This program allows you to volunteer abroad in Africa as early as March 2023.
Currently, Malawi does not have a preschool system, leaving children under the age of 6 with limited access to education. Although there are some private nursery schools available in larger towns and cities, attendance requires payment which many parents cannot afford.
Previous research has proven a strong link between a good preschool education and the performance at primary school. Furthermore, learning basic English at a young age is very important when preparing children for the lessons that are taught in English at primary schools in Malawi. However, most teachers that run the groups don’t speak very well English themselves. This is why we are in great need of your help!
Volunteer tasks will vary from:
- Teaching basic English, including the alphabet, counting, days of the week, shapes and songs
- Serving porridge to malnourished children daily as part of a feeding program
- Recording children’s weight to monitor their improvement
- Teaching the children all the benefits of good health and hygiene (e.g. washing hands, brushing teeth)
Mornings will be spent assisting in the nursery. In the afternoons there are various extra-curricular community projects volunteers will assist with.
Library Workshops : The library workshops we organise give the children the opportunity to do activities they would not usually have the chance to, such as art and crafts and reading. Volunteers will assist with these activities as well providing extra English and maths tuition.
Wildlife & Environment Club : This entails educating the children about the environment, conservation and the importance of preserving the wildlife in Malawi.
Sports : During the sports activities volunteers will get the opportunity to coach a variety of sports, including football, netball, volleyball and rounders. There are also other activities we organise, such as ball games, skipping or parachute games and obstacle races, which the children love!
As a volunteer on our teaching project, you will be supporting the teachers by assisting them in one of the local primary schools. On occasion volunteers with teaching experience can be placed in one of the community secondary schools.
Volunteers contribute massively to improving the children’s’ education. You may also have the opportunity to teach adult education classes, which provide necessary skills development to rural communities. Furthermore, as part of our initiative to integrate IT to local schools and communities, you can help teachers develop and improve their computer skills.
In the mornings volunteers will assist teachers with the curriculum subjects, including English, Maths and Sciences. Most days you will finish teaching in the morning between 11:00 and 12:00 and have a lunch break back at the volunteer house during the hottest part of the day.
In the afternoons volunteers will have the opportunity to plan and run extra curricular classes (Library Workshops, Wildlife & Environment Club, Sports).
As a volunteer on our teaching project, you will be supporting the teachers by assisting them. Furthermore, you will run various sports sessions and activities.
In the mornings volunteers will assist teachers with the curriculum subjects. In the afternoons you will organise and run sports activities and coaching sessions, including sports like football, netball, volleyball and rounders.
Volunteers that are with us for a longer period of time will have the opportunity to organise sports matches or mini-tournaments for the children, or even with a neighbouring school or village teams.
Football and Netball
In Malawi, football is the most popular sport for boys and netball is the most popular sport for girls. Existing teams in these sports usually meet every afternoon to train or play matches. As a volunteer your role will be to work alongside the local team coach or teacher (if there is one) and assist them with:
- Warm ups and drills
- Ball Skills and game play
- General fitness – speed, stamina, balance and coordination
- Cool down and stretches
- Basic nutritional and hygiene advice
The involvement of volunteers encourages more children to participate in sport and the training sessions. This is very important regarding their health and fitness, personal development, such as learning team skills, and involving them in a positive activity in their free time.
Additional sports that you may coach or get involved in include volleyball, cricket, or swimming. We try to encourage new sports, so if you have a particular sport in mind that you would like to coach feel free to let us know. However, we ask volunteers to be patient, as these sports are not played as commonly in Malawi.
Sports sessions are a lot of fun and can be very rewarding. Please keep in mind we only have basic sports equipment and due to the climate, conditions and everyday use the teams are always in need of new items, especially balls. If you would like to and are able to bring a football or sports equipment, it will be very much appreciated by us and the children!
Volunteers will be housed in a comfortable shared house in a rural village in the Mangochi district. The volunteers’ house is located on the shores of the beautiful Lake Malawi. The region in which volunteers are based (and Malawi in general) is very safe. However, the house is fenced and gated for added security and privacy.
The rooms in the volunteers’ house are large communal spaces, usually with single or bunk beds. The rooms are equipped with mosquito nets, a private bathroom or an adjacent bathroom. The bathrooms are all Western-style.
In Malawi, there are three school terms each year, the dates of which are similar to those in the United Kingdom. The longest holidays are during the summer, with shorter breaks around Easter and Christmas. The exact dates tend to vary a little each year and are often confirmed only at the last minute.
During school holiday periods, volunteer teachers participate in additional classes which usually take place in the morning. These classes are supplemented by activities and lessons organized by the volunteers, with the support of coordinators and school directors. These activities are welcomed as they keep many children occupied and away from trouble.
You can teach arts and crafts, music, drama, extra English and reading classes, wildlife and environmental classes, and sports games.
The projects are close to the volunteers’ accommodation, and travel can be done on foot. There are also bicycles at the accommodation for volunteers to use to reach the village, and local bicycle taxis (njinga) and buses are very affordable. We recommend that you travel on foot or by bicycle, like the locals, to enjoy the surroundings while having a lower impact on the environment.
– From 18 years old.
– Intermediate level of English (understand instructions, be able to communicate).
– Copy of passport.
– Copy of criminal record.
Placement depends on participants’ skills and profile. A telephone interview and an application form (CV and letter of motivation) will determine the volunteers’ mission on educational projects, ranging from childcare to organizing extracurricular activities and providing academic support/assistance in schools for the most qualified.
Education projects are reserved for qualified individuals with training and experience in teaching (students, education professionals, etc.). Those with prior experience with children can participate in organizing activities.
