Everything you need to know about volunteering with us

(or at least everything we can think of!)

Tom volunteers his time to us and has a full time job. As a result sometimes there can be delays in responding to your emails. We hope you understand! We have put together some of the most common questions to help you.

Please ask any more questions here and we will add them. Thank you!

 

What is Lingadzi Academy?

It is likely that you will spend your time at our latest and most exciting project Lingadzi Academy. Named after a river that runs through Lilongwe it is a 20 acre piece of land bought by Building Malawi.

At present there is a small house on the plot (where our groundskeeper Henry lives) and the library is in construction. The rest of the land is grassed and used as sports fields for football, netball and volleyball. There is also a playground in construction.

Volunteers out there at the moment are helping to construct parts of it. It is a huge piece of land and it is hoped that it will become the home for sport in Lilongwe. It will be a place where schools can run leagues and use the pitches for free. It fills the void for the lack of sports pitches in Lilongwe.

Read more on our Lingadzi Academy Page - Click Here

 

Where is Lingadzi Academy?

Lingadzi Academy is on the western edge of the city. It is the closest point to the city that land this large can be found that hasn't been built on. It is situated in the bustling township of Mtandire which is easily accessible. For those of you that know Malawi it is very close to African Bible College and a 20 minute walk from the new mall which is currently being built.

Link to google maps image click here

 

How far is it from the accommodation to Lingadzi Academy? 

If you stay at Malawi Lodge it is literally over the road!

If you stay at Mabuya Camp or Kiboko Hotel it is a 20 minute bus ride followed by a 20 minute walk. (ask for a bus to 'Spearhead' - the nickname of where the main road meets the township). In total on public transport it is a 40 minute trip each way. By own transport it is 20mins to the ground. Although it is relatively close to the city, you feel like you are in the heart of a village!

You will be expected to pay for all of your transport costs to and from the ground.  This equates to about £1-2 per day.

See more about accommodation options here

 

How close is the nearest Medical Centre, Mall and Market?

It is a 25 minute walk to the nearest Medical Centre: African Bible College which is right nextdoor to a new shopping mall. Mtandire market is 5 minutes from the fields. 

Who is it for?

Everyone is welcome to come and visit our projects in Malawi. We love welcoming visitors and also volunteers who wish to stay for an extended period of time. It doesn't matter how old or young you are, or your level of experience.

 

It is a formal volunteer program?

No it is not a formal or a large volunteer program. The style is very informal; you turn up and muck in with whatevers going on at the time, no timetable or structure involved. Activities range from playing sport with the children, coaching, planting trees and helping construct whatever infrastructure is being built at that time. James or Henry will also provide a tour of the land and point you in the direction of what else there is to see and do in beautiful Malawi.

 

What can I do to get involved?

We welcome your input if there is something in particular you fancy doing. For example if you have a syllabus in teaching hockey and you can take out all the equipment needed to transfer your skills. Please note, activities have to be inclusive of all, irrespective of religion, race, sex, tribe.

 

What will I do each day?

Most people will spend their time at the ground:

• Coaching football and Volleyball- James coaches football so coaching sessions are common practice at the ground
• Coaching/Playing netball - No experience of playing or coaching required. The local women will make you feel welcome
• Constructing elements of the playground, library and/or school buildings - dependent on what is going on at the time
• Planting trees
• Playing games with the younger children - this will probably involve them chasing you around the football pitch. 

All of the above activities are informal and completely dependent on your input.

 

I'd like to come for a significant amount of time. Can I get involved in a long-term project?

Yes please! We have a number of initiatives we would like to develop at Lingadzi Academy and are always looking for people to spearhead them. These are best suited to people that can spend a significant amount of time (1-12 months) at the project and for people that have experience or skills that would suit. These include:
 

• Creating a business plan for the secondary school
• Establishing and running the guesthouse
• Involvement in the running of the charity in the UK
• Development of ideas for Lingadzi Academy
• Project managing building of library and school infrastructure, playground, small business enterprise area (solar panels, vegetable plot, bee keeping initiatives)

 

Can I volunteer and teach in a school?

We are due to begin construction on the Lingdazi Academy School in 2013. Currently there are no active teaching roles on site, although you could support at the library and could be placed at a nearby school.

 

I am a medic. Can you place me in a hospital?

We do place people in medical projects. If you are a medic/nurse looking for such a project we recommend that you get in touch with Kamuzu Central Hospital or the African Bible College. Both are reasonably close to Lingdazi Academny and you could stay at Malawi Lodge and play sport at the ground in your free time.

 

Can the family come?  

We welcome all members of the family.

 

Can I visit Lingadzi Academy if i'm under 18? 

All volunteers at Lingdazi Academy travel at their own risk and expense. We would discourage single travellers under the age of 18 unless they are accompanied by an adult, or a wider group of travellers. 

 

Can a group of us visit together and work on a project together?

