Volunteer Projects in Zambia with African Impact

My time in Livingstone, Zambia was unforgettable! I volunteered at the teaching project during school holidays. African Impact organised a holiday club for the children in Libuyu for keeping them busy during school holidays and keeping them off the streets. The children were divided in two groups: 1-4th grade and 5-7th grade. However, the groups were very big (40 children each) it was really fun to work with the children. Annie, the teaching and sports coordinator, did such a good job! During the first days you can choose to assist her to get introduced and used to the teaching methods, and if you're ready for it you can take up more responsibilities. There is also the opportunity to switch between teaching and sports. The sports project is organised together with a local staff memeber, Chiza, who is doing an amazing job with the children. Everyday there is another subject, for instance history, geography, maths, english, eco-art, etc.

In the afternoon, there is a wide range of community projects and Sjeel, the project manager, makes sure that you can get a taste of each of them. If you have any preferences you can just let her know. I really enjoyed reading club, art club and the stretching exercises we've implemented at the old people's home.

During the weekends you're free to do some travelling or activities. The staff of the hostel will give you the information you need and will help you by booking these activities as well. A visit to Victoria Falls is obviously a must do, and they arrange a free shutte every morning. The volunteering staff as well as the hostel staff are such lovely people and I'm so glad I got the chance to get in touch with them all. Same for the volunteers! Everyone comes with the same goal and mindset, so you will definitely make some friends from all around the world.

This is definitely a life-changing experience!

I loved this experience so much! Met some incredible people and wish I could do it all over again. Sander and everyone else who helped run the program were extremely welcoming and we couldn’t have asked for better co-ordinators. I’d recommend doing at least 2 weeks, which is what I did, however I wish I had gone for longer! Not only was the volunteering amazing, we were also exposed to the culture of a local village and the people there. There was also time to explore Livingstone on the weekends and even go to safari at Chobe which was just one of the amazing things we were able to do there. The accommodation was nice and clean, we had no issues with it, and it was also very sociable. This program has impacted my friends and I significantly, we share our experience in Africa with everyone we meet and all hope to return at some point in the future!

My time in Zambia was amazing, I wish my time there didn't have to come to an end. I want to go back already! I think the price could be a bit cheaper since we are coming on our own will to volunteer and intern and out in a lot of work, but still that would not stop me from coming back. Excursions were pricey as well, but worth it!! All of the staff wanted you to succeed and were always open to helping you with anything needed. Livingstone Backpackers is an amazing place to stay as well.

During the 4 weeks I've been in Livingstone, I encountered and lived many experiences. Had the opportunity to meet different cultures, meet new people and get to live in the same way they do. Humbling experience to say the least. A massive learning curve which ignites in you different moral values, which you will be grateful for during your entire life. Every human being should do such experience at least once in their lifetime.

My experience with AI exceeded all expectations. There were over 20 volunteers from different countries I got to share my time with in Livingstone and we all brought our own skill/knowledge. AI gave us flexibility in what projects we could do each day so although I signed up for the sports program, I spent time teaching maths and reading, going on medical and visiting the old peoples home because I asked to.
I went during school holidays so I loved being trusted with other volunteers to plan and run each lesson as we liked. The kids were fabulous and all so wonderfully cute. They were always ready for a game of soccer but were also quick learners when you tried something new.
Outside of projects we would chill out around the pool, have movie or trivia nights and go see the sunset. On the weekends most volunteers went out on a Friday night and got up the next day to see/do touristy activities (local markets, Victoria Falls, walking safaris, white water rafting etc). This was such a great project because of how organised and passionate the team of lead volunteers were. Would highly recommend!!!

The three weeks that I have spent in Livingstone have been some of the best of my life. It was a really incredible experience that I will never forget. Everyone at the project and all the people that I met in the community were so kind and welcoming, and I always felt supported and looked after. I really enjoyed the fact that the days were so full of activity and we had lots of opportunity to work closely with the local people. We had the choice to either try lots of different afternoon projects or to work on the same ones over the period of a few weeks, and I really felt like I was given the chance to get to know the students that I worked with and to try new things with them. I also really enjoyed events like the village tour, the cultural afternoon and the Walk to School fundraiser, which allowed us to see how the people we were working with live and to learn some of their customs. The atmosphere in the house was great and it was very easy to meet people and make friends. Livingstone is a very special place and the people there are very inspirational. Their positivity and openness is amazing and has stayed with me now that I’m back home. Can’t wait to go back!

Africa was amazing, and what more do you need to experience real Africa? Volunteering with african impact was the best desicion I have made in my life. Apart from immersing myself in a different culture and getting out of my comfort zone and speak publicly to 300 young adults,I have made great friends, both locals,volunteers and staff, which I will cherish in my heart wherever I will go. One nation, one people, one Zambia...all in my heart!

Voluntering in Livingstone is very special, beqeause there is big variety of projects. So the chance is big that you see a lot of scenery and meet a lot of people. I'm on the medical project every morning we sometimes assist in clinics but mostly homebasecare. Thats when we visit different community's with a local caregiver who brings us to the patients that needs medical help and advise. This gives us also the oppertunity to see the peoples way of life and see a lot of different community's . That's why i think the medical project is very special, that the volunteers come so close to the people, they even invite us in there house to visit.
I really enjoy the homebasecare everytime, its like a cultural tour everytime. The caregivers tells us about the people and the community's, answer our questions and even learns us the local language. We follow up the patients every week, so its good to monitor them and see if there is any progress. And when there is a good progress it gives faith and trust in the " Medical relationship" Some patients give us such a very positive feedback and really appriciate what we do on the medical project.So i think on the medical we give a little impact, with the wounddressing, the medical advise and tips how to stay healty etc.
This time i am a academy volunteer, i am preparing lesson plans for readingclub and healthclub. That gives me the oppurtinity to learn and gain more experience with teaching. On readingclub i am teaching the lower group that just started learning english. And on healthclub we do a lot of health promotions and try to make it interactive with the kids.
The people in Livingstone are very nice and super friendly, the food is good and i Always felt safe. And if you have a talent share it with the staff and maybe you can create youre own workshop/lessonplan. I for example was teaching the kids breakdance and hiphop dance.