Live, Work & Travel in Africa
| advert | Stay Free as a House Sitter. The Win Win for Pet Lovers That Travel
Top Sites
In Defence of Animals – Enjoy the experience of witnessing chimpanzees living life as they were meant to live it in Cameroon. Volunteers pitch in wherever they are needed, need to speak French and must be able to drive a truck with manual transmission. A six month commitment required.
English Alive Academy – Volunteer English teachers required for two schools in Ethiopia following the British curriculum, one in Addis Ababa, another in Nazareth, a rural town 100 kilometres away.
Sudan Voluntary Programme – Volunteers, under-graduates and graduates who are native English speakers, are needed to teach English on projects in Sudan for 12 weeks or more.
Employment in Africa
Employers, Agencies & Placement Services
Absolute Africa – Overland company sometimes in need of drivers, aged over 26, with a clean HGV or PSV license. Volunteer projects can also be found on the site.
Acacia Africa – Adventure holidays on safari in Africa. Acacia look to employ HGV/PSV drivers willing to work for two seasons in Africa an tour leaders aged between 22 and 35. Acacia also has a voluntour section.
Nomad Adventure Tours – An African owned overland company. Short volun tours are available. They also employ guides and camp assistants. Applicants must be on an African passport and have applicable experience. All driving positions require a heavy duty licence and valid South African PDP. Road crew are required to speak excellent English and applicants speaking German or Spanish will be given preference. Internships can be found here too; at the time of writing Czech and Italian speaking interns were required but other languages are occasionally needed too.
Surf Maroc – Surf camp in Taghazout, Morocco. No employment information on the website but have been spotted advertising for a French speaking qualified surf coach guide.Morocco, Kenya and Gambia.
Truck Africa – Africa overland specialists.
Employment Resources for Finding Work in Africa
Advice & Useful Sites for Finding Work
Findajobinafrica.com – A job finder service for skilled and professional vacancies.
Jobs-EG – Find the latest jobs in Egypt and the Gulf.
Locanto – A free classifieds website which allows people to post, browse, and find part-time and full-time jobs in any city in South Africa.
Gap Year & Voluntary Work in Africa
Unpaid Positions & Adventure
Abang Africa Travel – An incoming tour operator based in Cape Town supporting and initiating various community projects in South Africa.
ACE Animal Care in Egypt – A small charity based in Luxor trying to make a difference for Egyptian animals. They have general volunteer placements, veterinary student and vet nurse student placements.
Action for Children in Conflict – Volunteers required for programmes in Africa.
Africa Home Adventure – East African tour operator. Volunteer placements arranged in Kenya.
African Conservation Experience – Varied voluntary work on game reserves in southern Africa. Your tasks may include game capture, wildlife veterinary work and alien plant control.
All Out Africa – Volunteer projects and adventure tours in South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique.
Askari Wilderness Conservation Programme – Based on a private game reserve in the Limpopo province of South Africa. Volunteers with the Askari programme join their full time management and conservation team to help remove bush encroachment and repair eroded areas, eradicate alien plants and create and enhance natural habitats. The work also involves monitoring of all animal species and special conservation projects for the endangered cheetah and ground hornbill and the near threatened brown hyaena. Volunteers are required throughout the year and do not need any special qualifications besides an interest in wildlife and its conservation and to be relatively fit to take part in activities in the intense African heat.
Beacon of Hope Uganda – Designs and conducts programmes which contribute to the welfare and social productivity of disadvantaged individuals and communities with an emphasis on children and youth. Volunteers welcomed.
BOHAPO – Volunteers can work with this Kenyan HIV and AIDS charity for any length of time up to a period of two years.
BOHAPO Volunteer – Ludovic’s experience as a volunteer with BOHAPO from mid October to mid November 2008.
Bomvu Paradise Backpackers – Work for stay volunteers accepted in Coffee Bay, South Africa.
Boundless Love – Voluntary work and internships are arranged mostly in Kenya, but also Uganda, Tanzania and Ghana. Volunteers are usually housed with local host families. Fees are reasonable but go up a little if placed outside of Nairobi and don’t seem to taper off for longer stays.
