Teach English in Africa - Cape Verde - Empowering Local Children

Join an exciting English teaching program in stunning Cape Verde! Teach English to local children and empower them to do their best academically.

Program Highlights:

A GoEco Best 10 Volunteer Abroad Program
Gain experience teaching English
Be a role model for young children
Live a ten-minute walk from beautiful beaches and the cobalt blue sea
Engage in positive cultural exchange with the local children
You can enhance your Cape Verde experience by adding our Cape Verde Culture Week to it (see additional options below).

Your Schedule at a Glance (Minimum two-week commitment):

Arrival Day, Sunday: Arrive at Praia International Airport (RAI). You will be picked up by the local team and taken to the accommodations to meet fellow volunteers and settle in.

Day 1, Monday: The week will begin with an important orientation day. During this orientation, volunteers will learn about the local area including Cape Verde traditions, the house rules and the code of conduct. This day will also include fun activities such as a basic, Portuguese-based Creole language lesson, a tour of the town, a traditional lunch and a visit to Mar de President Beach.

Days 2-5, Tuesday-Friday: On Tuesday your work will begin. Volunteers will help teach English lessons, planning activities, and playing games with the children daily. The primary aim of each day is to interact with the children and provide them with a warm, welcoming, and fun classroom environment. The rest of the weekdays will follow a similar schedule with varied activities and lessons.

Days 6-7, Saturday-Sunday: Volunteers staying only one week will depart on Saturday. The weekend is free for volunteers who are extending to spend how they wish.

Remaining Weeks: Remaining weeks will follow the pattern of volunteering Monday-Friday and having weekends free. Departures are on a Saturday.

Location of the Project: Tarrafal, Cape Verde

Project length: Min 2 weeks – Max 8 weeks

Arrival Airport: Praia International Airport (RAI)

Volunteer Work: English teaching

Age: 18-60. (This project may accept volunteers who are younger than 18 years old with a letter of consent from a parent or guardian, and those above 60 with doctor’s approval.)

Number of Volunteers: Up to 20 international volunteers

What’s Included

Accommodations: Shared, dorm-style rooms

Food: Three meals during the week, two meals on weekends

Airport Transfers: Airport pickup is provided upon arrival

Orientation: We provide Orientation on the first Monday, which includes a basic Kriolu lesson and walking tour of the surrounding area.

Support: Comprehensive and professional pre-departure travel guidance, 24/7 GoEco emergency hotline, experienced local field team.

What’s not Included

Flights, visas (if required), travel health insurance, lunches on weekends, personal expenses.

Location

The picturesque islands of Cape Verde were initially uninhabited until the Portuguese discovered it during the 15th century. Portuguese is still the official language of the tropical African country.

They named the city of Tarrafal after the indigenous plant of the area. This municipality is on the northern part of the island of Santiago. There is a bustling fishing port along the northwestern coast, as the location is perfect for the resupplying of ships.

Volunteer Work

Work in a local kindergarten or primary school and enhance the lives of the children who need more attention within the busy community. These children sometimes lack parental caretaking due to fathers working abroad, many other siblings in the household, and single, working moms. Sometimes, these children even live with neighbors or grandparents and end up receiving little attention in their daily lives. Volunteers are highly appreciated, and your presence will brighten their day. The aim is not to intervene with the local school system, yet to provide free educational enrichment.

As a volunteer, you will provide help, such as playing games and teaching physical education for health, giving basic introductions to numbers and the alphabet in English, reading popular poems and short stories, and lesson planning for the next school day. Get creative with the kids and help introduce colors, shapes, and other cognitive exercises.

Volunteers will also introduce students to the natural environment and man-made environment, helping them grasp a better understanding of their surroundings. Help the children learn actions and motions in English as you play on the nearby playground.

Important note: This program is closed during Christmas and Easter holidays, but the Construction and Renovation program will be available. During summer break, we will hold a summer camp at a local school instead of the normal program.

Living Arrangements

Internet icon Internet: Wi-Fi is available in public areas.

Laundry icon Laundry: There are laundry facilities nearby that volunteers may use for a small fee.

Accommodations icon Accommodations: Volunteers will stay in shared, single-gender, dorm-style rooms. Bathrooms are shared and Western-style toilets are available. There will be 4 to 8 volunteers per room, with clean bed linens and fans. There is no air conditioning within the facility and volunteers must bring their own towels with them for showering. Couples must upgrade to a private room for an additional fee.

Food icon Food: During the week, breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided. Expect the meals to contain a mix of local cuisine and Western food. On weekends, two meals (breakfast and dinner) will be provided. There is plenty of clean drinking water and other beverages available.

Travel Highlights

During your free time, take the time to explore the local culture and Portuguese influence. Partake in church activities or attend local football games to foster interaction between the locals for entertainment.

Take a day to relax on the beautiful Tarrafel Beach and in the cobalt blue sea. Plan a trip to Praia does Tarrafel with soft sand and beautiful mountain views or relax on a bay with white sand beaches and snacks. Take a tour of the vibrant island of Santiago. If you are looking for a little more adventure, then consider exploring the various outdoor activities, nature hikes and parks.

We highly recommend enhancing your Cape Verde experience by adding our Cape Verde Culture Week (see additional options below). This is a fun week that includes food, accommodation, local tours and Creole language classes.