Volunteering in Africa is a great way to gain new skills, boost your employment prospects and experience something completely different. It is also a fantastic opportunity to see new things and get to understand a region of Africa so much more deeply than the average tourist ever could. Here are ways to get the most out of this unique chance.
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Choose carefully
There are several important points that you should consider when picking your destination for volunteering in Africa.
Think about where you want to be
From the Saharan sands to the Serengeti plains Africa is a diverse continent with a lot to offer, but you will need to cover a lot of ground to see it. Think carefully about where you really want to be and choose a project close to this so that you can reach it easily.
You will benefit from local knowledge and insight that will allow you to explore this region armed with so much more than any guidebook could ever give you.
Think about what you want to do
Organisations including Projects Abroad Canada can offer voluntary experience ranging from a couple of weeks to several months in many different fields.
Volunteering is no longer the preserve of teachers and medics but placements are available for human rights work in Togo, conservation work in South Africa, helping care for children in Tanzania, working as a radio journalist in Senegal or helping build schools in Ghana.
Make sure your chosen project can meet your goals
Be honest about your goals, whether these are travel related or things you hope to take away from the volunteering experience. Ask questions of the volunteer organisation that runs your project to find out about the locality, the sort of work involved, the number of volunteers, the living arrangements and the time commitments.
Find out about the local support available at the project and also find out about local travel and logistics.
Prepare yourself
See challenges as opportunities
Volunteering rarely runs smoothly. Remind yourself why you are in Africa and see each challenge as an opportunity to further your goals.
Jump on chances for local contact
You will gain so much more understanding by eating where locals eat and speaking with them at every opportunity. You will take home a fuller understanding of where you are and may pick up the chance for the ride of a lifetime with a local family to your next point of call.
Pick up phrases in the local language
A simple word like ‘rafiki’ (or friend in Swahili) can bring a smile to the faces of those you meet so pick up those phrases and spread some love.
Plan your travels
The best travellers have a firm plan of places to go but are willing to change these should something turn up. Listen to those around you whether fellow volunteers, locals or other tourists and you will hear of places that your research at home did not turn up. Feel free to change your plans but if you have a set amount of time remember that something has to give and there is already so much to do.
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For example, here are a few unmissable activities and sights in South Africa for voluntourists. There are mountains in the east and centre of South Africa that cry out to be climbed and beaches in Durban that are perfect for chilling out at.
There are adventure sports aplenty to raise the adrenaline levels again, including the highest bungee jump in the world, and South Africa’s game reserves give you the chance to tick off the Big Five.
Cape Town’s cosmopolitan charms, beautiful sunsets and surrounding vineyards will help settle the nerves once more. It is no wonder that South Africa is amongst the favoured locations for volunteers looking to see some of what Africa can offer.
