Volunteer in Africa

Much of your research will be spent scuba diving in the sparkling blue waters of the Indian Ocean on GVI’s marine conservation expedition in the Seychelles, assisting the Seychelles Government and local NGOs with their priority biological and conservation programs. The unique training opportunities on this expedition are second to none; learning about and participating in coral reef research, invertebrate surveys, whale shark migration observations, plankton sampling, in-water turtle surveys ...

This expedition takes its volunteers to Kenya in East Africa to combine marine, primate and forest research, and become involved in local community development projects, including teaching English and sustainable tourism programmes. Living and working in the beautiful Shimoni Archipelago, off the coast of the Indian Ocean on the border with Tanzania, volunteers can experience the amazing white sand beaches and biodiversity of the area. You will conduct dolphin research with visiting seasonal hum...

GVI has been invited by the Seychelles government and local NGOs to assist their priority conservation programs on Curieuse Island, including tortoise conservation programs, seasonal turtle nesting research and in water turtle surveys, Coco de Mer palms census, seasonal endangered endemic bird monitoring, habitat management and National Park conservation and rehabilitation; together with additional training and assistance to our partner organisations. This program gives you the opportunity t...

Get up close and personal with Africa’s large game such as lion, leopard, elephant and hyenas whilst volunteering on a conservation program in a South African game reserve. This incredible expedition is based in two stunning locations of the Limpopo Province, South Africa. Learn to use conservation and research equipment to help locate collared predators in the reserve, receive invaluable training in large animal identification, tracking and behavioural study skills and learn to appreciate the c...

This volunteer project will bring you to the remote and beautiful Shimoni peninsula on the Indian Ocean, and the globally important coastal forests. You will assit projects on one of Kenya's most critical populations of Angolan black and white colobus monkeys, including behavioural studies, and survey the unique biodiversity including the rare Zanj elephant shrew, birds and butterflies. Living within a traditional Swahili village you will directly support community-based conservation initiative...

GVI Volunteers will live and work in the beautiful Shimoni Archipelago, off the coast of the Indian Ocean on the border with Tanzania, Africa, a world class location for dolphins as well as other wildlife. Volunteers will have the opportunity to become involved in local community development projects, including teaching English as a foreign language and sustainable tourism programmes. Full training is provided by GVI's full time education staff allowing volunteers a hands on and invaluable contr...

This project brings you to the vibrant city of Mombasa, on the Indian Ocean, East Africa and the Bombolulu slum where urban migrant and impoverished communities live next to the upmarket residences of Nyali. Work alongside volunteer teachers a children's centre providing education to the most vulnerable children, improving literacy, supporting counselling, environmental and social awareness. Out of school arts and sports programmes help combat social pressures that lead to substance abuse and cr...

Volunteers will be teaching children a range of different sports including football, netball, cricket, tennis, athletics and rugby in townships that surround the beautiful city of Cape Town. The aim is for you to assist teachers and GVI staff to run sports programs at the schools and to give more personal attention to the students. This GVI volunteer program runs in conjunction with community leaders and teachers from the communities. Without this program or volunteer assistance, the children wo...

Journey to the edge of Kenya's Tsavo West National Park, in the shadow of Kilimanjaro, where Africa's big game meets rural communities, human-wildlife conflict is a daily reality. You will live and volunteer alongside villagers that have given up poaching and charcoal burning to conserve their natural heritage, developing community infrastructure, educating farmers on ways to prevent elephant damage to crops and developing alternative livelihoods including tourism. Assist in the construction of ...

Over 9 or 12 months, become part of a community in the vibrant city of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean, working with children from Bombolulu slum where hunger and dysfunctional homes mean many fail to attend school and attain basic literacy. HIV / AIDS also takes its toll leaving young children orphaned or abandoned. You will work alongside volunteer teachers at a children’s centre and staff at an orphanage for HIV / AIDS orphans, providing education to the most vulnerable children, counseling, and ...

Volunteers will be teaching children a range of subjects, including basic literacy and numeracy, in townships that surround the beautiful city of Cape Town. Many of the schools which are situated inside townships are suffering from severe over crowding and volunteers might be assisting teachers with as many as 50 students in their classroom. By volunteering you take a lot of pressure off the local teachers and can give the children more personal attention. These long-term volunteer placements pr...