Brain Youth Group – An environmental conservation, education and awareness group in Kenya that seek to tap into the creativity, energy and initiative of youth to provide for positive interventions in the management of the environment, educate and create awareness among the youth on HIV/AIDS and sanitation, develop alternative to provide the youth with employment, income and reduce poverty. Projects include mangrove rehabilitation, marine farming and bee keeping.
Buccaneers Backpacker Hostel – Talented travellers are sought to help out with treatments in the ‘Beauty Bungalow’ of this Chintsa Beach.
Calvary Zion Childrens’ Home Support Trust – A charitable trust set up to raise funds in support of the Calvary Zion Children’s Home in Mombasa, Kenya. The home was started in 1998 to care for abandoned and homeless children. The Trust is not in a position to organise volunteer placements directly but name a couple of organisations through which it is possible to do so.
CARDO Sierra Leone – Community Advocacy for Relief and Development Organization is an NGO established in 2014 to work as a human rights and child help support organisation. They told us they seek volunteers to “work with and interact with local people” but clicking on the volunteer link on the website does nothing helpful.
Centre for Rehabilitation of Wildlife – A wildlife hospital that cares for up to 400 injured and orphaned wild animals and birds in Kwazulu Natal, CROW is considered to be one of the leading rehabilitation centres in South Africa.
Changing Lives – Runs a number of educational programmes to help disadvantaged youths in Cape Town that offer students healthy alternatives to crime, drugs, sex, idleness and negative influences and unlocks their creative talent. Local and foreign volunteers are assigned to a broad range of tasks determined by the length of intended service and their skill base. Formally the Amy Biehl Foundation Trust.
CHASE Africa – Eight week volunteer expedition experiences to Kenya aimed at giving you a taste of backpacking travel while volunteering along the way. Shorter volunteer placements also available.
Cintsa Horses – A working farm in South Africa with plenty of adventure activities located nearby. Volunteers help with both the trails and the rehab sides of the centre.
Conservation Travel Africa – Established to provide meaningful and responsible volunteer experiences throughout Southern Africa. CTA are based in Africa and work in partnership with their volunteer programmes and partners in Southern Africa and with volunteers worldwide.
Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage – The mission of Daktari is to educate underprivileged children to care for their environment through the medium of a wildlife orphanage. As a volunteer your main tasks will be teaching the children and working with the animals. You will give the children the opportunity to discover, learn and become passionate about wildlife, conservation and their heritage. You will also supplement their school curriculum in very basic English, math, science, geography, life skills, educational games and social issues.
Edge of Africa – Aims to assist valid, scientifically based, conservation efforts and research in Africa. They develop their own projects which work towards African heritage. Volunteer work can involve working with meercats, sports projects and reforestation with Rastafarians.
Edirisa UK – A charity supporting community projects in Uganda, focusing on education, health and sanitation, and access to clean water. Since 2005 they have refurbished several primary schools, built and run four nursery schools and are involved in the establishment of special needs centres in the Kabale district. There are many volunteer opportunities with Edirisa, from teaching to gardening, renovations to health care. There are short term, one month placements and long term placements over six months available.
English Alive Academy – Volunteer English teachers required for two schools in Ethiopia following the British curriculum, one in Addis Ababa, another in Nazareth, a rural town 100 kilometres away.
Expanding Opportunities – Skilled and unskilled volunteers can help make a difference in Kenya.
Go MAD in Tanzania – Go MAD is an independent charity offering people the opportunity to serve in Tanzania, to be involved in community projects and to make a difference to people’s lives. Although Go MAD in Tanzania has a Christian ethos and works closely with The Anglican Church, you do not need to be a Christian to travel with them. They offer a wide variety of projects that range from two weeks to six months from building, providing medical help, teaching, helping run farming and business initiatives to showing love and care to children. Training is given to the volunteers to enable them to be completely competent in these activities. Costs vary based on project location and duration.
Good Hope Volunteers – Farm stays, social care, medical and wildlife conservation voluntourism in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana.
Habiba Organic Farm – An organic farm in a Bedouin settlement in Nuweiba, South Sinai. WWOOFers can stay for a minimum of three months to give their best in the field of organic, desert agriculture. Other volunteers can stay for programmes of three or twenty one days.
