’s. Fortunately, seasonal differences are minimal.

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Time zone

Mauritius typically follows Mauritius Standard Time (MUT), which is UTC+4:00.

Currency

The official currency is the Mauritian Rupee. We recommend traveling with euros or dollars and then exchanging them in any currency exchange office or bank in Mauritius.

Location

Programs are located in Le Morne​

Stay

The volunteering stay begins when the volunteer arrives at the destination and is picked up.

Meals

Meals included in the destination/project will be provided at the accommodations. However, meals during journeys to the destination, excursions conducted by volunteers, etc., will not be included.

Pick up times

The specified pick-up times in each destination/project must be respected. Volunteers who arrive outside the designated pick-up time/day will incur an additional cost depending on the destination.

VOLUNTEER programs

Where are the volunteer programs located?

Le Morne

Le Morne is a peninsula on the southwestern tip of Mauritius, on the windward side of the island. It is known for a single basalt rock with a summit 556 meters above sea level, considered one of the most impressive views in Mauritius. The summit covers an area of over 12 hectares and has numerous caves on its facade, surrounded by a lagoon.

Programs

  • Teaching Volunteer Program – Le Morne
  • Construction and Restoration Volunteer Program – Le Morne

Requirements and costs

  • Volunteers must be over 18 years old at the beginning of the program.
  • Submit Curriculum Vitae
  • Passport Photo

 

  • The costs of the volunteer programs start at €420 for 2 weeks. You can consult all of the costs in Program Costs

What is included?

Airport

Volunteers must arrive at Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport (airport code MRU), where they will be picked up by local staff and transported to the accommodation. Arrival at the airport is scheduled for Sundays between 8:00 AM and 10:00 PM.

Airport

Although the official language of Mauritius is English, the two most popular languages are French and Creole (a mix of French and other African languages).

Gastronomy

The main dishes of Mauritian cuisine consist of spicy and flavorful rice, curried meats and vegetables, and various fish and seafood dishes. Most dishes stand out for their rich flavor and aroma, largely due to spices such as ginger, parsley, coriander, tarragon, curry, cumin, and cloves.

Tropical fruits such as papaya, mango, coconut, pineapple, lychee, and guava complete and refresh the varied gastronomic offer.

Start/Duration

Volunteers can participate in the volunteer program for a minimum of 1 week. Volunteer programs in Mauritius start on Mondays. Volunteers must arrive on Sunday at the airport from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM to be picked up by the local team and then transported to the accommodation. Volunteers can extend their program to one week with an extra cost of 70€.

Tourist attractions in Mauritius

Mauritian landscapes are intimately connected to the sea, sugarcane fields, and mountains. The island has a diverse relief, including notched summits (Three Breasts Peaks), gorges (Black River Gorges), and numerous wooded hills. The interior of the island deserves to be explored in-depth to discover its natural riches.

Some of the most interesting places to visit are: Chamarel, Flic en Flac, Mahebourg, Port Louis, Trou aux Biches, Pamplemousses, Tamarin, Souillac, Rodrigues.

Transport in Mauritius

There are 3 basic options for getting around Mauritius: renting a car, hiring a taxi for the whole day, or taking public buses. It’s also possible to rent motorcycles and bicycles, but due to the ever-changing weather and frequent rainfall, it may not be the best idea.

Program goals

The objective of the project is to train young people to be social leaders. The volunteers live in a multicultural environment, work as a team to develop tasks or institutional projects, accompany the beneficiaries in their daily lives or through workshops, and collaborate with the needs of the centers and homes.

To achieve this, we work on three approaches

Social inclusion

Social Inclusion of children, young people and grandparents in situations of social risk.

Attention to Centers and Homes

Attention to Centers and Homes for the protection and restitution of rights of socially vulnerable children, adolescents and older adults.

Social action

Social Action The volunteers committed to the project will work alongside the community, involving different actors in society and allowing the full fulfillment of the rights of all people.

Our programs

Teaching Volunteer Program – Le Morne – Mauritius

Participants will assist the children in a community with English classes and other subjects. This program is a wonderful opportunity for participants to immerse themselves in the culture through games and fun activities. English is not part of the regular curriculum, but it is essential for their future.

This program will enrich you by providing educational concepts that some of the children may not have access to.

Minimum duration: one week.

 

Construction and Restoration Volunteer Program – Le Morne – Mauritius

The program involves assisting in construction and renovation work on houses and buildings in one of our communities in Mauritius. Amidst this paradise-like location, you will contribute your efforts to help and enhance the facilities of our community.

Minimum duration: one week.

accommodation and meals

Accommodation in Morne

In Mauritius, our primary accommodation is a volunteer house situated in Le Morne. The volunteer house is among our most popular accommodations because it allows you to share the experience with other volunteers, making it more enriching.

In Mauritius, three meals a day are included from Monday to Friday, and two meals are provided on weekends.

program costs

The total cost of volunteering is divided into two parts. The registration fee 210 € (approx. US$ 225) to book your spot, and the program fee, which is paid later.

Construction and Restoration Volunteer Program – Le Morne

One week: 300 €
Two weeks: 600 €

Teaching Volunteer Program – Le Morne

One week: 300 €
Two weeks: 600 €

If your currency is not specified in the table, you can convert your costs  here.

What is included in the fee that I am paying?

What additional costs will be incurred by the volunteers?

Flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations (if required), return airport transfer, transportation between accommodation and project location (if needed), other personal expenses.