This volunteer project is in the heart of a township just outside Stellenbosh and only 45 minutes from Cape Town city centre. The project involves volunteering with children from birth to 8 years old who have been orphaned. Volunteers will be involved in implementing an educational program which focuses on fun, interactive activities in an informal environment. These activities will enhance the children's development in basic English conversational skills, arts, music and drama as well as their ...

This volunteer project involves teaching primary school children using dedicated one-on-one sessions to help bring them up to required standards. The aim is to give certain students extra attention as they have fallen behind the rest of their peers. Some of the children struggle to understand their teachers because their home language is not English. You will work through a specially designed 2 week program which has been developed by GVI and the local teachers. You will be assigned to approxima...

Volunteer abroad this Christmas to help out at an Orphanage in Cape Town, South Africa. This program is in the heart of one of the townships just outside Stellenbosh and only 45 minutes from Cape Town city centre. The placement involves running a holiday program for children with no family, during the Christmas period. The ages of the children range from birth to 8 years old. These children have been orphaned due to their parents having HIV/Aids or because their parents have abandoned them. Vol...

Journey to the edge of Tsavo West National Park, in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro, to live alongside villagers who have given up poaching and charcoal burning to conserve their natural heritage and wildlife. Harsh environmental conditions, unreliable rainfall and limited opportunities create significant challenges for communities of ex-poachers endeavouring to generate sustainable incomes in place of the bush meat trade. As a volunteer you will assist with the construction of infrastructure es...

This volunteer holiday in South Africa is a great opportunity for those wanting an African safari experience with a big difference. Working deep within the African bush, small teams will assist GVI research scientists with vital conservation projects while also undertaking basic field guide training, such as tracking and wildlife identification skills. This is a great chance to experience Africa’s famous animals like lions and elephants while also learning about this unique habitat.

This volunteer holiday involves volunteering in townships that surround the beautiful city of Cape Town in South Africa. It includes tours to all the hot spots in Cape Town, such as; Robben Island, Cape Point, Boulder's Beach and many others. A safari and a wine tasting tour is also included so volunteers have the opportunity to make the most of their stay in South Africa. Volunteers will either help local school teachers with English literacy workshops, assist in sports coaching, or help wi...

GVI Volunteers will live and work in the beautiful Shimoni Archipelago, off the coast of the Indian Ocean on the border with Tanzania, Africa, a world class location for dolphins as well as other wildlife. Volunteers will conduct dolphin research from a surface vessel and have the opportunity to snorkel coral reefs to survey turtles. Full training is provided by GVI's full time research staff allowing volunteers a hands on and invaluable contribution to the preservation of these majestic animals...

These 6, 9 and 12 month Internships start with a 10 week expedition in Kenya, East Africa to develop your skills in the classroom and community relations as well as gaining a thorough understanding of conservation and natural resource use issues. You will learn how to live and work with a research team in a remote environment and attain experience essential for your work placement. During this phase you will undertake GVI’s Introduction to TEFL (Teach English as a Foreign Language), and Emergenc...

By joining this internship you will make a real difference to the lives of orphans, aged from birth up to 8 years old, and gain invaluable hands on practical experience in a variety of fields including project management and team leadership. You will work outside of Cape Town, alongside a dedicated staff member, to implement educational programs which focuses on fun, interactive activities in an informal environment. These activities will enhance the children's development in basic English conve...

This six, nine or twelve month Internship starts with a 10 week expedition to develop your understanding of coastal habitat conservation and wide-ranging tropical habitat survey techniques. You will learn how to live and work with a research team in a remote environment and attain experience essential for your work placement for the following 10 weeks. During this phase you can undertake a BTEC qualification in Supervision of Biological Surveys, PADI scuba diving courses, Emergency First Respons...

GVI gives you the chance to complete Level 3 BTEC Advanced Certificate whilst on a five or ten week expedition in East Africa. The BTEC teaches you to supervise biological surveys, and during the course you will complete five core units: Target Species Identification, Survey Techniques, Managing Risk, Expedition Logistics and Community Relations. Based on the beautiful island of Wasini in Southern Kenya, expedition members work extensively with the local community on sustainable development prog...

By joining this internship you will join a research team and learn the skills required to study coral reefs and turtles in the Indian Ocean. You will work alongside a dedicated staff supervisor to ensure you maximise your placement, cultural and learning activities. GVI works in Seychelles in partnership and by invitation of the Seychelles government and local NGOs, assisting their priority biological study and conservation programs. Research includes coral reef research, invertebrate surveys, w...

