Volunteer Nursing in Africa
A volunteer nursing trip to Africa offers an opportunity to explore an exotic country and develop your hands-on skills. More important, your participation will be a rewarding experience worth the time and monetary investment, knowing you'll be bringing much needed care and medical attention to impoverished communities, AIDS patients and orphans.
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Organizations
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Three non-profit, non-governmental organizations provide extensive nursing volunteer opportunities throughout Africa. The groups work in partnership with local, grassroots organizations in each country to help direct volunteer service where it's needed most.
Advance Africa
PO Box 14507-00100
Nairobi GPO, Kenya
+254 723-040-015
advance-africa.comGlobal Volunteer Network
PO Box 30-968
Lower Hutt, New Zealand
+64 4-920-1451
800-963-1198
globalvolunteernetwork.orgVolunteer in Africa
PO Box 602
Osu Accra, Ghana, West Africa
+233 208-731-745
volunteeringinafrica.org
Countries Served
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The Africa volunteer organizations mentioned above offer volunteer nursing opportunities throughout Africa. Programs are available in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda.
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Types of Activities And Communities Served
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Nurse volunteers are needed for giving assistance with HIV/AIDS sufferers on the street and needy families in medical facilities, such as clinics, hospitals, hospice houses and maternity centers. Activities include administering medication, patient education and counseling, assisting in medical procedures and diagnosing illnesses and ailments.
Cost And Time Commitment
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Volunteer programs in Africa are generally fee-based and range from two weeks and are limited only by how long as the volunteer would like to stay. As of April, 2010, the Advance Africa volunteer program in Malawi costs $500 for two weeks, and a three-month program is $1,500. A $100 application fee covers a processing fee and your round-trip transportation from the airport. In the Global Volunteer Network, the cost for two weeks in the Kenya program is $697, two months is $1,297. An additional $350 application fee is charged to secure your place to participate in any program of your choice for the next five years. The Ghana volunteer program through Volunteer Africa costs $377 the first week, an additional $100 per week for weeks three through four and $77 per week from weeks five and on, and includes your visa, vaccination and airport transportation. Schedules vary by program but work will usually last two and eight hours daily and three to seven days per week, depending on the volunteer's preference.
Ideal Candidates
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Active nurses and medical staff on a vacation or break and retired nurses are ideal candidates. Many programs accept medical and nursing school students as volunteers will work under the supervision of a professional and be given responsibilities based on their qualifications and abilities.
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