Zambia - Livingstone Community Teaching
Volunteer in the sunny town of Livingstone, Zambia, only a few kilometers from the beautiful Victoria Falls. Volunteers are placed with a teacher in one of six under-served schools within the community to assist with the flow of the classroom and provide the students with invaluable individual attention that they would not otherwise receive.
Fast Facts
| Location of Project | Livingstone, Zambia |
|---|---|
| Project Length | Min 2 weeks - Max 8 weeks |
| Arrival Airport | Livingstone International Airport |
| Volunteer Work | Tutoring and assitance in classrooms, HIV/AIDS education |
| Number of Participants | Up to 20 international participants |
| Age | 17 - 80 |
What's Included
| Accommodation | Lodge rooms for 4-8 people |
|---|---|
| Food | 3 meals a day |
| Support | Local in-country team and 24hr emergency support |
| Airport Transfers | Pickup on arrival day and drop-off on end date |
| Transportation | All daily transfers between accommodations and project site |
| Pre-Departure Kit | Full project details will be sent following registration |
| Orientation | All necessary training and introductions provided upon arrival |
What's Not Included
Location
Livingstone is located in the Southern Province of Zambia, just moments away from the legendary Victoria Falls. The town has become a popular tourist destination for those eager to see the beauty and grandeur of the water falls, as well as spectacular wildlife, and a rich and extensive history and culture. Livingstone boasts numerous attractions such as safaris, museums, historical buildings, and outdoor activities to get your heart pumping such as bungee jumping and white water rafting.
About the Project
In choosing this project, volunteers will be making a commitment to work with some of the most impoverished communities in the area, with the end goal of improving both the educational levels of the students as well as stressing the importance and value of a good education.
Volunteers at this project will be working in one of six different schools in the area. These schools educate extremely underserved populations of children, including orphans and especially vulnerable kids.
Volunteer Work and Contribution
The community is in need of a wide variety of assistance, and therefore, your volunteer work will be extremely dynamic and changing throughout your experience. Your roles may fall under any one of the following initiatives:
Teaching assistance: you will be assigned to a class in one of Livingstone's six community schools for orphaned and at-risk youth. You will be working with the classroom teacher to identify how to better reach individual students. Your work will give children the opportunity for one-on-one attention in the classroom, one that does not present itself often in the schools' big classes, and can make a lasting impact on children who would otherwise be falling behind.
Group work: you will remove a small group of children who are struggling from class and will work with them in a smaller and slower-pace environment with more individual attention.
Marking tests and assignments: you will assist the teachers to decrease their workload by grading and marking the children's assignments and tests.
Revision classes: you will lead small groups through a repetition of a previous lesson to make sure nobody has fallen behind and to secure that each child has multiple opportunities and settings in which to learn the information.
In addition to your teaching work, you will participate in a number of other after-school initiatives. These include building, painting, and refurbishing schools and clinics in the area; reading, art, and adult literacy clubs; work at senior living homes and home based health care; and farming.
Living Arrangements
Accommodations: the accommodations are approximately a five minute walk from the town center and are located in a securely fenced complex. On the complex is the volunteer house, a TV lounge, a swimming pool, a large garden area, a rock climbing wall, and a resource center with a dining room and bar. The volunteer house is very comfortable and consists of dorm rooms that sleep up to eight volunteers. Each room has a lockable safe for your valuables, and is staffed with a cook and cleaning service. All bedding is provided, however volunteers may want to bring a sleeping bag for the winter months (June-September) or for camping trips. Volunteers are required to bring their own towels and mosquito nets.
Food: volunteers will receive three daily meals. Breakfast is on a serve-yourself basis and usually consists of cereals, toast, coffee, and tea. Lunch and dinner are full meals prepared for you by the staff cook. Weekends you will need to prepare your own food.
Internet: WIFI available for a small fee
Laundry: services available for a small fee (about $4/load)
Travel Highlights
During time off, there are many exciting activities in which volunteers can partake. The Zambezi River offers canoeing and white water rafting as well as the option for a sunset dinner cruise. The area also boasts exhilarating activities like bungee jumping and gorge swings. Also, no trip to the region would be complete without visiting Victoria Falls which can be admired from the ground as well as from the sky through helicopter tours.
Minimum Requirements
- Min age 17
- Basic English
- Good physical fitness
- Motivation to work with children
- Full travel and medical insurance
- Immunizations (please consult your doctor)
- Police background check
Important Notes
Please note that for participation in this program, you must obtain a business visa to Zambia. This can be done ahead of time through your local Zambian consulate or upon arrival at the airport. The cost of this visa will be around $50 for single entry and $80 for multiple entries. It is the sole responsibility of the volunteer to arrange the correct visa and cover any associated fees.
Also please note that proof of Yellow Fever vaccination is required upon entry to Zambia. Consult with your doctor regarding any other recommended immunizations.
