memories for a lifetime
Malawi Teaching Project
At the moment a preschool system is non-existent in Malawi. This means that for children under the age of 6 there is little access to any form of education. There are several private nursery schools throughout the country, mostly located in large towns or cities. However, parents have to pay for their children to attend there and most of them cannot afford this.
A number of rural communities have set up groups to provide children with basic care and education. These groups are run by local volunteers. However, in most cases, they are under qualified, understaffed and the resources at these groups are very low.
Learning basic English at a young age is very important when preparing children for the lessons that are taught in English at primary schools in Malawi. However, most teachers that run the groups don’t speak very good English themselves. This is why you can provide vital support by improving the level of education and helping the current teachers improve their English and way of teaching.
Details about the project
What's included
Upon arrival you will be collected from the airport and driven to your project accommodation where you will be settled in and given your introductions. You will receive transport to and from your project every day.
Guidance
24 hour support and supervision
Accommodation
Room share with other volunteers
Food & Beverages
Two meals a day, coffee & tea included
Details about the project
Malawi Teaching project details
Arrival Day: Monday
Arrival Time: Anytime before 2PM
Airport: Lilongwe Airport (LLW)
Departure Day: Monday
Departure time: +- 11AM – 1PM
Min + Max Duration: 4 Weeks+
NOTE:
Any arrivals outside of the specified dates and times will result in extra charges due to being outside of the pick up and drop off schedule from Lilongwe and the project location.
As a volunteer on the teaching project, you will be supporting the teachers by assisting them in one of the local primary schools. On occasion volunteers with teaching experience can be placed in one of the community secondary schools.
Volunteers contribute massively to improving the children’s’ education. You may also have the opportunity to teach adult education classes, which provide necessary skills development to rural communities. Furthermore, as part of the project’s initiative to integrate IT to local schools and communities, you can help teachers develop and improve their computer skills.
In the mornings volunteers will assist teachers with the curriculum subjects, including English, Maths and Sciences. Most days you will finish teaching in the morning between 11:00 and 12:00 and have a lunch break back at the volunteer house during the hottest part of the day.
In the afternoons there are various extra-curricular community projects volunteers will assist with such as:
Library Workshops
The library workshops that are organised give the children the opportunity to do activities they would not usually have the chance to, such as art and crafts and reading. Volunteers will assist with these activities as well providing extra English and math’s tuition.
Wildlife & Environment Club
This entails educating the children about the environment, conservation and the importance of preserving the wildlife in Malawi.
IT lessons
A new initiative. These are currently being taught to the teachers, with the aim that classes will be introduced for the students once the teachers are competent and we have obtained more reliable laptops, or computers. You do not need any specific computer skills to teach these sessions.
Sports
During the sports activities volunteers will get the opportunity to coach a variety of sports, including football, netball, volleyball and rounders. There are also other activities organised, such as ball games, skipping or parachute games and obstacle races, which the children love!
Drama, music, arts and crafts
These activities are open to be filled in however you would like, depending on your personal interests.
You will work a full day between 8am – 5pm including a lunch break. Your days will be dependent on your experience and everyday may change from one day to the next.
Project tasks may sometimes seem repetitive – but your efforts will make a huge difference. Enjoy the project locations, your fellow team members, and the fact that you are helping to make a difference in the education levels of children that will benefit them in later years. Know that through your efforts, many children who would otherwise have had nowhere to go during the day are in a safe and loving environment.
Please note that from time to time there can be unavoidable changes to projects. These can be caused by weather, conservation priorities, materials supply, or because ongoing projects have progressed more quickly or slowly than originally planned. We ask you to accept the changes – we are sure that you will enjoy the replacement projects just as much.
- Fully completed application form, medical history form & motivation form, with acceptance from the project
- Police clearance / Background check
- Basic level of competency in English
- Copy of return flight itinerary
- Medium level of fitness
Volunteers will stay in a comfortable, shared house in a rural village in the Mangochi District. The volunteer house is located on the shores of the stunning Lake Malawi. The area in which volunteers are based (and Malawi in general) is very safe. The house is, however, fenced and gated for additional security and privacy.
The bedrooms in the volunteer house are large shared rooms, generally with single or bunk beds. Mosquito nets are provided and the rooms either have en-suite facilities, or an adjacent bathroom. The bathrooms all consist of western style flush toilets and showers.
4
Activity level
5
Education level
8
Involvement level
7
Independence level
Our Recommendation
