How to Volunteer in an Orphanage in Africa
Few things are more rewarding or inspiring than volunteering at an orphanage in Africa. According to Projects Abroad, volunteering at an orphanage allows individuals the opportunity to provide orphans with the attention and mental stimulation that all children need to develop healthy social skills and self-confidence. Consider volunteering at an orphanage facility in Africa if you want to bring joy and happiness to needy children.
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Instructions
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Complete a passport and visa application. A passport is an official document that authorizes travel to foreign countries. You can get a passport application from your post office or court house. A travel visa is a stamp or sticker placed by officials of a foreign country on a passport that allows the bearer to visit that country and can be obtained from the proper embassy or local consulates of the country to be visited.
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Visit the Aid for Africa website and choose an orphanage facility in Africa to volunteer at. Locate the "Volunteer" tab and click the "Find a Volunteer Opportunity" header situated just below the "Volunteer" tab. In the "By Country" tab, select a country in Africa where you're willing to travel and volunteer. In the "By Issue" tab, select the Children, Women & Families header.
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Contact the orphanage facility or a representative of the facility and express your interest in volunteering at their orphanage. You can find an orphanage facility's contact information on the Aid for Africa website.
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Complete a volunteer application. The volunteer application will be used by the organization to determine your suitability for volunteering at their orphanage facility. You can find an orphanage facility's volunteer application online at their official website.
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Plan all travel arrangements ahead of time and get all required vaccinations and health screenings necessary. Ikando recommends volunteers contact their doctor four to eight weeks before departure to consult on which vaccinations and boosters are needed.
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Tips & Warnings
Visa rules and regulations can change at a moment's notice, so contact the embassy of the country in Africa you're planning on volunteering in to see what the current visa regulations are.
If you don't want to complete the volunteer application online, contact the orphanage to see if completing the application by mail is an option.
Some orphanages in Africa only accept volunteers who operate through an approved organization's volunteer program.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit passport image by isatori from Fotolia.com
