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The Project
Volunteer in Africa and take part in a medical project based in Zambia working with home visit programs, clinical work, HIV education and health talks and old people’s homes to provide much needed assistance for understaffed medical facilities. Covering all aspects of medical care and home-help you will be able to help out in a number of understaffed hospitals and clinics as well as helping to care for very ill people in their homes. This project also has an element of elderly care and support, HIV Education, training to help the locals care for the sick in their communities and also school refurbishment and building projects on some afternoons. With so many activities to get involved with, this is the perfect medical project for a complete beginner, a med student or a qualified practitioner as the project will be shaped by the volunteer’s skills and interests.
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Why the project needs you
A lack of funding within the medical, hospice and home based care systems in Zambia has resulted in serious staff shortages in all areas of the medical and nursing field. Volunteers assist and support the trained staff at a level suitable to their experience in order that more people can be seen faster, that the needy are given attention and support that is difficult to provide and bring an invaluable helping hand in a system that is struggling to cope with rising HIV numbers, limited education and a lack of resources.
Project Location
Livingstone is a large town with a wide range of amenities including Internet Cafes, a bakery, Ice-cream parlour, Barclays bank, ATM’s, curio markets, supermarkets, local markets, a post office, various restaurants including Chinese, seafood, Indian, Italian, English, of course – Zambian and two museums! You are also located close to one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world – Victoria Falls, where you will find a wide range of adrenalin activities, River boats, and game viewing opportunities. Livingstone is situated in a prime location between some amazing countries. You will be in an ideal location for spending the weekend in Zimbabwe or popping over to Chobe National Park in Botswana for a day of ultimate game viewing.
Volunteers reside at a comfortable and secure complex, a stone's throw away from Livingstone town centre. This accommodation features a dining room/meeting room, a bar, a TV and a reading lounge with resource material for all the projects.
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Project Facts
• Duration: 2 - 8 weeks
• Cost: £935 ($1636) for 2 weeks, £165 ($289) for each week thereafter
• Requirements: age 18+
• Location: Livingstone, Zambia
• Project activities: Assisting medical practitioners, taking vitals, providing company and assistance to the bedridden and joining community projects.
• Working hours: 07:30 - 16:30, Monday - Friday
• Project Availability: Projects start 1st and 3rd Monday of each month and run year round.
• During the months of June and July, this project is only available for a maximum of 4 weeks.
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What is included
• Accommodation: Shared room in a volunteer house.
• Food: 3 meals per day - Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner (apart from weekends)
• Airport pick up and drop off (from Victoria Falls airport, Zimbabwe).
• Training: Pre-departure information pack, on-site Orientation and project induction provided.
• Transfers to and from your project each day
• Support: 24 hour support from on-site coordinator
• Transfers to and from your project each day
• Activities: Staff help organise weekend activities. (Activity price may be extra) Trips include: Bungee Jumping, White Water Rafting on the Zambezi, Helicopter Flights over Victoria Falls, Zambezi River Cruises, visits to Botswana’s Chobe National Park and weekend excursions across to Zimbabwe.
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What is not included
• Flights
• Insurance
• Visas
• Meals at weekends
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Role of the volunteer
The volunteer’s duties will vary depending on their skills and level of experience within the health and medical field. Qualified practitioners will be able to use their skills where they are most needed, where more general work includes recording data, taking vitals, conducting tests, preparing patients for their appointment and conducting health talks. There are 5 particular areas where this project allows volunteer interaction:
Clinics – Volunteers will check blood pressure, temperature and the weight of patients (baby weighing is particularly fun!) before they are screened by the medical officer. Qualified doctors may be able to assist with the screening of patients and the help of midwives is always appreciated by the nursing staff in the labour ward.
Home Based Care – It is the volunteer’s duty to provide basic advice, comfort and assistance to members of the community with little or no access to clinics or hospitals. This may mean basic First Aid, including wound dressing, dispensing of basic medication in critical cases and chatting to patients about the importance of hygiene, a healthy diet and exercise. Home Based Care is also about assisting those incapable of taking care of themselves by making a patient’s bed, doing a bit of simple house work for them and generally trying to improve their circumstance in the most basic yet effective way.
HIV Education and Health Talks – Many health issues in Livingstone could be improved with a little education. HIV is a serious problem that continues to grow and the trend can only be reversed through education. Numerous health issues could be reduced through improved hygiene and nutrition. Volunteers work in small groups to teach about communicable diseases, healthy living and HIV awareness and prevention.
