Volunteering in Africa
Volunteering in Africa offers a variety of programs for those interested in providing assistance to the most vulnerable and gaining new skills while learning about its people and local culture.
Before deciding on a volunteering experience in Africa, it’s important to know that this continent boasts diverse regions and countries, each with its unique characteristics.
Available Volunteer Programs in Africa
Volunteering programs in Africa aim to help the most vulnerable, including children and others in need. The available programs include:
Teaching Programs
The Teaching Program was created because many children in Africa face difficulties in accessing education due to extreme poverty. Schools in various African countries often have large numbers of students assigned to a single teacher, which hampers effective teaching. This program aims to improve learning conditions for these children.
Volunteers will work in nursery schools and primary schools, engaging with children from various communities. Some of the activities include teaching about the natural environment, providing basic English language instruction, teaching geography, organizing physical education activities, educational games, and any other activities that contribute to the children’s future and education.
Participation in this program requires a basic level of English.
Construction Program
In the construction program, volunteers engage in physically demanding tasks that involve manual labor. They also need creativity as they help decorate the school environment. Activities include bricklaying, gardening, carpentry, tiling, painting walls and ceilings, as well as participating in building renovations, equipment or furniture repairs, and painting.
Turtle Program
The Turtle Program focuses on protecting wildlife, specifically sea turtles in various coastal regions of Africa. Its goal is to conserve biodiversity and develop sustainable conservation projects. This program is for individuals dedicated to working with turtles, as it requires commitment. The program typically runs during the nesting season of sea turtles, which varies by location.
Volunteers participate throughout the nesting season, engaging in various stages of the project, such as collecting data on nesting turtles, conducting nighttime patrols to protect them, maintaining the hatchery, releasing turtles, and conducting educational activities with the community.
This program provides an opportunity to learn various sea turtle conservation techniques and differentiate between the survival strategies of different sea turtle species.
To participate in this program, certain requirements must be met, including good physical condition, as work is often conducted at night and involves standing.
Sports Coach Program
The Sports Coach Program is designed for those who want to contribute to a project aimed at teaching children the power, importance, and value of sports. This program involves students of all skill levels and ages who are eager to learn. It includes providing instruction on various sports disciplines.
Participants in the program can choose the sport they want to teach and establish the teaching methodology they find most suitable. This program has a minimum duration of two weeks.
What you need to know about volunteering in Africa
Volunteering programs in Africa typically start at the beginning of each week and run from Monday to Friday, although schedules may vary depending on location and project. They have a minimum duration of one week, except for the Sports Coach Program.
It is a mandatory requirement that volunteers be at least 18 years old, and those over 65 years old must provide a medical authorization.