How to Volunteer to Help Africa
- 1). Research the costs and risks involved with volunteer work. There are inherent risks to any volunteer project, especially those in a foreign country if you don't know the local language. If you want to work abroad and travel to certain African countries, you may be in a politically unstable environment. If you want to work and provide medical care to children, you may be vulnerable to some illnesses without proper vaccination or if you are not in good physical condition.
Perhaps you are a college student with a two-week break or a high school student wishing to go abroad. Consider whether you will be prepared to fully invest yourself physically and emotionally into the volunteer experience. Some programs are strict about volunteers' time-commitment to the project. They may require anywhere from 6 months to 2 years of work from volunteers. - 2). Identify humanitarian causes that are close to your heart. You may be passionate about children orphaned due to conflicts or the AIDS epidemic. Perhaps you enjoy teaching, so you could teach English or any other subject at a village school. If you are interested in entrepreneurship and women's rights, you can travel abroad as part of a micro finance organization to educate the loan recipients and monitor the businesses. If you have a specific country in mind, check your national government's travel advisory website to make sure that you can travel and work in your country of choice.
- 3). Search for the appropriate volunteer organization. You can join some of the more well-established organizations, such as Doctors Without Borders (MSF) or the Peace Corps. If you want to travel with a smaller group, you can inquire about volunteer opportunities through your local religious institutions or universities.
- 4). Apply for a volunteer project. Get the information required for joining an organization's project. If you desire to work with a larger organization, you will most likely have to submit a résumé and go through a drug and criminal background check. Some organizations require that you have specific credentials, such as certification in first aid or CPR, a degree in economics or medicine or even fluency in a foreign language. Make sure that you will be able to meet all of the requirements on the application.
- 5). Prepare for your trip. If you are approved for a volunteer project, the organization will usually give you a list of tasks you must accomplish before going on the trip. You may need to prove that your vaccinations are up-to-date or get additional vaccinations. Make sure that your passport is valid and get the appropriate visa. Ask your group leader if you have any concerns about paperwork. In this type of work, it is better to be overcautious rather than unprepared.
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