HOPE Ofiriha – Founded by ten widows, HOPE Ofiriha help to alleviate the suffering of women, young girls and children in rural Magwi County, Sudan. Their volunteer programme is not rigidly structured – it is up to you what you become involved with when you reach them. The local community has so many needs that they find it is best if volunteers find their niche once they reach Onura and have had time to talk to other volunteers, the coordinators, and managers, and had time to have a good look at the general area, the primary school, the nursery schools, the health centre, etc. A minimum three month commitment is prefered but shorter stays are possible.
Hostel Hoff – A small organisation run by an Australian woman and her Tanzanian husband, focusing on independent volunteering within and on the outskirts of Moshi, Tanzania. Hostel Hoff started very small, back in 2006 with the hope of helping volunteers side step international profit orientated organisations. It is their belief that you should not have to pay to volunteer, therefore prices cover your accommodation and the volunteering experience is free. The projects they work alongside include nursery and primary schools, vocational training centres, orphanages, centres for children with disabilities, medical centres, women’s groups, community development and conservation projects.
Hout Bay Backpackers – South African hostel thought to accept volunteers working for their accommodation.
In Defence of Animals – Enjoy the experience of witnessing chimpanzees living life as they were meant to live it in Cameroon. Volunteers pitch in wherever they are needed, need to speak French and must be able to drive a truck with manual transmission. A six month commitment is required.
International Primate Rescue – A South African non profit organisation working to provide stable environments and better livelihoods for displaced primates. The sanctuary, home to 75 monkeys, offers volunteer work, for any duration of time, for those interested in a hands on exotic animal care experience.
Intern Africa – Internships and volunteering projects in South Africa. They accommodate internships in marketing, IT, finance and tourism, and can also arrange tailor-made internships.
Kenya Voluntary and Community Development Project – Volunteer in Kenya with a community based organisation offering volunteers the opportunity to participate in short or long term voluntary work development.
Khaya Volunteer Projects – A gap year organisation located in South Africa to provide support to volunteers making sure they will have a life changing experience abroad. You can either work as a volunteer with children, the community, sports development, wildlife or conservation projects.
Kibera Girls Soccer Academy – Kibera is the largest slum in Africa and the second largest in the world. Abdul and Salim who both grew up there started a football academy and later a school. Volunteers can work at the school for as long of a stay as they like. KGSA can help you find a family to live with in Nairobi, and can coordinate projects based on your own personal strengths and interests.
Lion Conservation Fund – The LCF is a non profit organisation committed to supporting conservation and research initiatives to better our understanding of lion behaviour, ecology, and biology. To share its passion and knowledge of lions and support its research programme, LCF organizes field courses and a voluntourism safari in Kenya.
Love The Oceans – A non-profit marine conservation organisation working in Guinjata Bay, Mozambique. Volunteering on their five week programme includes working with local fishermen, monitoring their catches (sharks, rays, fish) and adding to scientific logs. Accommodation is provided and they have made their fees very reasonable for this type of volunteering.
LoszuGhana – A non profit organisation that promotes volunteerism with grassroots projects in Ghana. They try to make prices affordable and largely succeed in doing so, especially when staying longer term. Volunteers assist in various projects, including in education, health care, farming, and street children project.
LUKMEF-Cameroon – A not for profit organisation working to promote social justice and sustainable development in Cameroon. The organisation derives most of its funding from donors and its workforce from volunteers. There is no fee to participate but all volunteers and interns must be able to completely finance their flight, accommodation and food while in Cameroon. Volunteers must have a degree.
Magister South Africa – Volunteer and internship programmes in Cape Town.
Malawi Volunteer Organisation – Teaching, medical, sport and community work volunteering is available. Accommodation is on the shore of Lake Malawi and volunteer fees, which get more reasonable the longer you stay, help to employ over 15 Malawians.
The Marine Conservation Society Seychelles – Accept volunteers on their programmes throughout the year, however places are limited and vacancies fill up quickly. Duties will include supporting a number of the on going programmes. Applicants should be self funding and over 21. Additionally they offer a very limited number of internships for a whale shark monitoring project from August to October.
