Orphans Volunteer Programs in Africa

At International Volunteer HQ (IVHQ), we unite people from over 96 countries who want to make a meaningful difference while exploring the world. With 300+ projects in 40+ destinations, IVHQ offers the widest selection of volunteer programs globally from Teaching and Childcare to Wildlife Conservation, Medical Outreach, and Environmental Sustainability. Since 2007, IVHQ has supported over 155,000 volunteers on life-changing journeys. We specialize in fully-hosted volunteer trips that are safe, affordable, and accessible—starting from just $20 per day. Your experience includes airport pick-up, accommodation, meals, and round-the-clock support from our local teams. With flexible booking options and no change fees, planning your volunteer adventure has never been easier. Our programs run year-round and are available for 1 to 24 weeks across Africa, Asia, Europe, the Pacific, South and Central America, North America, the Caribbean, and the Middle East. Volunteering with IVHQ is about more than giving back; it’s about growing, learning, and building genuine global connections.

GoEco is one of the world’s top volunteer organizations, with award-winning and ethical programs selected by sustainable travel experts. Since 2006, tens of thousands of volunteers have taken part in projects and internships worldwide, focusing on wildlife and marine conservation, education, and medical initiatives. GoEco operates in over 50 countries, providing unique cultural immersive experiences that aim to make a positive impact on the environment and society. The organization also offers internships and academic programs for students. GoEco provides safe and meaningful experiences while promoting sustainable travel and reducing carbon emissions.

The Real Uganda's volunteers assist our partners with a variety of classroom activities. Because local education is largely by rote, we want volunteers to feed these hungry little brains! Volunteers create interactive learning experiences and provide children with a loving and creative environment. Volunteers choose the age and topics to teach. Lesson plans are created based on student interest and national curriculum. Arts and crafts, sport, team building, and public health are popular. The aim is to encourage team work, fun, creativity, literacy, and general knowledge. This is a challenging and rewarding program for volunteers experienced in organizing children, such as camp counselors, day care workers, and people who generally love kids. Bring your games, songs, and enthusiasm to the village! Other activities such as women empowerment and community gardening may be on offer by the host organization. Volunteers should dig in and try everything. The exchange of ideas and culture is highly valued in Uganda. School terms vary annually but generally fall within these dates: • Feb 1 to Apr 30 • May 1 to Aug 15 • Sept 15 to Nov 30

Find out why more and more people are choosing to become a Love Volunteer! Love Volunteers is the most affordable way to volunteer and help local communities in developing countries! Why are we cheaper than other organisations? Firstly, we are just a handful of passionate people working hard to help volunteers and local communities around the world. We don't have huge overheads - no company cars, no downtown office - we're just volunteers who knew we could do a better job. Secondly, we work with local organisations wherever we can to keep administration costs to a minimum and also to feed as much money and skills into the local communities where we operate. All of Love Volunteers partner organisations have been fully vetted to ensure that, not only does a genuine need for assistance exist, but that the environments that we place our volunteers are safe and of high quality. Choose from one or more of our 200+ amazing community-based programs in 37 developing countries around the world. Every program has been personally visited by one of our dedicated staff members and is regularly audited to ensure it meets our high standards in terms of safety, sustainability, and local impact.

Looking to apply your talent and expertise to a good cause? Find a program that matches your interests and skills through Volunteer World! We are the largest volunteer abroad comparison platform around the globe, enabling you to seek and compare offers from major travel agencies as well as smaller grassroots NGOs and local specialists in more than 80 countries. All these with just one click! Find projects in wildlife, teaching, community development, and several other areas. Simply choose your desired destination and desired travel date, and our search engine will compare the best volunteer abroad programs on your behalf. Whether you wish to gain experience at a wildlife sanctuary in South Africa or teach English at a monastery in Nepal, we've got you covered. Volunteer World guarantees a quick and easy application. We will guide you through this process, as well as help plan your next meaningful trip. We provide free access to quality-checked projects and flexible options. And if anything goes wrong, we've got your back with our qualified support team and our refund guarantee.

Join our volunteer program in Kisumu, Kenya, where you'll have the opportunity to make a real impact in the lives of women affected by HIV through a transformative tailoring initiative. Volunteers will support women in learning vital skills, from sewing to entrepreneurship, while also helping improve their business and financial literacy. You'll engage in hands-on activities, such as assisting with sewing, taking photos of products, and contributing creative ideas to enhance designs. Volunteers can also train women on financial management, online marketing, and pricing strategies, empowering them to create sustainable businesses. This program offers a unique chance to not only learn and grow alongside these resilient women but also be part of a lasting social change in a community in need.

Explore Southeast Asia on a 10-week journey through Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam—where travel becomes transformation. Volunteer at ethical elephant sanctuaries, trek to remote mountain villages, explore ancient temples, and engage with communities through meaningful, culturally respectful exchange. This program combines adventure, service, and immersion to help you grow personally and globally. Learn traditional crafts, share meals with host families, and experience resilience and hospitality in every community. Conservation work, ethical travel practices, and local partnerships ensure your impact is responsible and real. With leadership training, guided reflection, and mentorship built into the experience, you'll return more confident, connected, and prepared for what’s next. Whether you're taking a gap year, earning credit, building your resume, or seeking clarity and purpose, this journey meets you where you are—and helps you grow beyond it. Travel deeper. Grow bolder. Reach out to Learn More!

