Volunteer Travel in Africa

Volunteer in Africa

Volunteering in Africa is a new trend that is rising in the world. Many people are looking to Africa and find ways to help the local communities. Volunteering in Africa provides a host of new opportunities and challenges to whomever who wants to volunteer abroad. Africa is the second largest continent in the world. Second to Asia, it has a billion people with a diverse set of cultures. There are over 1000 languages spoken from Kiswahili to Arabic. Sudan is the largest country while Seychelles is the smallest.  The main official languages spoken are English, French and Spanish. There are also two main religions which are, Christianity and Islam, although there are many more traditional religions or folk religions. The African continent lies on the equator, making most of the countries in Africa being tropical. The main seasons in Africa are mainly summer and autumn. The rainy seasons are mainly in June to July and November and December. During the rainy seasons there could be flooding which occurs in areas near rivers and lakes. Other than that it’s usually sunny all throughout the year. Except from the southern African countries, where they experience winter in the middle of the year.  The African Geography is also unique with the highest point being in Mount Kilimanjaro, the second largest mountain in the world, while the lowest points lie in the Rift valley in Kenya. The largest desert in the world lies is the Kalahari Desert which cuts across several countries. The longest river lies in Egypt, River Nile. All these make volunteering in Africa to be a unique and a beautiful experience.

Volunteer programs and projects

Despite the rich beauty and the bountiful resources that are available in Africa, there are a number of problems that continue to plague the continent. One of the main problems that Africa has is unstable governments and human rights abuse which are seen in a couple of countries. For example in the democratic republic of Congo, it is referred to as the rape capital whereby 1 in 5 women have been raped. But in the stable democratic countries in Africa, they have unique volunteer programs and projects available for whoever wants to volunteer. Depending on the country you go to you will find a project where you can be useful. The programs and projects include: orphanage work, teaching kids in primary and secondary school; teaching English as a second language; Health/ Medical work; HIV/AIDS work; community development work; care for the disabled work; conservation work, working with wildlife; teaching basic computer skills; teaching sports; work on marine conservation projects and preserving habitats; help build homes. The opportunities are all different in the countries, like teaching English in Kenya is very different from teaching English in Ghana. The programs prices differ greatly depending on the living standards and the volunteer travel company you use.

Wildlife and tourism

There are over 50 million tourists who visit Africa to see the beautiful landscape and the wild animals. The most popular places visited are the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the azure waters in Mauritius, Cape Town in South Africa and the Maasai Mara in Kenya. In Africa there is the largest diversity of animals and plants. It the best continent to tour if you are looking at adventure tours.  The best time to come to Africa is between Julys to December but unfortunately it is the high season. Africa boasts the great wildebeest migration where they move from Kenya and go to Tanzania across the Mara. Africa is the host of the big five animals which are lions, buffalos, elephants, rhino and leopards. For bird lovers, there are ornithological tours which you get to see a great number of species and variety found in certain areas. There are a great number of beaches available to those who prefer lying on the coast.  The tour prices range between the travel agent you are using and the season in which you choose to travel.

African Culture

When you really want to visit and experience Africa then you should see the African culture. With over 1 billion people; 3000 tribes with the Bantu being the largest; 1000 languages, and 1000 folk religions.  Africa is said to be the cradle of mankind with most of the early man being found here. And with the oldest civilization being Egypt, there are many unique and beautiful cultures in Africa to see from sharing a meal in Morocco with a family and doing chores in an orphanage in South Africa. Most African cultures are welcoming and love seeing new people. There are many cultures and tribes which vary from each other across the continent. For example the Zulu are the largest tribe in South Africa; Luhya is the second largest tribe in Kenya. These two differ greatly not only in language but in how they do most of the things but they also share some common habits.