Mauritian Wildlife Foundation – The only NGO in Mauritius to be exclusively concerned with the conservation and preservation of the Mauritian nation’s endangered plants and animals. They state that they are always keen to hear from university graduates who would like to gain practical hands on experience and pursue a conservation career working within the MWF. They accept volunteers throughout the year to work on a range of their projects. The work may involve endemic bird nest location and monitoring, radio tracking, population monitoring, report writing, animal handling of pink pigeons, echo parakeets, Mauritius kestrels and passerines. Other projects include the conservation of rare plants and captive breeding.
Meru Animal Welfare Organization – Works to protect animals from cruelty by promoting, improving, and developing matters concerning the welfare and understanding of animals in Tanzania. We couldn’t find volunteer information on their website but they have in the past told us they were looking for people for short term and long term.
Mgahinga Community Development Organisation – An umbrella group comprising of several groups, associations and educational facilities, united by a common goal of improving the lives of the people of Mgahinga, in Uganda. They offer a limited number of self funded volunteer posts to enthusiastic people for one to three months or longer. They need teachers, conservationists, biologists, health workers, vets, IT and administration skills, to name just a few. They also welcome international students and Africans who wish to further develop their knowledge in a working environment out in the field.
Moroccan Center for Arabic Studies – A language school located in Rabat, they also offer internships and volunteering opportunities around the city.
Operation Crossroads Africa – Over 40 years experience of sending volunteers to Africa.
ReefDoctor – A small not-for-profit organisation which undertakes coral reef research and conservation in south west Madagascar. Reefdoctor are looking to welcome a small team of volunteer research assistants into the camp, preferably with some previous conservation experience. They also would prefer volunteers to be trained divers to at least PADI Open Water level. ReefDoctor expect to need up to eight voluntary assistants on future expeditions – a staff to volunteer ratio of one to one.
Rwenzori Rural Health Services – A community based organisation offers professionals and intern students the opportunity to work as volunteers to improve rural communities in Uganda.
RVO-Ghana – Volunteer in Ghana.
Seed Madagascar – Based in the beautiful coastal area of Sainte Luce, surrounded by extremely rare and threatened fragments of littoral forest, you can join them to help carry out important, hands on, conservation fieldwork with species including lemurs, bats, chameleons and amphibians, help with community initiatives, and environmental education. You’ll also have the chance to explore the local area, meet some amazing people and enjoy some spectacular sunsets. Formally called Azafady.
SOTENI International – Helps orphans and other vulnerable people who have been most affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. Health professionals are required to volunteer their time in Kenya. Student internships designed to train volunteers to work in rural and urban settings in Kenya are also available.
South African Education & Environment Project – Dedicated to serving children and youth in the townships of Cape Town through academic support and personal development programmes. Volunteer FAQs and an application form can be found on the website.
Strawberry Fields Eco Lodge – A restaurant, farm, eco-lodge, and permaculture design training centre in Ethiopia. Volunteers and interns interested in learning more about permaculture should check the vacancies on their website.
Sudan Voluntary Programme – Volunteers, under-graduates and graduates who are native English speakers, are needed to teach English on projects in Sudan for 12 weeks or more.
Trade Aid – Welcomes mature volunteers with specialist skills such as accountancy, IT, tourism and teaching to train local Tanzanian staff in their skill.
The Tsavo Cheetah Project – A NGO working to protect and conserve the cheetah of the vast Tsavo ecosystem of Kenya. Volunteer tasks include cheetah monitoring through direct sightings, tracking of natural signs, and camera traps; community initiatives with local tribes pertaining to human-wildlife conflict and work with school children through cheetah education programs; field data collection / entry, photography and social media updates.
Turtle Foundation – An initiative for the protection of endangered sea turtles. Conservation volunteers are taken on in Cape Verde.
Uganda Lodge – A guest house in southwest Uganda where the profits made from guests are used to enhance the living conditions of villagers in the local community. Volunteers are accepted.