Make a difference while experiencing one of the most breathtaking cities in the world! Connect-123’s volunteer program in Cape Town matches you with projects that align with your unique skills, passions, and goals—allowing you to give back while gaining valuable experience. Our network includes NGOs, schools, clinics, community programs, and animal refuges, offering opportunities in healthcare, education, youth mentoring, conservation, social services, and more. Whether you’re supporting underprivileged youth, helping at a public hospital, or protecting local wildlife, you’ll play a meaningful role in projects that truly matter. Outside of your volunteer placement, Cape Town offers endless adventures—from hiking Table Mountain and exploring vineyards to discovering local markets and vibrant cultural events. Our on-the-ground team is here year-round to guide and support you every step of the way, from customizing your placement to helping you settle in and make the most of your time in South Africa. With flexible start dates and customizable program lengths, your life-changing volunteer experience in Cape Town begins on your schedule.

Contribute to the Sports Development Project in the Kingdom of Eswatini (formerly called Swaziland), and help improve the well-being of disadvantaged children in semi-rural communities through games and sport. The program aims to foster development among these kids by helping them get fit, healthy, focused, and stimulated — all while building their confidence through physical activities. The project was established in response to a need in the tiny but lovely Kingdom. Poverty and high levels of unemployment plague the country, leaving few opportunities to keep children engaged. This boredom can lead to antisocial activities, which are addressed by games and sports that hold the potential of improving the lives of disadvantaged children. During the mornings, volunteers help arrange physical activities and games for vulnerable and orphaned children aged 3-6, who are beneficiaries of the Neighbourhood Care Points (NCPs in the Ezulwini valley. In the afternoons, volunteers help out at homework club and computer club for primary school children. There may also be an opportunity for program participants to coach and play various sports with older children at the local sports centre.

Gain practical social work experience during this exciting internship program in Cape Town, South Africa. You'll be part of a community center in Masiphumelele, a township on the outskirts of the city that provides a safe and stimulating space for up to a hundred children every afternoon. Many of these children have experienced different levels of trauma, and as an intern, you'll assist the program in providing stimulating activities and counseling sessions for groups of children when needed. This internship is a great opportunity for getting practical experience in social work while supporting an important social development program. Your tasks will include offering individual or group counseling sessions to children with troubled backgrounds; helping create stimulating, educative, and fun activities for the children in the aftercare program; and helping cook for and feed the children at the center, among others. Preferably you'll have an academic background or experience in sociology, social work, community development, education, pedagogy, or something similar.

This is an ideal volunteer opportunity for individuals who love spending time with children. Join this project and work at a free preschool attended by underprivileged children, particularly those who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS. The daycare centers provide them with a safe shelter, two nutritious meals per day, early years education, and the promise of a better future. As a volunteer, you will take on a varied role that includes working alongside the local staff, accompanying children in the playground and during mealtimes, and participating in regular activities. You will help teachers implement the curriculum as well as organize craft sessions. You will also support primary children from a sponsorship program with their homework. No specific skills are required for this project, but enthusiasm and energy are important for working with children. Those with previous teaching experience are highly valued as the teachers need support with delivery of the curriculum. Bring your stories, games and songs, and bring joy to the classrooms.

We arrange volunteering and internship placements in teaching and childcare at various schools and kindergartens in Zanzibar. The Heroes Community Academy, a private school by an NGO, offers higher education standards than government schools. The school serves 180 students aged 2-15. There are also 12 children with intellectual disabilities who can be engaged in informal learning. Volunteers assist with teaching, activities, and NGO initiatives like farming, workshops, and job placement. Run by the Anglican Church in Zanzibar’s historic district, the St. Monica Kindergarten & Primary School includes a kindergarten and primary/secondary levels. School hours vary, and volunteers can help with both classroom and administrative tasks. Classes are mainly in English, making it easy for volunteers to assist. Located in Mangapwani, Montessori Kindergarten & Primary School accommodates 50 kindergarteners, 60 primary students, and 20 boarding children. Teaching is in English, with a focus on playful learning. Volunteers engage in classroom activities and organize recreational and educational programs. Boarding students, housed for social reasons, are supported by school fees.

Teach, Create, and Inspire with our Non-Profit in Kisumu, Kenya! In Kisumu, many children face limited access to quality education and enrichment opportunities. Poverty, overcrowded classrooms, and a lack of resources mean students often struggle to reach their full potential. At Better Me, we partner with local schools and community programs—such as Korando Educational Center, Kisumu Children’s Remand Home, and our Mobile Library in the Nyalenda slums—to change that story. As a Better Me volunteer, you’ll support after-school activities in English, Creative Arts, Music, Swimming, and Physical Education. Whether you’re helping children build language skills, sparking creativity, or encouraging physical activity, your efforts will nurture abilities and confidence that last a lifetime. You’ll work with different age groups while collaborating with local educators to create engaging, hands-on learning experiences. This is your chance to bring in your own ideas, gain real teaching experience, and grow personally through cultural exchange, community, and unforgettable memories. Come join us!