Gap Year Abroad – Adventure Volunteering In Africa

Volunteering in Africa is a new trend that is rising in the world. Many people are looking to Africa and find ways to help the local communities. Volunteering in Africa provides a host of new opportunities and challenges to whomever who wants to volunteer abroad. Africa is the second largest continent in the world. Second to Asia, it has a billion people with a diverse set of cultures. There are over 1000 languages spoken from Kiswahili to Arabic. Sudan is the largest country while Seychelles is the smallest.  The main official languages spoken are English, French and Spanish. There are also two main religions which are, Christianity and Islam, although there are many more traditional religions or folk religions. The African continent lies on the equator, making most of the countries in Africa being tropical. The main seasons in Africa are mainly summer and autumn. The rainy seasons are mainly in June to July and November and December. During the rainy seasons there could be flooding which occurs in areas near rivers and lakes. Other than that it’s usually sunny all throughout the year. Except from the southern African countries, where they experience winter in the middle of the year.  The African Geography is also unique with the highest point being in Mount Kilimanjaro, the second largest mountain in the world, while the lowest points lie in the Rift valley in Kenya. The largest desert in the world lies is the Kalahari Desert which cuts across several countries. The longest river lies in Egypt, River Nile. All these make volunteering in Africa to be a unique and a beautiful experience.

Volunteer programs and projects

Despite the rich beauty and the bountiful resources that are available in Africa, there are a number of problems that continue to plague the continent. One of the main problems that Africa has is unstable governments and human rights abuse which are seen in a couple of countries. For example in the democratic republic of Congo, it is referred to as the rape capital whereby 1 in 5 women have been raped. But in the stable democratic countries in Africa, they have unique volunteer programs and projects available for whoever wants to volunteer. Depending on the country you go to you will find a project where you can be useful. The programs and projects include: orphanage work, teaching kids in primary and secondary school; teaching English as a second language; Health/ Medical work; HIV/AIDS work; community development work; care for the disabled work; conservation work, working with wildlife; teaching basic computer skills; teaching sports; work on marine conservation projects and preserving habitats; help build homes. The opportunities are all different in the countries, like teaching English in Kenya is very different from teaching English in Ghana. The programs prices differ greatly depending on the living standards and the volunteer travel company you use.

Wildlife and tourism

There are over 50 million tourists who visit Africa to see the beautiful landscape and the wild animals. The most popular places visited are the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the azure waters in Mauritius, Cape Town in South Africa and the Maasai Mara in Kenya. In Africa there is the largest diversity of animals and plants. It the best continent to tour if you are looking at adventure tours.  The best time to come to Africa is between Julys to December but unfortunately it is the high season. Africa boasts the great wildebeest migration where they move from Kenya and go to Tanzania across the Mara. Africa is the host of the big five animals which are lions, buffalos, elephants, rhino and leopards. For bird lovers, there are ornithological tours which you get to see a great number of species and variety found in certain areas. There are a great number of beaches available to those who prefer lying on the coast.  The tour prices range between the travel agent you are using and the season in which you choose to travel.

African Culture

When you really want to visit and experience Africa then you should see the African culture. With over 1 billion people; 3000 tribes with the Bantu being the largest; 1000 languages, and 1000 folk religions.  Africa is said to be the cradle of mankind with most of the early man being found here. And with the oldest civilization being Egypt, there are many unique and beautiful cultures in Africa to see from sharing a meal in Morocco with a family and doing chores in an orphanage in South Africa. Most African cultures are welcoming and love seeing new people. There are many cultures and tribes which vary from each other across the continent. For example the Zulu are the largest tribe in South Africa; Luhya is the second largest tribe in Kenya. These two differ greatly not only in language but in how they do most of the things but they also share some common habits.

Many students spend some part of their gap year abroad and if that’s you then I have a challenge for you. Instead of spending your time getting sunburned and bored, why not have the adventure of your life volunteering in Africa!

People say it’s a small world, and these days traveling to Africa is much easier than when Livingstone got himself lost up the Zambezi! Flights are frequent from most parts of the world and getting around inside Africa might be a constant adventure but mostly now it’s in comfortable four wheel drive vehicles. Trekking is, of course, open to those who want it, but it’s entirely up to you.

But why volunteering in Africa for your gap year abroad?

For many it’s the huge range of choices. If you are a keen photographer then photographing African wildlife will appeal to you. Far from being just a safari holiday, this is important conservation work and you will have the help of highly skilled professional photographers and specialist African guides with you in the bush.