Volunteering with us is perfect for groups. School groups, overland buses and backpackers are all welcome. Who knows, you may well end up taking on the locals in a game of football, netball or volleyball! (We've even had a team of Ozzie's threaten to come and teach Aussie Rules Football). 

How much does it cost to volunteer? (It's FREE! FREE! FREE!)
 
We do not charge any money but encourage you to raise money to spend at one of our projects (£50+). This will make your trip even more rewarding. You will have to pay your own way and will be responsible for all of your costs: flights (Circa £600), accommodation costs (£5 per night), food (£5-£10 per day) and transport to and from Lingadzi Academy (20 minute bus journey from Mabuya camp - £1 per day or 2 second walk from MalawiLodge.com).

How much are Flights?
 
Around £600 from the UK. Depending on how far in advance you book you should expect to pay £400 - £700. The best deals are often found with Kenya Airways or Ethiopian. www.justtheflight.co.uk is a good place to start for a comparison and we often see if Flight centre and STA will outdo each other on price. At present there are no direct flights to Malawi - they route through Addis Ababa, Nairobi or Johannesburg. All are safe but boring airports!

 

How much is transport?

Right now it is very difficult to get hold of fuel. There are huge queues at petrol stations. It does mean that you cannot rely on getting fuel and that you will have to factor in more time for travelling around the country and be prepared for delays. You should also be prepared to pay a lot more for transport in times when fuel is scarce. Having said that it is not a completely debilitating situation. Just allow for more time and more expense!

How much will it cost in total?

Malawi can cater for any budget. You will be amazed at how far your money can go if you want it to and you will be amazed at the incredible things you can see and do on a reasonable budget. It's a tricky one to estimate buy generally if you're going for a 2 week trip it is likely that with everything included it will cost you around £1000. We guess that it would cost an additional £150 per week thereafter.  The best way to get an idea of costs is to get in touch with us. 

How much will food cost?

We estimate a typical combination of eating in and eating out will cost around of £30-50 per week. There are plenty of places to eat within walking distance of the main accommodation options in Lilongwe, this includes both local and expat style restaurants and cafes. The ground is also in the heart of Mtandire market where you can pick up local produce. 

When can I go?

We will welcome you at any time of year. Malawi is beautiful all year round and our projects are busy all the time with the locals! Dec-March is the rainy season and perfect for tree planting. From April to November it never rains!

 
How long can I visit/volunteer for?
 
You can get involved for as short or as long a time as you have available, at any time of the year, with as little or as much notice as you like! Many people visit for a week, some a day, some stay for months and even years!

 
Where can I stay?

Malawi Lodge - Is under construction at the moment and will be very rudimentary (no electricity yet!) but will be a great option as it will be cheap, you will have no travelling expenses and you will be right in the heart of the community as it is situated opposite the football pitches. Visit: www.MalawiLodge.com

Mabuya Camp - We recommend that you stay at http://www.mabuyacamp.com/ , it’s in the city centre and has a great traveller atmosphere with a pool too, needed when it’s so hot! It's cheap and has a range of rooms, dorms and camping available.

Kiboko Hotel http://www.kiboko-safaris.com/framehotel.html is also a good mid-range option in the heart of the Lilongwe. 

Please read our page about where we recommend you stay in Lilongwe here


Do I need Vaccinations?

Yes. You will need to visit a health centre in the UK to arrange appropriate vaccinations and also anti-malarials. This may cost around £200. Also be aware that this is a private service offered by a surgery. Different surgeries charge different prices so shop around!

How much will it cost to travel around Malawi?

Travel with a tourist company can be expensive and hiring a vehicle is also expensive (approx £25 per day). We recommend jumping on the buses and having a real adventure! The Africa on a shoestring recommends a budget of $15-$20 per day but you can do it for far less than that. Or far more if luxury is your thing!

How is the school day structured?

The schools tend to start early in the morning at around 7am and continue through to 2pm. The schools run a similar syllabus to schools in the UK (indeed Malawi was once a British colony and the curriculum was initially set up by the British). There is more focus on topics such as agriculture but that aside they are very similar. Classes run for around 45mins to 1 hour. They typically have an assembly in the morning and later in the day have a break-time and a lunch break - just like us!

Can you collect us from the airport?

Yes! James can meet you at the airport and drive you to wherever you decide to stay (probably mabuya camp). This transport will cost £20. We don't make any money from this it's just how much it costs for the 45minute journey. Please let us know when you are arriving and we will arrange with James to come pick you up. 

What next?

Get in touch with us and crack on and book your flights! If possible send us an email to say when you are coming and include your flight details. We will ensure that James is there to meet you. If you are already in Malawi or travelling overland just let James know by sending him a message or calling him (+265 999 218 907). If you have no luck with James (phones in Malawi are unreliable) then try Henry (+265 999 891 112). It doesn't matter how late notice it is. Turn up today if you like!

 

Please contact us with any further questions that you have here - Many thanks!