Help a local NGO with our projects and explore Chikwawa, Malawi

  • Favourited 725 times
  • Last activity: 18 Apr 2024

Availability

  2024 

 Min stay requested: at least 1 month

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Details

  • Description

    Description

    We are a Local Humanitarian women-centred non-profit organization working on Climate Change adaptation and Mitigation in the rural areas of Malawi, where we have been operating since 2016. Our Head Office is in Chikwawa, Southern Malawi.

    With extensive experience in disaster-prone areas,our focus revolves around addreessing variouse intersecting issues within Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation as follows:
    1. Gender Justice.
    2. Food Security and Livelihoods.
    3. HIV, TB and sexual reproductive health
    4. Community education, engagement and advocacy

    Our current projects are:
    1. HIV & AIDS-We work with different support groups and Y+ Clubs; These are individuals who openly declared their status that they were found HIV Positive. These groups do Agriculture and Village Savings. We offer lessons on nutrition,Business Management,Palliative Care and good farming practices to the support group members.
    2. Early Child Marriages Reduction-We are working to reduce early marriages and pregnancies among adolescences in schools.
    3. Early Child Hood Education in Pre-Schools'
    We offer a number of volunteer opportunities where you can lend a helping hand to the community and learn about the inner workings of a grassroots NGO.
    4. Community Radio Station. We are establishing a community radio in Chikwawa district of Malawi. The Community Radio Station will aim to provide a platform for the concerns of the rural communities in order to explore solutions that will enhance their livelihoods. We believe that its station will fulfil an important gap, by prioritising and enabling inhabitants to raise and address issues that affect them directly.
    A community radio is the most affordable, participatory and effective medium to reach people in remote rural communities and enable them to voice and address a vast spectrum of issues between distant communities sharing similar challenges. The content would offer awareness programs on key matters of interest through transmissions focused on: gender equality & human rights; health & safety; democracy & good governance; education & youth empowerment; rural agriculture & climate change; disasters, emergencies & humanitarian assistance.

    Volunteer with us and you will have an unforgettable experience while making a difference in the lives of Malawians in need. While staying with us in the “Warm Heart of Africa” you will also get to experience traditional Malawian life and immerse yourself in the HIV & AIDs.

  • Types of help and learning opportunities

    Types of help and learning opportunities

    Charity Work
    Art Projects
    Language practice
    Elderly Companionship
    Teaching
    DIY and building projects
    Farmstay help
    Babysitting and creative play
  • UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve

    UN goals
    No poverty
    Zero hunger
    Good health and well-being
    Quality education
    Gender equality
    Clean water and sanitation
    Affordable and clean energy
    Decent work and economic growth
    Industries, innovation and infrastructure
    Reduce inequality
    Sustainable cities and communities
    Responsible consumption and production
    Climate action
    Life below water
    Life on land
    Peace, justice and strong institutions
    Partnerships for the goals
  • Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

    It will be an unforgettable experience - you will get to engage in Malawian life, learn more about our culture, share your knowledge and get to know and learn from the locals. You will also have a chance to make a difference in the lives of some of the poorest people in Malawi. Volunteering can be a great way to build confidence, develop personally, learn new skills or even just develop old ones.

  • Projects involving children

    Projects involving children

    This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.

  • Help

    Help

    The Lower Shire, where we are based, is one of the poorest regions in Malawi and there are many areas in which volunteers are needed. Let us know what your interests and skills are and we will build a volunteer program for you through our own programs or through programs of local affiliates such as schools, youth clubs or HIV support groups whom we regularly work with.

    Volunteers can offer their help as a teacher and assist in a Pre-school. Your input will be a great help and much appreciated as schools are often under staffed and lack resources. Experienced teachers are particularly welcome.

    You can assist program staff with training and awareness activities on issues such as: water, sanitation, hygiene, sexual health, HIV/AIDS, gender equality, child marriage prevention and youth development. Availability of this work will depend on which groups are active at the time and will be tailored to fit the specific needs of the group.

    Volunteers can work with our farm clubs to provide training in improved farming techniques and compost making as well as business and marketing. You will have the chance to experience what life is like for subsistence farmers in Malawi.

    As a small NGO, we are always in need of an extra pair of hands in the office. In addition to working in the field, a large part of running an NGO is spent at the office. If volunteers are skilled and interested in volunteering at the office, they can help with writing and editing proposals, research, carrying out fundraising activities, assisting with online marketing, updating social media and website design in addition to their field volunteering tasks. Skilled photographers or film makers can also contribute by making promotional materials for our local NGO.

  • Languages spoken

    English: Fluent
    Chichewa, Chewa, Nyanja: Fluent

  • Accommodation

    Accommodation

    Volunteers will stay with a host family which is a great opportunity to experience the unique culture of Malawi. When staying with a host, we will ensure you are safe and well looked after. Your food will be prepared by the family and you will receive three meals a day. Chikwawa is one of the poorest regions in Malawi and many people struggle to feed their families so we ask volunteers to pay $5 a day towards their food as we want to ensure you are well fed.

  • What else ...

    What else ...

    If you would like to explore other parts of Malawi while you are here, there are a variety of things to do on your time off. Majete Wildlife Reserve and Lengwe National Park are both easily accessible from Chikwawa - wildlife viewing can be done from a game viewing vehicle or on a bushwalk for the more adventurous. You can climb Mount Mulanje the highest mountain in Malawi (over 3000m) or go hiking in the Zomba plateau. You can visit Lake Malawi - relax by the lake, go kayaking or snorkelling! Or you can stay in Chikwawa where you can experience village life and culture, enjoy Malawian music, dance and learn some traditional cooking.

    Most international flights go to Lilongwe International Airport. However, it is also possible to fly to Chileka International Airport, near Blantyre, our nearest city. From Lilongwe you can get an executive coach to Blantyre, which takes approximately four hours. Whether you fly into Lilongwe or Chileka, a member of our staff will meet you in Blantyre and escort you to Chikwawa, using the local mini-buses.

    Volunteers are responsible for arranging their own visas for Malawi, travel insurance and travel vaccinations. We recommend that volunteers take malaria tablets while here as Chikwawa is a malaria region; these should be attained before your visit.

    Please bring culturally appropriate clothes (women should wear dresses, skirts or trousers below the knee) and clothes with light material, as it does get very hot in Chikwawa.

  • A little more information

    A little more information

    • Internet access

    • Limited internet access

      Limited internet access

    • We have pets

    • We are smokers

    • Can host families

  • How many Workawayers can stay?

    How many Workawayers can stay?

    More than two

  • ...

    Hours expected

    Maximum 4-5 hours a day; 5 days a week

  • ...

    This host charges a fee

    read more
    $6 usd to cover 3 meals a day, snacks and accomodation.
Host ref number: 283248429141

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