You don't need any qualifications to do
this project, just lots of enthusiasm and ability to give the children
love, care and attention!
Our
placements are set in the lively township of Chirimba, Blantyre, where
you will help local children in orphanages. We work with many different orphanages in
Malawi. Some are for very young children and babies and others are for older
children. You'll be able to help children of all ages!
At the orphanages for
younger children and babies, there are trained carers who you will help and give general support where needed. Your support is very valuable to the carers as well as the children because it frees the carers up to use their
precious time to concentrate on other areas, such as seeking out financial
support for the orphanage, working on administration, and also on the day-to-day
logistics of running an orphanage.
Your help also affects the orphans immeasurably.
Although the effect may not always be immediately obvious to you, your help, and
the help of all our volunteers who follow you, gives them confidence with interacting
with people from a different country. Your assistance also gives them useful
exposure to English language and pronunciation, a different way of life and
different ideas - all of these are normally very rare opportunities for the
children concerned.
By playing games with the children you also encourage confidence
building for the children. It also encourages children to use English in an
informal way, and even with the younger children it gives them exposure to the
language at an early age. Playing sports with children may
seem irrelevant on the surface, but it helps to build up team spirit and skills,
leadership skills, dexterity and quick thinking, and a healthy competitive
spirit. It also gives children of all ages and backgrounds a more developed
ability to interact with their peers.
For many of the older children
you are able to integrate education into games and also help with homework etc.
Where children are not taught at the orphanage you will help these on their
return from school in the afternoon.
Your work here will be to help
the carers with the day to day running of the centers, and general care
for the children. Most of your work will be to help and assist the
carers with their daily rounds. You will also be asked to help clean
equipment and various areas within the orphanage.
It is difficult to be specific
about the day-to-day work you will do, but you will get a good general
feel of the orphanage by working and/or observing. The type of work you
will be allocated will depend to an extent on your own abilities and
capabilities, which is understandable given that you will be dealing
with children’s health and safety.
Your hours may vary, but
normally you will work from 9-5 Monday to Friday. However, you may
sometimes work evenings or nights, sometimes over weekends, etc., but
you will have time off on other days instead.
The level of education of the
children is generally very poor, and it will be up to you and the
Director to ascertain how best to use your skills. This may mean taking
sport and game lessons or offering care for children, it may well be in
the form of informal English or vocational teaching which is one of the
biggest privileges to receive.
You should be supervised all
of the time while you are there, and you will be given help and
directions. Your work load will depend on yourself and your attitude,
with more work becoming available as you grow in confidence; and the
staff with you. Your work as a volunteer may include:
Preparing food for the children.
Helping the children eat
Helping carers and caring for the children
Occasionally taking the children to the hospital for
immunization, treatment etc
General cleaning of the compound and the orphanage.
Washing clothes and the children
Teaching informal English, Arithmetic and sports to
the children
Organizing and facilitating games and plays for the
children.
As a volunteer you will gain the following:
Skills in working with the needy children
Learn about Malawian society and life styles of
its people.
Experience in working with children in difficult
circumstances
As a result of your volunteer work, the orphanage, the
workers and the society at large will benefit directly or indirectly as
follows:
They'll have opportunities to interact with, and learn
about,
foreign cultures
Have access to free work force and services
Have their traditional knowledge and skills
of doing care work supplemented with initiatives, skills and ideas
which they will get from our volunteers.
The children will have access to love and care
which is much needed and is fundamental for their growth and development.
TEACHING FOOTBALL:
It is possible for volunteers to coach at schools and
with children in
Malawi. Like all African countries, the children really are a joy to
teach; their enthusiasm for sports really knows no bounds.
Although coaching won't have a direct
impact on the lives of the majority of children,
indirectly it has immeasurable effects. Personal development, personality changes, health
awareness, increased confidence, team skills and social skills are all benefits from
the coaching they might otherwise fail to receive.
You will be accommodated in friendly
and welcoming host families. Most are well to do families, meaning that
the facilities are sometimes better than in some Western countries - one host even
has a bar!
Where possible, we try to ensure that volunteers are
placed together in the host families so that you can have the
opportunity to socialise with your family and the other volunteers. The
hosts are based in the township, but also feel secluded from the local
hustle and bustle. They’re also not far from the main town centre, so
there is always plenty to do.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner will be provided and host
families are knowledgeable sources of you local information about where to
go and what to see
while in Malawi. They will make your stay a memorable one!
TRAVEL AND SUPPORT
You have
the option to arrange your own flights or we can assist you with your flight
arrangements. If you would like us to do this for you, we will liaise with you
regarding available flights and dates to suit you. All arrangements for your
flight bookings/payments will be fulfilled by Murray Rogers Travel Ltd., ATOL
No. 6856. (Read more about Murray
Rogers Travel Ltd.)
Where possible, we arrange for two or more people to travel on
the same flight and we will let you have the names and telephone numbers of
other volunteers on your flight, so that you can chat to each other or even meet
up before leaving for your placement.
Where possible, all flights we arrange for you have changeable
return tickets because many of our volunteers choose to extend their stay once
they are in their destination country. Changeable return tickets enable you to
do so, within the limits of your visa and the level of your air ticket, of
course. If you choose to book your own flights, you should endeavour to get a
changeable ticket.
We meet
you at the airport regardless of whether you make your own travel arrangements
or not. You will be introduced to everyone shortly after your arrival.
VISAS:. In countries where visas or immigration documents are required,
we'll send you all the necessary forms and information and make the process very
easy for you.
To see what Support
& Backup we provide in our countries,
please click here.
.
+44 01903 502595