Travel to Kenya, where you will share your time and skills with the natives of a diverse country in the heart of the savannah! Go Volunteer Africa offers volunteering opportunities for people passionate about impacting the lives of people from local communities. Participate in any of our projects during a summer trip with your family or in a gap year. Use your skills and talents to improve the lives of orphans, youth, and the underprivileged while immersing yourself in the customs and culture of Kenyans. Choose from various projects, such as health, safari volunteering, community development, medical, childcare, teaching, and environment, offered in collaboration with local partner NGOs. Your time spent with a local community will make a real difference in the lives of its members. You won’t just work in Kenya. You will also experience its beauty and diversity in various ways than any other travel opportunity. We have an exciting, action-packed adventure in store! Volunteers in Kenya must be at least 18 years old to participate.

Our Generation Voluntary Organisation offers placements at orphanages and care centers in Ghana, where volunteers are assigned to different duties on a rotational basis. Spend time providing friendship to both orphans and children in larger communities. Volunteers help orphans organize activities, hear their life stories, and serve as mentors. They are expected to teach children a variety of subjects, including English, Math, and Science, and guide them in acquiring life skills like proper hygiene and doing a range of home chores. There are no special qualifications needed for one to become a volunteer in an orphanage, but the key is to have love and care for children, and most of all, a willingness to share their time and space, as well as compassion, with patience and flexibility.

Share your music knowledge alongside a team of passionate musicians with local youth in the small town of Mbarara, Uganda. You will have the opportunity to facilitate music lessons one-on-one, with groups, and in local communities. Lessons are hosted at the Living Music Foundation (LMF) center and also in different communities for multi-day trainings and performances. These lessons and trainings open up the opportunity for students to experience the transformative nature of music who would not have the chance otherwise. You will be able to get involved in the community through these music lessons and also through living with a local host family. The LMF staff and your family will warmly welcome you into the community by showing you around and including you as part of the extended family. You will make lifelong memories of sharing your passion for music—and lifelong friends, too!

Join the Solutions For Life Initiative Ghana (SFLIG) in this program and support activities at an orphanage home. Volunteers help care for the children—especially babies and toddlers—by bathing, feeding, dressing, and playing with them. Working at an orphanage is likely to be one of the most challenging yet rewarding experiences of your life. Assist in the care of destitute and abandoned children and orphans, some of whom have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS. Day-to-day tasks include: - Helping with cooking, cleaning, and feeding the younger kids at mealtimes - Arranging games and fun activities - Helping school-age children with their homework - Monitoring the cleanliness of all the children and teaching good hygiene habits You can also assist with teaching duties, benefiting many of the children through a little one-on-one tutoring. There may also be basic building and repair work at the orphanage. Some experience working with children is preferred; as is a responsible, enthusiastic, and compassionate attitude. Initiative and self-motivation are important. This is an ideal program for participants who are on a career break, gap year, or vacation.

This volunteer program by KVT places you in Tanzania, where you will work in an orphanage and assist in the care of kids and teens. They have lost their parents due to various reasons, including accidents and deadly diseases (i.e., HIV/AIDS). The orphanage is located within a local community, and you will help with daily activities as well as educate widows, youth, and people living with HIV/AIDS. You will contribute to our efforts in educating locals on how to take care of themselves. Together with other volunteers, you will also visit homes and teach households – especially those dealing with HIV/AIDS – about health issues. If you are caring, motivated, and open-minded, you will fit into our team perfectly.

Make a real difference in the lives of orphaned babies and toddlers aged 0 to 4. Your support is essential in feeding, changing, comforting, playing with, and simply being there for these young children who need consistent love and care. You’ll have the opportunity to work at the orphanage daily, as the babies are always there. However, most volunteers choose a Monday to Friday schedule, typically from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., which allows for a healthy balance of meaningful service and personal time. Outside of your volunteer hours, you can enjoy everything Tanzania has to offer—relax at local cafés or hotel pools, stay active with gym or yoga sessions, or explore the natural beauty through waterfall hikes and safaris. Wildlife experiences in places like the Serengeti are just a short trip away.

Magister South Africa offers a broad range of internship and volunteering placements in Cape Town. As one of the most established and well-known internship and volunteer organizations in South Africa's capital, our main goal is geared toward matching and placing qualified international students, interns, and volunteers with dynamic companies and organizations based in Cape Town. With our wide network of contacts and range of skills, we strive to ensure that the participants' experiences abroad remain unforgettable one. Magister offers great value to students and volunteers and invests in their personal development and education as well as their careers. We match placements according to qualifications, interests, and university requirements to ensure a unique internship or volunteer experience that best fits individual needs.