Ugunja Community Resource Centre – A small NGO in western Kenya promoting sustainable development. International placements, from a few days to two years, are available revolving around issues such as sustainable agriculture, preserving indigenous knowledge and youth empowerment. Expect to pay $15 to $40 per week for food and accommodation and a suggested $35 weekly donation.
Ujamaa Hostel – Over 900 volunteers have done countless hours of volunteer work within the local community, in Arusha, Tanzania, since this hostel opened in 2008. They hold to the belief that volunteers shouldn’t have to pay for the experience and offer free volunteering opportunities with local organisations in desperate need of help. We’ve linked to their Facebook as the website is no more.
VA32 – Runs projects and initiatives to benefit the local community or environment in Chintsa, South Africa.
Vervet Monkey Foundation – A primate rehabilitation and welfare centre in South Africa’s Limpopo province with nearly 600 resident monkeys in their care. For general volunteers no specific qualifications are required though they should be enthusiastic level headed team players with a passion for wildlife and conservation. Longer term volunteer vacancies have specific requirements. Volunteers are required all year round, especially during the Vervet baby season (November to February) as extra hands are essential to provide intensive primary care to any orphaned Vervet babies they take in.
Wildlife ACT – Volunteer on game reserves in South Africa.
Youth Vision Uganda – An indigenous youth led community based NGO working to help alleviate the plight of the less privileged, poor needy youth and children in Kati Kati village, northern Uganda. The volunteer page link was blank when we visited but their partner organisation, the Omprakash Foundation, states YVU is “accepting application letters from creative, talented, passionate and innovative youth to work with orphaned vulnerable children under its early childhood development education model centre of Bright Destiny Academy or its Sports for Development program”.
* Free or Cheap Volunteering *Your family might prefer if you go to Africa with a placement agency, but volunteering can be cheaper when travelling independently. Visit our Free or Cheap Volunteer Work Abroad pages to find NGOs and grassroots organisations in Cameroon, Egypt, Kenya, Madagascar, Morocco, Namibia, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania & Uganda. |
Living in Africa
Real Estate and Resources for Staying Long Term
AIDA – Offering real estate services for over 50 years in South Africa.
Cape Verde Property – A UK company specialising in marketing Cape Verde property.
Egyptian Experience – Builder and developer in Egypt with homes available in Sharm el Sheikh, Hurghada and Luxor.
ERA Real Estate – Large real estate group in South Africa.
Pam Golding Properties – Over 300 offices in southern Africa.
Rawson Properties – Estate agency group with distinctive little yellow cars active throughout South Africa.
Travelling in Africa
Accommodation & Getting Around
The Africa Guide – A huge amount of information about the continents including information on volunteering, working and overlanding.
African Memorable Safaris – Kenyan and Tanzanian touring.
African Trails – Overland tours.
Baz Bus – Hop on, hop off buses in South Africa.
Dahab Safari Tour – A half agent, half tour operator travel company in Egypt.
Jollyboys Backpackers Lodge – Backpacker accommodation and activities in Livingstone, Zambia.
King Safari Dahab – A Certified tour company providing organized tours and custom-made tours in Dahab, all of Egypt, Jordan, Israel and Worldwide.
Original Surf Morocco – A surf vacations company in Agadir, Morocco, offers surf lessons for all ages and all levels with or without accommodation.
Outlook Expeditions – Adventure travel and expeditions to Africa.
The Plymouth-Dakar Challenge – A wonderful budget alternative to the Paris Dakar rally. Buy a cheap vehicle in the UK, drive across the western Sahara and auction your car for charity at the finishing post. Other routes, such as the three week Silk Road Challenge, are also available.
Red Chilli Hideaway – Backpacker accommodation and tours in Kampala, Uganda.
South African National Parks – Hosts details of South African National Parks to help tourists and visitors with planning trips to the parks. Some internship information, administered by Global Vision International, is provided.
Other Useful African Websites
Culture, News…
Daily Mail & Guardian – English language newspaper in South Africa.
Dar Loughat – Arabic language and cultural immersion programmes in Morocco.
Egypt Today – English language news.
Qalam Center for Arabic Studies – Arabic language study and cultural programmes in Rabat, Morocco.
Index image courtesy of hbieser