What about walking with the African lion? I don’t mean looking at one through bars, I mean actually walking with young rescued and captive-bred lions as they learn to hunt before being re-introduced to the wild.

The African people need your help too. There are teaching opportunities, chances to help with African orphans, medical assistance in a variety of situations, the chance to help with infrastructure in African townships, building schools for African children. If gardening is your thing then you can help with establishing crops. Whatever your particular skill or passion African volunteer organizations will find a way for you to make the biggest impact in the shortest time.

Let’s not forget the adventure part of volunteering in Africa though. Yes, there’s work to do, but there are also the opportunities to go bungee jumping near Victoria Falls, white water rafting on the Zambezi, big game fishing of the Cape, elephant riding through the bush, surfing, snorkeling and horse riding, not forgetting the fabulous food and sampling the world-renowned South African wines. Your gap year abroad could find you sleeping on a beach somewhere, and we’re not suggesting there’s anything wrong with that some of the time, but you might want to add an adventure in Africa while you are at it!

Volunteer in Africa- How to Grow by Volunteering in Kenya and Other Destinations

Volunteering in Africa is a new trend that is rising in the world. Many people are looking to Africa and find ways to help the local communities. Volunteering in Africa provides a host of new opportunities and challenges to whomever who wants to volunteer abroad. Africa is the second largest continent in the world. Second to Asia, it has a billion people with a diverse set of cultures. There are over 1000 languages spoken from Kiswahili to Arabic. Sudan is the largest country while Seychelles is the smallest.  The main official languages spoken are English, French and Spanish. There are also two main religions which are, Christianity and Islam, although there are many more traditional religions or folk religions. The African continent lies on the equator, making most of the countries in Africa being tropical. The main seasons in Africa are mainly summer and autumn. The rainy seasons are mainly in June to July and November and December. During the rainy seasons there could be flooding which occurs in areas near rivers and lakes. Other than that it’s usually sunny all throughout the year. Except from the southern African countries, where they experience winter in the middle of the year.  The African Geography is also unique with the highest point being in Mount Kilimanjaro, the second largest mountain in the world, while the lowest points lie in the Rift valley in Kenya. The largest desert in the world lies is the Kalahari Desert which cuts across several countries. The longest river lies in Egypt, River Nile. All these make volunteering in Africa to be a unique and a beautiful experience.

Volunteer programs and projects

Despite the rich beauty and the bountiful resources that are available in Africa, there are a number of problems that continue to plague the continent. One of the main problems that Africa has is unstable governments and human rights abuse which are seen in a couple of countries. For example in the democratic republic of Congo, it is referred to as the rape capital whereby 1 in 5 women have been raped. But in the stable democratic countries in Africa, they have unique volunteer programs and projects available for whoever wants to volunteer. Depending on the country you go to you will find a project where you can be useful. The programs and projects include: orphanage work, teaching kids in primary and secondary school; teaching English as a second language; Health/ Medical work; HIV/AIDS work; community development work; care for the disabled work; conservation work, working with wildlife; teaching basic computer skills; teaching sports; work on marine conservation projects and preserving habitats; help build homes. The opportunities are all different in the countries, like teaching English in Kenya is very different from teaching English in Ghana. The programs prices differ greatly depending on the living standards and the volunteer travel company you use.

Wildlife and tourism

There are over 50 million tourists who visit Africa to see the beautiful landscape and the wild animals. The most popular places visited are the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, the azure waters in Mauritius, Cape Town in South Africa and the Maasai Mara in Kenya. In Africa there is the largest diversity of animals and plants. It the best continent to tour if you are looking at adventure tours.  The best time to come to Africa is between Julys to December but unfortunately it is the high season. Africa boasts the great wildebeest migration where they move from Kenya and go to Tanzania across the Mara. Africa is the host of the big five animals which are lions, buffalos, elephants, rhino and leopards. For bird lovers, there are ornithological tours which you get to see a great number of species and variety found in certain areas. There are a great number of beaches available to those who prefer lying on the coast.  The tour prices range between the travel agent you are using and the season in which you choose to travel.

