How to Volunteer in Africa for Cheap
Volunteering in Africa offers a memorable experience for people taking a career break. Working with local communities or on conservation projects is rewarding and can develop knowledge and skills that will be useful once a volunteering program has ended. The cost of getting to Africa plus the cost of enrolling on work programs can be prohibitive, however, and it is worth researching your trip carefully to ensure that you complete it as cheaply as possible.
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Research the volunteering programs available and how much they will cost. As well as the financial side of your volunteering experience you should also think about where you will volunteer. Decide whether you want to work in an urban or rural setting and think about the linguistic, cultural and religious factors in the countries that you consider. You should also visit your local travelers health clinic to ensure that you have the required immunizations before traveling.
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Look for cheap flights to Africa. While many programs include accommodation and some local travel costs, you will usually have to pay for your own international flights. Airlines such as Delta and South African Airways run direct flights from the US to African destinations while Cheap Flights to Africa offers a range of budget flight options flying out of the UK to Africa.
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Try and find a volunteer program that suits you with Volunteers for Peace. The international work camp organization is one of the cheapest options for working in Africa, costing only around $500 for a two-week program. You will have to pay a $300 registration fee for a project which includes meals and accommodations while the partner hosting organization that you work for will also expect payment of between $100 and $500. Projects include cooking at eye clinics, building schools or working in a nature reserve.
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Use the Volunteer for Africa website to source other low cost volunteer positions. The site has a range of budget volunteering opportunities including positions teaching English, working in orphanages and farm and conservation work. Details on the cost of each project along with what is included in the price are listed for each job.
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Try and negotiate with hosting organizations on what incidental expenses they will pick up. Some will provide airport pick-ups, orientation programs and language courses in addition to accommodations. If you can find placements where these costs are met you can save money.
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- Photo Credit typical hut in south africa image by TEMISTOCLE LUCARELLI from Fotolia.com