As part of this internship you will work alongside a dedicated staff supervisor to research Africa’s large game such as; lion, leopard, elephant and hyenas on conservation programs in a stunning South African reserve in the Limpopo Province. You will learn to use conservation and research equipment to help locate collared predators in the reserve, receive invaluable training in large animal identification, tracking and behavioral study skills and learn to appreciate the complex nature of predato...

This 20 week Internship starts with a 10 week wildlife research expedition. You will establish your field guide skills while obtaining in-depth knowledge of African game, their habitats and conservation techniques, receiving a BTEC in Supervision of Biological Surveys. You will learn how to live and work with a research team in a remote environment and attain basic skills essential for your work placement. Upon your successful completion of this expedition you will undertake a 4-week safari fiel...

This 22 week scuba diving internship in the Seychelles starts with a 10 week marine conservation expedition. This develops your scuba diving skills and your understanding of marine conservation. You will attain skills essential for your following 12 week work placement and learn to live and work with a research team in a remote environment, including a BTEC in the Supervision of Biological Surveys. During this following phase you will be based at a PADI dive centre where you will undertake your ...

This volunteer project looks after over 700 monkeys, of which most are vervet monkeys, indigenous to South Africa. This hands-on project gives you the chance to get involved in just about all aspects of the work done at the centre, including preparing for and feeding the many baby monkeys received by the centre each year. Joining GVI to volunteer in Africa will give you the opportunity not only to work with these fascinating wild relations of ours but also to spend time in South Africa’s pictu...

This project takes you to Namibia, Africa and the north-western regions of the Namib Desert, traditionally known as ‘Damaraland’. Here in this harsh tribal wilderness that runs parallel to the Skeleton Coast National Park, a small population of desert-adapted elephants have come into conflict with the local human population, and it is the aim of this volunteer project to manage the conflict and assist in its resolution. The majority of the volunteering will require you to help local farmers with...

As part of this internship you will make a real difference to the lives of the children most in need in Mombasa’s Bombolulu area, at a children’s centre and an HIV/ AIDS orphanage. You will be working alongside a dedicated staff supervisor and local volunteer teachers, typically with children aged between 3 and 13 on a project that offers basic education and meals to the most vulnerable children. This internship allows you to experience the challenges faced by urban communities in Kenya, contrib...

Situated on the world famous Garden Route, Mossel Bay attracts researchers from all over the world to gain insight into one of the most charismatic marine species, the Great White Shark. Volunteers will gain first hand experience on some of the most exciting White Shark research projects, obtaining not only theoretical but also practical training. Volunteers will assist staff run the research vessels and tasks include; tagging and genetic sampling of white sharks, manual acoustic tracking of whi...

This volunteer program studies the ecology and conservation status of Bottlenose and Heaviside's dolphins in the coastal waters of Namibia. The project is based in Walvis Bay, a natural sandy bottomed bay surrounded by stark sand dunes to the north and east and a Ramsar status wetland to the south. Walvis Bay is the only bay in central Namibia and the country's main harbour - but is an important resting and feeding area for both dolphin species. You will join the research team in investigating h...

If you are looking for a career that will be an adventure, or a hands on experience in the bush that you will never forget, this course is for you. This six month or one year course is the ideal platform for a successful career in the challenging game lodge industry. All the trainers are from The Field Guide Association of Southern Africa (FGASA). Content is both theoretical and practical, with an optional six-month work experience placement programme at a variety of game lodges around South Afr...

GVI has teamed up with local partners to offer much needed support to rural communities in Ghana. Our volunteer teaching projects in Ghana work to assist local children who otherwise might not have the chance of a formal education, or who are in need of educational reinforcement. Depending upon your experience and interests, you could be volunteering with children of infant, primary or secondary school age, offering support in overcrowded local schools and helping with teaching activities, inclu...

As a volunteer on this project you will live in the village of Nungwi at the northern tip of Unguja Island, where traditional Swahili coastal life persists alongside one of Zanzibar's most popular tourist destinations. Both traditional fishing and modern tourism development threaten the globally endangered turtle species found here. Your work will be hands-on alongside local villagers in caring for rescued turtles and hatchlings that are being given a head-start in survival at the community-run ...