African Culture

When you really want to visit and experience Africa then you should see the African culture. With over 1 billion people; 3000 tribes with the Bantu being the largest; 1000 languages, and 1000 folk religions.  Africa is said to be the cradle of mankind with most of the early man being found here. And with the oldest civilization being Egypt, there are many unique and beautiful cultures in Africa to see from sharing a meal in Morocco with a family and doing chores in an orphanage in South Africa. Most African cultures are welcoming and love seeing new people. There are many cultures and tribes which vary from each other across the continent. For example the Zulu are the largest tribe in South Africa; Luhya is the second largest tribe in Kenya. These two differ greatly not only in language but in how they do most of the things but they also share some common habits.

Many students spend some part of their gap year abroad and if that’s you then I have a challenge for you. Instead of spending your time getting sunburned and bored, why not have the adventure of your life volunteering in Africa!

People say it’s a small world, and these days traveling to Africa is much easier than when Livingstone got himself lost up the Zambezi! Flights are frequent from most parts of the world and getting around inside Africa might be a constant adventure but mostly now it’s in comfortable four wheel drive vehicles. Trekking is, of course, open to those who want it, but it’s entirely up to you.

But why volunteering in Africa for your gap year abroad?

For many it’s the huge range of choices. If you are a keen photographer then photographing African wildlife will appeal to you. Far from being just a safari holiday, this is important conservation work and you will have the help of highly skilled professional photographers and specialist African guides with you in the bush.

What about walking with the African lion? I don’t mean looking at one through bars, I mean actually walking with young rescued and captive-bred lions as they learn to hunt before being re-introduced to the wild.

The African people need your help too. There are teaching opportunities, chances to help with African orphans, medical assistance in a variety of situations, the chance to help with infrastructure in African townships, building schools for African children. If gardening is your thing then you can help with establishing crops. Whatever your particular skill or passion African volunteer organizations will find a way for you to make the biggest impact in the shortest time.

Let’s not forget the adventure part of volunteering in Africa though. Yes, there’s work to do, but there are also the opportunities to go bungee jumping near Victoria Falls, white water rafting on the Zambezi, big game fishing of the Cape, elephant riding through the bush, surfing, snorkeling and horse riding, not forgetting the fabulous food and sampling the world-renowned South African wines. Your gap year abroad could find you sleeping on a beach somewhere, and we’re not suggesting there’s anything wrong with that some of the time, but you might want to add an adventure in Africa while you are at it!

Africa is a vast continent but most of it lies in the shadow of poverty, malnutrition, drought, lack of education and civil wars.
From the famines of Ethiopia to the poaching of wild animals in Kenya, Africa has seen it all. Volunteering in Africa has been a major consideration of Non-profit organizations worldwide.
Different people have different reasons to opt for volunteer work and it can vary from the desire to learn new things about new cultures and societies to travel and gratification through social work and helping mankind.
Some people are so devoted to the cause that they have spent their entire lifetime in Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, Nairobi etc, while others do as much they can.
Volunteering abroad and in continents like Africa, South America and Asia can be an enriching experience with a satisfaction or gratification that is almost incomparable.
There are different organizations requiring volunteers overseas and especially in Africa. Some of the organizations and projects involving volunteering in Africa are:
The Cheetah Recoil Program: This program is being organized at the Marsabit National Park, Kenya as a part of providing opportunities for volunteering in Africa.
The Cheetah is the fastest animal on land but off late, due to extensive poaching, the population of Cheetah is almost near extinction. This Cheetah program has been designed specifically for volunteers who have an interest in wildlife conservation and are willing to travel overseas to Kenya.
The requirement is for volunteers in groups of 20 who will work in a specific area along with some senior research co-coordinators, game wardens and scientists.
The Azafady Project: The project is being run by an U.K. charity organization and they need volunteering in Africa to effectively alleviate poverty, and at the same time improve and protect the unique and beautiful environment and wildlife. Their overseas volunteer program is two fold.
One program is called the Pioneer Madagascar and it offers opportunity for volunteers to work at the grass-root level and create a system through which environmental degradation and poverty can be fought.
The second project is called the Lemur Venture which is a lemur conservation project focused on protecting the already threatened population of lemur.
Global Service

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