Profile information
Host rating
100 %
Last replied
11 Nov 2023
Reply rate
100.0 %
Usually responds within 1 day
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Details
Description
We are a non-profit community-based organisation in Katete. Our mission is to fight poverty through better education, health and entrepreneurship; helping people to help themselves while maintaining their traditional values.
We provide early childhood playgroups, secondary education in the community school, English lessons and classes in agriculture, computers and business for adults. We promote better health through HIV/Aids testing and counselling, health workshops and training.
Currently we have 75 people working for us. Our aim is to become self sufficient so we run income generating activities (IGAs) for staff and villagers to learn practical skills whilst developing an independent source of income for them and us.
We also run a lodge and restaurant on the premises which can cater for up to 40 guests. We offer a number of culture safaris and other activities, providing an an authentic ethical travel experience as all income from our visitors and tourism goes straight back into the community!
Types of help and learning opportunities
Charity Work
Language practice
Help with Eco Projects
Teaching
Gardening
Animal Care
Farmstay help
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Hospitality/Tourism
General Maintenance
Help with Computers/ Internet
UN sustainability goals this host is trying to achieve
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will have the chance to work in a vibrant grassroots community centre run for and by the people of Katete. You will get the chance to make friends with our amazing staff members while working with them and learning from them how to work in harmony with nature, traditions and many new challenges we face daily!
You will be invited to participate in our weekly management meetings, in which you will have an overview of all the different departments inside and how they develop. We also have a group of manager trainees, who meet once a week to learn about leadership, organizing, accounting, and the many ins and outs of being in charge of a community centre. They are youths from the different departments who reached grade twelve of secondary school and who’s families were unable to support them through higher education. With the support of volunteers and guest speakers, Elke has been training them about management and the sustainability of the project. These young minds represent the future of the Community Centre.
The Eastern Province of Zambia, and in particular Katete district is one of the most traditional and poor areas of the world, with extreme levels of unemployment. The community works closely with 53 surrounding villages to teach them the 19 steps out of poverty. However, it is very hard to develop isolated villages with conservative life-styles... so we learn a lot from them too, as they do know about happiness inside their extended families and how to live in very basic conditions.
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
Currently, we are looking for volunteers to help with our income generating activities, so experience in sewing, dressmaking, crafts or carpentry would be valuable.
We are looking for people that can help with fundraising ideas, writing funding proposals and help with the marketing of our lodge.
Assistance with updating and maintaining our website and social media would also be of great use.
We grow our own organic food here and train the local villages to have bag gardens and use permaculture techniques. Therefore, any volunteer with knowledge or experience in this field is warmly welcome to give us seminars or workshops on new approaches and ideas, as well as helping us in the field and gardens!
Since the lodge represents the main source of income for the Community Center and we cannot afford to pay for your bills, we ask volunteers for a contribution of $5 per day to cover the costs of accommodation.
Languages spoken
German: Fluent
English: Fluent
Chichewa, Chewa, Nyanja: Fluent
French: Intermediate
Accommodation
Accommodation is in the lodge at the community centre. Rooms are simple twin or double rooms, most with en-suite bucket bath and toilet.
Volunteers are welcome to join the Crew for their simple lunch during week days at 13:00. This meal is usually soya and maize porridge or beans. Breakfast and dinner are provided too and made by our chef. Also you are welcome to use our restaurant kitchen whenever you want to cook for yourself.
What else ...
Katete is a quiet town so you will experience life in a small rural town as many people in Zambia live. There are activities and places to visit nearby and in the surrounding area.
You can go on a cultural safari to Kachipu village and watch a traditional girls’ initiation dancing ceremony in Chinamwali. Depending on availability Gule wamkulu, the Nyau ghost dance is sometimes also performed in nearby villages, and recognized by UN Heritage. When dancing, the men are believed to be spirits with magical powers and no longer mortals. It is an intriguing and invigorating insight into local culture and tradition.
You can also explore by yourself and take a bike ride to the town market or hike up Mphangwe Mountain.
Or fancy a Safari, you could take a weekend trip to South Luangwa National Park (6 hours), the best park in Zambia and one of the most majestic in Africa!
It takes around 7 hours to get to us from Lusaka and we are on route from Lilongwe to Lusaka.
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Space for parking camper vans
This host can provide space for campervans.
How many Workawayers can stay?
More than two
Hours expected
Maximum 4-5 hours a day, 5 days a week
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