Interns on this fantastic programme in South Africa will undergo a comprehensive two week training placement in Kruger National Park delivered by industry specialists, before gaining high-profile environmental education and conservation experience working at one of South Africa's twenty National Parks. GVI is looking for independent, ambitious applicants to work for 6 months to one year in one of these parks, to be placed in the ‘People and Conservation’ department. Wildlife is abundant and cult...

This South African adventure takes participants to join our field guide course in the Kruger National Park, the largest game reserve in South Africa. Here you can experience first-hand what it is really like to be a Field Guide in South Africa, amid the amazing diversity of landscapes and wildlife that the reserve is home to. The field guide course will allow you to go on spectacular bush walks and game drives, and attend lectures on mammals, birds, trees and more, presented by experienced game ...

This worthwhile project based in central Swaziland welcomes volunteers who want to have the option of working on childcare projects or teaching at local primary schools. Anyone participating on the childcare projects will work at local care centres that provide orphans and vulnerable children with food, care and education. Here volunteers also teach the children simple English, maths and life-skills; arrange games, activities and outings; provide care and support; and assist on construction/impr...

Would you like to help provide education and much needed care in local communities or assist and learn about conservation in some of the worlds most exciting natural environments? With GVIs ‘Southern African Explorer’ you can get the best of both. You will have the opportunity to participate in wildlife monitoring projects on a reserve in the Limpopo province for 5 weeks, and you will spend 4 weeks helping to implement an educational program in an orphanage just outside Cape Town. These opportun...

If you want to spend time exploring Southern Africa whilst doing something extremely worthwhile, this combination program is ideal. This six-week Swaziland placement includes four weeks of volunteer work on community projects and two weeks of adventure travel to spend a week in Kruger National Park and a week exploring the coast of Mozambique. For the project work, volunteers have the opportunity to teach in local schools or work in childcare centers. There are a large number of schools and ...

If you are an independent, adventurous person who enjoys teaching children and are looking for voluntary work, teaching sports with in Zambia, Africa, will be for you. The aim of this programme is to empower children in rural communities in Zambia by using sport and physical activities as a vehicle to promote positive, healthy lifestyles. In particular, it will address the major concern of HIV/AIDS among Zambian youths. Volunteers will teach and coach sports such as soccer, netball and volleybal...

This twelve week programme combines two popular community projects and three adventure trips. Volunteers will be based in Swaziland for the first 6 weeks, and during this time you will enjoy two side trips. One is to Kruger National Park, where by day you will be looking for the Big Five and in the evenings you will be cooking on an open fire and camping under the African skies. A further week will be spent exploring the coast of Mozambique, where you will visit local markets, enjoy water sports...

Southwest Cameroon harbours two of the most threatened African great apes: the critically endangered Cross River Gorilla (the rarest of the gorilla sub-species) and the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (the most endangered chimpanzee subspecies in Africa). By volunteering in Africa on this conservation adventure, you will help both species, which are key to the forest ecosystems of the border region of Nigeria and Cameroon. Volunteering on this conservation project in Cameroon will take you to work o...

This internship programme with the world renowned Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) takes volunteers on a six month placement to partake in rewarding volunteer work in Uganda, Africa. There is a low level of environmental education and awareness in Uganda, and volunteers improve this situation by teaching and training Ugandans about the environment and humanitarian issues. You rotate between the environmental education centres in Kalinzu and Budongo, and the Entebbe Headquarters; helping to implement...

This program offers volunteers the opportunity to get involved in various aspects of on-going community conservation work in southeast Madagascar, working with a multi award-winning charity. The unique coastal littoral forests in this area are home to numerous endangered and endemic species of flora and fauna, and, as such, the remaining forest fragments are a high conservation priority. The deforestation of these forests is not only threatening the survival of the endangered wildlife, but also ...

Madagascar is a magical island of Africa and one of the biologically richest and economically poorest countries on earth. This project supports an award-winning NGO building rural schools in isolated and beautiful remote Malagasy villages. This is the scheme for people looking for a fitness-building outdoors experience that really makes a difference to the lives of those less fortunate. You will join a small group of like-minded volunteers, working alongside community members, camping in a s...

This conservation work project takes you to volunteer in the frontline of sustainable development in Madagascar, Africa for a multi award-winning charity. Laying in the Indian Ocean, Madagascar is the world's fourth largest island, and contains fascinating cultures, beautiful beaches and exceptional biodiversity, with 80% of its wildlife occurring nowhere else on earth. Yet sadly, much of the country's population lives in extreme poverty and these outstanding habitats are increasingly threatened...