Malawi High School-Volunteer Program

  Malawi

Lilongwe

Duration of Program: 2-4 weeks
Dates: 2-July to 2-August

Description: High School volunteers will share one house in which they can come together as their own team of Malaria prevention educators. The trip will begin with a common flight led by a World Camp Program Coordinator. Over the course of four weeks, volunteers will attend a training orientation at Lake Malawi, teach at several rural schools, work at an orphanage and street shelter, spend two nights soaking up village life on a homestay, go on safari with elephants and hippos and hike the mountains of Zomba. The curriculum will cover Malaria prevention, environmental awareness, and gender equality, as well team building songs and games in a summer camp atmosphere. For their first "camps" the high school team will teach alongside our HIV/AIDS in one fun, impacting team. By the end of the four weeks, they will be ready to lead their own camp as strong, able teachers. Check out our website for more info.

Highlights: A Volunteer Day on the High School Program:

The program is based in the capital city Lilongwe. High School volunteers will live in a centrally located house on the new side of "Old Town", Lilongwe. The house is a base for volunteers to return to each evening after long hours of travel and teaching in the African bush. The house is a comfortable haven, complete with several bedrooms and bathrooms, a kitchen and living areas. World Camp's high school house is secure, surrounded by high walls and guarded by security personnel.

A typical day at World Camp Malawi begins as early as six am, to allow volunteers time to eat breakfast and prepare for the day's travel. Travel time typically averages two hours each way, depending on distances to scheduled schools and current road conditions. World Camp vehicles are kept in good repair and only trusted to safe and experienced drivers. As visitors to rural Malawian villages are infrequent, volunteers can expect to be greeted by up to hundreds of excited school children who often run alongside the approaching vehicles, shouting to welcome the Azungu, the foreign volunteers.

High school volunteers will implement their curriculum with the younger standards as we conduct our HIV/AIDS curriculum with older standards. Each teaching team has an assigned group and teaching area for the entire three days of the camp. Over the course of the programming, teachers create a strong bond with students as they work, eat and play together.   

The day begins as World Camp volunteers form a big circle outside with all the students and teachers who will participate in the camp. After greeting the group, World Camp facilitators introduce songs to engage and entertain students. This is an excellent ice breaker and establishes early rapport with students and teachers. Students are then divided into smaller groups and introduced to a series of leadership and teamwork activities to get to know each other and their World Camp instructors. Classes start after these morning activities.

Teachers and students retreat to individual classrooms to begin the World Camp Malaria prevention curriculum. Curriculum activities include games to introduce the basics of HIV/AIDS and Malaria education, interactive demonstrations to illustrate how the disease develops in the human body, and question and answer periods for students to speak freely about their concerns. World Camp works with translators from a Malawian university to ensure teachers and students get the most out of each meeting.

World Camp takes a break at lunchtime to serve all participants a beverage and traditional meal. Groups return to the classroom after lunch to begin work on presentations. World Camp stresses the need to teach individuals how to teach others. To this end, students have the opportunity to present what they've learned to other student groups, as well as to teachers, community members and tribal elders. This happens on the third day of camp. Classroom time is interspersed with planning and preparation for the presentation, which may be a skit, song, game or other appropriate activity. Class days end around three o'clock, when the whole school reunites for more games and songs to end the day on a high note before volunteers return to Lilongwe for the night.

Back in Lilongwe, volunteers can make a quick grocery stop, check email if needed, change money, and run any other important errands. World Camp volunteers are generally back at the house by 5 or 6 pm to prepare materials for the next day and then relax, take showers, and cook dinner. Most evenings World Camp volunteers participate in a camp evaluation. This is a time for volunteers to discuss the day's successes and challenges and work together to make improvements. In addition, World Camp hosts local guests at the house to speak to volunteers about Malawian life. Guests in the past have included individuals living with HIV and primary school teachers from rural and urban schools. Volunteers are given the opportunity to ask questions and learn more about life in Malawi. WC also conducts Chichewa lessons to volunteers in order to promote communication between volunteers and villagers. Volunteers are encouraged to make the most of their volunteer experience through exploring Malawian culture and life. After a full day of work, many volunteers are often asleep before 9 or 10 pm.

Cost in US$: 2600

* Housing, providing you with a comfortable, safe place to live, the basic amenities, most of your meals, and transportation in country.

* An experienced U.S. based World Camp Program Manager (and former volunteer with World Camp) who will serve as your coordinator, guide, and liaison with our in-country staff.

* In-country basic language assistance (optional)

* Professional, locally-based staff to provide orientation, supervision, assistance and guidance throughout your stay.

* Transportation to Zambia for safari and to the lake for relaxation.

* Important documents, including in-depth volunteer handbook, orientation information, curriculum, and all in-country informational materials.

* Country-based airport transportation.

* Local phone calls.

* In-coming international phone service.

* Outgoing international phone service for emergencies.

* All scheduled program expenses.

* Two t-shirts.

* Drinking water.

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to Malawi in Groups

Typically Participants Work in Groups of 10

Application Process Involves:

• Online Application plus Application Assessment
• Phone Interview
• Written Application

Post Services Include:

• Alumni Network

World Camp, Inc's Mission Statement: World Camp enriches the lives of children in disadvantaged communities throughout the world. Fun, educational camps build each child's self-worth and encourage community pride by raising awareness about locally challenging issues through workshops and games. World Camp aids in every community's mission to have happy, educated children with aspirations for the future.

Year Founded: 2000