Old People’s Home – The home is poorly funded by the government and the residents mostly have no family or carers to look after them. Medical volunteers provide assistance by taking vitals – blood pressure, temperature and weight – to monitor health, treat bed sores, increase mobility and general health of the residents and address any medical issues that arise.
HIV Education in Prisons – Inmates of the local prison are a group within the local population that is vulnerable and highly susceptible to contracting HIV/AIDS and as such are an important audience to deliver the message about HIV, prevention, awareness, breaking stigma and living positively for those who are infected by the virus. (Please note this is a selective application based on age, medical background and fluency in English).
In addition to this, community projects in the afternoon are an optional alternative to medical work and include building and refurbishment work, some agricultural labour on the elephant pepper project (working to keep elephants out of the villages and provide additional income for the poorest communities) and various arts, crafts and literacy classes within the community.
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Skills Required
You don’t need to be qualified to work on this medical project, as there is a great deal of support work that needs unskilled help from those with enthusiasm and patience. A First Aid Course is also highly recommended – especially for those who do not have medical experience, however this is not essential. There is a half day medical induction for every volunteer, but prior experience is helpful.
For those who are qualified, you must ensure that you bring originals or certified copies of your medical qualifications in order for you to be allowed to work in specialized areas. Please also make your qualifications known when you apply for the project.
As the project partly concerns home based care, there will be a lot of walking to and from patient's homes. Some days you may be walking up to 6km a day so a good level of fitness is required.
Project Quality
Kaya evaluates every project we offer to ensure that we only commit to programmes with genuine need for volunteer aid, not just financial assistance. We develop relationships with the projects, and help shape initiatives to ensure that in the long run that we do not encourage dependence on outside help. Rather, we establish foundations on which the people can build and develop themselves. We also ensure that the members of those communities are open and eager to learn and discover our culture, as we become a part of theirs. The quality and sustainability of our programmes are very important to us. We want you to have the most fulfilling and memorable time as possible, and be part of something that is going to last into future generations.
Accommodation & Meals
Volunteers stay in a volunteer house, where, in most cases, they share their room with other volunteers. Shared rooms are usually single-sex. For most placements two to three meals a day are provided, all included in the placement fees. In most houses there will be a cook to prepare your food for you and a cleaner to ensure the house is clean and tidy, though in some of our locations volunteers will be expected to assist with these chores. For more information about the amenities at the house see accommodation summary or please contact one of our advisors.
In-Country Coordinators
Each country coordinator is there to make sure your time in your programme runs smoothly. They will pick you up from the airport and take you on your orientation. All in-country coordinators are English speaking and are there to ensure you have all the information and resources for the best placement.
24/7 Emergency Support
As well as support from your in-country coordinators, you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line managed by Kaya staff, in case any problem should arise while you're overseas.
Kaya Help-desk
Each member of Kaya staff have worked, travelled, studied or volunteered abroad, and many staff have visited and volunteered in our projects knowing firsthand the country and nature of the programme placements. Their knowledge of international travel and volunteering is invaluable, and they can give you good advice and tips to make the most of your international placement.
Briefing Pack & Materials
Once you have booked a programme, an information pack will be sent out detailing everything you need to know - from specific project details and vaccinations required to the visa application process.
Airport Pickup
When you arrive at your destination a member of Kaya staff will meet you with a warm welcome at the airport and take you to your accommodation to get you set up for your stay.
Cultural Excursions
Kaya staff are at hand to help organise weekend excursions and activities, which can include visiting cultural places of significance and visiting various projects around the area. This way you can learn firsthand about each project and take part in local cultural and adventure activities.
Arrival Orientation
Shortly after you arrive you will be given your orientation by one of our in-country coordinators. They will show you your placement, local transport, take you into the local town, and show you things you can do in your spare time. Information regarding safety and security will be given along with some much-needed lingo when moving and travelling around the area.
Funding for Individual Projects
If on your placement you wish to start up your own sub-project, a reasonable amount of funding will be provided. An example is: one volunteer arranged a basketball tournament for the street children, and funding was provided for team shirts and trophies. This is a good chance to make your own lasting mark on a project and the people of your chosen country.
Local Community Benefits
Not only is your participation on your project of great help to the local communities, but so is the boost to the local economy that volunteers create while they are visiting.
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