Contact

Leave us your information and we will contact you within the next 24 hours

UNIVERSITY PRACTICES

Our volunteers will be able to validate university credits with the aim of traveling in a more responsible and economical way.

What does volunteering focused on university practices involve?

At Cooperating Volunteers, we make agreements with different universities to validate university credits with the aim of traveling in a more responsible and economical way.

The specialties we work with are extensive: medical volunteering, nursing, education, social work, psychology, physiotherapy, engineering, architecture…

The practices can be carried out in our designated destinations for this purpose, as well as in Spain.

If you choose an international destination, it’s a unique way to live an unforgettable and enriching experience, as you will have the opportunity to continue your education in another country, with a completely different culture.

Stepping out of our comfort zone and being part of the various projects at the destination will allow us to grow both personally and professionally, creating a more extensive curriculum.

And we are fully convinced that this experience will accompany you throughout your life.

You will be able to visit hospitals, schools, centers, orphanages, and participate directly and actively in the daily lives of all those people at the destination, always accompanied by other professionals willing to collaborate hand in hand with you and guide you in daily tasks.

If your university is not part of the agreement with Cooperating Volunteers, you can contact cristina@cooperatingvolunteers.com so that we can get in touch and make this experience a reality. 

CORPORATE VOLUNTEERING

Corporate volunteering consists of tailored programs for your company, designed to develop teamwork skills.

It is proven that teamwork directly impacts productivity. 

Collective effort surpasses individual capabilities, promotes diversity of skills, stimulates creativity, and facilitates problem-solving in the face of various challenges.

Therefore, it not only maximizes efficiency but also enriches the work environment.

We conduct corporate volunteering programs that consist of customized programs for your company, designed to develop teamwork skills, improve performance, and foster unity among employees.

We tailor projects to the corporate identity and size of the company, and we can adjust them to any destination and time of the year.

The advantages of corporate volunteering include:

  • Improving communication.
  • Group unity.
  • Cultural integration in different situations.
  • Employee training.
  • Increased Corporate Social Responsibility.

The future is aligned with a more responsible society, and participating in social projects positions our company among the list of revolutionary businesses that want to be part of the change.

If you resonate with this message, corporate volunteering is a unique experience both individually and collectively, and at Cooperating Volunteers, we accompany you throughout the process to make it a unique journey.

FAMILY VOLUNTEERING

Quality time spent with family strengthens emotional bonds, promotes communication, and contributes to the emotional well-being of its members. 

Spending quality time with family and being able to disconnect from our hectic routines is not only enriching but also necessary.

Sometimes we forget to communicate, connect, and dedicate time to each other. Each one of us lives focused on our jobs, schools… And it’s necessary to find the opportunity to pause and take care of ourselves.

Quality time spent with family strengthens emotional bonds, promotes communication, and contributes to the emotional well-being of its members. And of course, it creates lifelong positive memories.

At Cooperating Volunteers, we suggest moving away from those ‘more superficial’ trips (which can also be fantastic), but we invite you to live this experience to bring out our most empathetic and humanitarian side.

Family volunteering gives us the opportunity to be part of a positive impact, promoting values of solidarity and social responsibility.

There are many families who choose to experience these trips focused on cooperation and direct involvement with different communities around the world, where living conditions are very different and sometimes entirely precarious.

Projects are tailored to different ages, allowing us to work together.

An incredible way to fill our suitcase with memories, learning, and knowledge.

And although stepping out of our comfort zone often feels daunting, we assure you firsthand that it’s worth it.

At Cooperating Volunteers, we accompany you throughout the entire experience, from start to finish, to make it unforgettable.

SENIOR VOLUNTEERING

At Cooperating Volunteers, we believe it’s never too late for anything, especially for volunteering and living a unique and unforgettable experience.

There are many people, increasingly so, who opt for responsible travel that involves social work.

Accustomed to organized and mostly touristic trips, at Cooperating Volunteers, we want to advocate for a more enriching experience, one that transforms us from within and allows us to be part of the change the world needs to see.

We can adapt both the destination and the duration of our projects to fit your needs.

It’s an opportunity full of emotions that allows us to significantly contribute to different communities and their evolution. And you can participate in different areas such as education, social support, or assistance in different centers.

Some of the benefits include:

  • Sense of purpose: Provides a sense of purpose by contributing your skills and experiences to meaningful causes.
  • Emotional well-being: Reduces feelings of isolation and establishes social connections.
  • Personal development: It’s continuous learning, skill development, and discovering new activities while keeping the mind-body active.
  • Physical health: Keeping active.
  • Stress reduction: The act of helping others reduces stress and contributes to mental health.

Living this experience will undoubtedly be a before and after. 

SOCIAL VOLUNTEERING

A volunteering initiative with leadership and impact through the educational action program.

When we talk about social volunteering, we refer to all those actions and activities carried out altruistically, selflessly, and with the aim of addressing multiple problems and needs of different communities, always focused on education and self-sufficiency.

Education is essential because it provides the tools and knowledge necessary for personal, social, and economic development.

Our goal is to create self-sufficient communities and provide opportunities for the future personal development of each member. The message is not to ‘give’, but to accompany in the process of training for self-managed provision.

At Cooperating Volunteers, many of our destinations and projects embrace this type of volunteering. Some of our projects include: community programs, education, women’s empowerment…

And although they are completely different from each other, they share a single objective: progress towards a society that can embrace us all in the same way.

If you are someone who is restless, who needs to see a change in the future, volunteering is an experience tailor-made for you.