Description

Volunteer Areas of Involvement

* Teaching Assistants
As a teaching volunteer you will spend your mornings in one of our six community schools, that cater to orphaned and vulnerable children. You will be assigned a class and cooperating teacher to focus your efforts and get to know the individual needs of the students. While the teacher is in front of the classroom, teaching a class, it is extremely valuable to have a teaching assistant who can go around and help individual children with their assignments. Since classes are usually very large, the pupils do not often get this individual attention they need. The extra help volunteers provide has the potential to make a lasting difference by identifying students who are falling behind and giving additional support.

* Group Work
A volunteer may find in class that there are a group of children who struggle to keep up with the rest of the class. Volunteers will take groups of children out of the class to go through the class work at a slower rate with greater repetition to enhance learning. Once students start to fall behind, it can be a difficult trend to stop as there are minimal structures in place at the schools to help the struggling children. Early intervention is therefore key.

* Marking Tests and Assignments
Teachers at Livingstone schools give a great amount of tests and assignments to their pupils, so there is always a lot of marking to do. Many of the teachers in the community schools are volunteers themselves who dedicate long hours to schools for minimal pay so the opportunity to relieve their workload and focus more on academic instruction is important. It may not even be a test that needs marking but homework or simple class exercises. This is an important role of the teaching volunteer, but it is mixed up with other teaching assistance methods as so as to not to become tedious!

* Revision Classes
Since the pace in class is fast, and individual attention low, children often fall behind. By repeating subjects in revision classes, these children might have a better chance of keeping up during their regular classes.

We are currently working in six different schools in the local community.

1. Nakatindi Community School
This is a a fairly large school but still under construction. African Impact has built a new general classroom, a new classroom for the pre-schoolers and are in the middle of construction of a health and education centre. We also have Physical Education classes taught by the sports volunteers. Additionally, we run reading clubs to assist the students struggling with their literacy and art club some afternoons.

2. Mwandi Community School
A small under privileged school situated on a hill in Mwandi community overlooking Livingstone. Physical Education is facilitated by volunteers in the afternoons also as well as Art Clubs and Reading Clubs.

3. Malota Community School
This is an extremely under privileged and tiny school and African Impact is proud to be associated with it. Its teaching principles and methods are extremely admirable considering the massive lack of resources this school has. We are finished with building them a new roof (higher and without holes!!). We have painted the room for use by the preschool and plastered the main classroom block. Teaching volunteers also help out in the mornings providing assistance within the classroom, and we are looking to build an additional classroom (however there is very little space as it is). A good command of English is essential to success in Livingstone so teaching volunteers specifically focus on improving reading, writing and speaking skills through reading clubs and similar extracurricular activities as our relationship with the school goes from strength to strength.

4. Livingstone Primary School
This school, although it is a basic (technically government funded) receives little in the way of funding and we assist with classroom assistance and soccer training as well as revision classes.

5. Dambwa Christian School
This is an extremely under privileged school started by a group of women from the community to meet the educational needs of vulnerable and orphaned children in Dambwa. We provide teaching assistance within the school, run reading clubs and teach Physical Education in our Sports Programme.

6. Indeco Community Project
A poor school operating in the corner of a larger government school, Indeco caters to the vulnerable and orphaned kids in the area who cannot afford the school fees at the government school. Operating out of a converted abattoir or slaughterhouse, the school lacks basic infrastructure and resources. Volunteers assist with teaching lessons, reading clubs and physical education.

* Afternoon Community Projects

After having spent the morning at one of the schools, you will help out the local community in different areas in the afternoon. You will rotate between the following community projects:

- Build / paint / refurbish schools and clinics
- Home Based Care / Farming
- Reading Club
- Art Club
- Adult Literacy Club
- Study Group
- Maramba Old Peoples Home

Highlights

Highlights of this Zambia volunteer project
* Assistant teaching
* Sports coaching
* Work with orphans and vulnerable children
* Immerse yourself in local Zambian culture
* Make friends for life

"It was the most amazing experience of my life and I only wish I was out there for longer!"
Stephanie Keatley, UK.

"My time in Livingstone was amazing, so much more than I could have ever experienced. I was 100% happy, in fact 110% happy with my whole experience"
Mandy Beech, Australia.

Zambia Travel Highlights
* Experience the 'adventure capital of Africa
* The world's most exciting white water rafting on the Zambezi River
* Bungee jumping and gorge swings over the Batoka Gorge which the water cascades into below the Falls
* Sunset Cruises on the Zambezi River above the Falls - this tranquil activity transports you back in time to the Africa of old and the excitement of cruising amongst crocodiles and hippos
* Elephant back safaris (half day or full day excursions)
* Canoeing Safaris on the Zambezi River above the Falls with experienced guides

Qualifications

A minimum of High-School education is needed, as well as open-mindedness, enthusiasm, commitment, and the ability to work in teams and in support of the community work that African Impact is undertaking.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

USD 1185 +

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Pre-departure orientation/Training
• Registration fees
• Written materials abroad
• Written materials pre-departure

Program Fees Include:

Project Fee Includes
* Project Fee: this entails financing that goes directly back into the project that you are involved with. This fee facilitates funding for items such as building materials, equipment, supplies, foodstuffs, etc. Project fees are also used to buy vehicles/equipment and for developing new housing for volunteers to provide for the expansion of the project.
* All airport transfers from Livingstone International Airport upon your arrival and departure
* Orientation program
* All daily transfers to and from your projects during your stay
* Full board and lodging which includes 3 meals a day at our volunteer house
* Weekly laundry service during your stay
* Assistance in your projects by various African Impact staff and volunteer coordinators. Full support from African Impact and your coordinator throughout your time on your Livingstone placement
* Any visits to other AI programmes based in Livingstone

Project Fee Excludes
* Personal travel insurance for the duration of your placement which must include cover for repatriation
* All transport by air or bus to Livingstone
* All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other)
* Email/Internet and telephone calls
* Soft drinks, wines and spirits
* All visas for border crossings
* Any excursions over and above your planned itinerary in Zambia e.g. visit to the Victoria Falls, white water rafting, etc

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

An adventurer, a traveller who is open to having their perspectives changed and immersing themselves in the local culture of Zambia and experiencing Africa first-hand.

Age Range

17 and over, maximum dependent on participants health

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living

Participants Travel

Independently

Typically Participants Work

in Groups

Application Process Involves

• Online Application plus Application Assessment

Typically The Application Process Time is

2 working days

Post Services Include

• Alumni Network
• Exit Debriefing Abroad

Year Founded

2004