Volunteer in Africa

Our Africa volunteer programs are among our most popular, and for good reason. As a volunteer in Africa, you’ll develop professional and transferable skills to help build your future. These experiences are excellent for university or job applications and can even help you decide on or change careers.

Volunteering in Africa will also allow you to offer your time and skills to work directly with local people towards long-term goals and initiatives that directly impact their community.

Volunteers in Africa do things like:

• Treat wounds for leprosy patients and test for malaria in Ghana
• Build classrooms in Maasai villages in Tanzania
• Protect endangered species of giraffe in Kenya

And so much more!

No matter which African volunteering project you choose to join, you will support local leaders in developing long-term solutions to the challenges affecting their community. At the same time, you’ll explore some of the world’s most unique landscapes and cultures.

Every African nation we work in speaks English to a high degree, and most have direct flights from the countries we accept participants from.

Want to know more about how to volunteer in Africa? The good news is that we make it incredibly accessible!

Just follow these steps to turn your Africa volunteer travel dreams into reality:

1. Think about the volunteer work in Africa you’d like to do, whether that’s helping children, protecting endangered wildlife, or a medical internship. If you have your heart set on a particular country in Africa, then choose your favourite project in that destination.
2. Reach out to our Project Experts, who can provide more information. They’ll help you make the right choice for your interests and goals.
3. Decide how long you’d like to travel to Africa, how flexible your dates are, and if you’d rather travel alone or as a group. This will determine what kind of trip is right for you (if you’re aged 14 to 18, that will probably be one of our High School Programs).
4. Once you know which country to visit, what work to do, and how long to travel for, simply fill in the application form and book your place!

Our volunteer opportunities in Africa are open to people aged 14 and over. To join a project, all you need to do is check you meet the requirements and apply.

The majority of our volunteer projects in Africa require no prior skills or experience, meaning they are open to anyone. Some volunteer work in Africa have minimum requirements which are stated clearly on the project page.

We also offer volunteer programs in Africa for high school students aged 14-18. Our High School Programs give teenagers the support and care they need as young travellers.

And there’s no upper age limit! We believe you’re never too old to do volunteering in Africa. In fact, your experience and skills are much needed to support development in African communities.

Yes. We offer an six-week Gap Project in Kenya & Tanzania exclusively for 17 to 24 year olds.

You’ll start by flying to Kenya, where you’ll have an orientation before starting work at the Soysambu Conservancy for two weeks. Here, the focus is on giraffe and lion conservation as well as participating in some local community initiatives. Over the weekend, you’ll visit two stunning national parks filled with African wildlife.

From Kenya, you’ll travel to Tanzania on a private bus arranged by us. You’ll then join two projects of your choice, for two weeks each. You can choose from the following projects:

Education
Human Rights/Women’s Empowerment
Medicine
Microfinance

In addition to your projects, you’ll also enjoy cultural enrichment through a basic Maasai language course and be involved in a community development project. Over the weekends, you’ll do a safari and visit local markets.

This also forms a part of our Global Gap Year, which includes Kenya, Tanzania, Peru, the Galapagos Islands, Cambodia, and Nepal on a 28 week ‘gap year’ schedule.

Yes. Ranging from micro-finance and human rights in Tanzania to journalism and medical internships covering midwifery, pharmacy, nursing, public health, and lots more.

You’ll find all the information on what’s available on this page or contact us to discuss your requirements.

By joining one of our volunteer opportunities in Africa, you guarantee that your experience will be both impactful and ethical for the local community. Every project we develop is guided by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

We hold our volunteers to a high standard, especially when working with children, animals, or in a medical setting. All our Africa volunteer trips are managed in partnership with local leaders, helping us target the specific challenges that affect them, their wildlife, and their communities.

Looking to do a one-week volunteer program in Africa? We encourage you to maximise your impact by volunteering in Africa for longer. But, if you prefer, you can volunteer in Africa for a week.

Find a volunteer project in Africa that allows for a minimum of one-week to get started.

We charge a fee for our Africa volunteer projects so that we can organise everything on your behalf. That includes three meals a day, your accommodation, domestic transportation, and 24/7 support from our staff.

We want you to have an experience abroad that is safe and impactful. We also can’t achieve our long term sustainable development goals without adequate funding.

The price you will pay depends on which volunteering project in Africa you choose to do and how long you want to go for. If you are a teenager, the price will also include social activities and excursions.

The best bit? You can take advantage of our flexible payment plans. We understand that paying in one go isn’t always possible. That’s why we just ask for an initial deposit. Then, you can pay as much or as little as you like in a series of small instalments.

We’re completely flexible, but the full fee does need to be paid in full before you leave for your project.

We also offer advice and support for volunteer fundraising, so you can get the funds for the adventure of a lifetime! Our staff and alumni are experts in raising funds. We’ll ensure that you’re able to secure the required amount.

Read what others have to say about their experiences with Projects Abroad and find out why we’re rated ’Excellent’ on Trustpilot.

Many people ask if it’s safe to volunteer in Africa. The answer is a resounding yes.

We’ll place you in African countries that are politically stable and safe to visit. Our local staff will be there to support you throughout your volunteer trip in Africa, and constantly keep a close eye on changing situations.

We only work in the safest countries in Africa to volunteer. This means that you can really get stuck into making a positive change in the local community.

Local staff will be on hand to offer tips and advice on keeping yourself and your belongings safe. They’re contactable 24/7.

All our Africa placements are fully researched, safety audited, and risk assessed in accordance with the British Standard BS8848 for the Adventure Travel Sector.

Find out more about safety and backup.