Volunteer Malawi

 

It's FREE! to Visit and Volunteer for Building Malawi! Building Malawi runs on the enthusiasm of it's volunteers. Malawi doesn’t just need financial support, it needs people like you to go out and share your experiences and your knowledge. 

 

 

 

- Paul Christian, Manchester. Volunteer Football Coach.

 

 

This video was made by Volunteers Darren Barham, Daniel Biggins and Tom Bowden. As well as volunteer work they did for Building Malawi it includes footage from a trip they made to Victoria Falls:

 

Everyone is welcome to come and visit our projects in Malawi. We love having guests. 

 

 

We do not charge any money but encourage you to raise money to spend at one of our projects (£50+). This wil make your trip even more rewarding.

 

 

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. justtheflight.co.uk is a good place to start for a comparison and we often see if flightcentre 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 will it cost in total?

Around £1200 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. We will be happy to talk to you and more often than not we will be able to meet with you in the UK before you leave.


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 our schools and near the guesthouses and hotels.

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!

 

 

 

 

We recommend mabuya campsite (mabuyacamp.com). It's cheap and has a range of rooms, dorms and camping available. Kiboko Hotel is also a good mid-range option in the heart of the city. Watch this space for a Building Futures in Malawi gueshouse!

 

Do I need Vaccinations or any other Health considerations?
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! Scroll down for travel ideas

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!

 

- Sam Jarvis, Birmingham. Volunteer Teacher

 

Below is the video made by Sam Jarvis and Wayne Holland:

 

 

 

We hope that you too will fall in love with Malawi. Contact Building Futures in Malawi here.

Travel Malawi...

Malawi lies, land locked, in the Great Rift Valley, 20% of its area is taken by the picturesque Lake Malawi, which runs along the North East edge. To the south Mt Mulanje, Central Africa's highest peak, towers above the plains. In the North is the Nyika Plateau, a vast expance of rolling hills, dotted with herds of zebra and antelope. Scattered through Malawi's varied landscape are several Game reserves and Parks where the big five can still be spotted. In the middle of the country and only 1 1/2 hours from the lake shore is the capital city and the base for BFiM, Lilongwe.

Lilongwe

Lilongwe is a small city, scattered over a large area. It has two centers, old and new. In the new side, City Centre, you will find offices, banks and government Embassies seperated by well kept gardens and grassy areas. In old town you will find a vast bustling market and the chaotic mini-bus station, it is busy here and there is plenty to be seen.

The Lake

Senga Bay

This is a small town at the eastern end of a board peninsula that juts into the lake from Salima. The clear water and sandy beaches are inviting and you can go windsurfing, canoeing and snorkelling. You can also go hiking in the nearby Senga Hills. 

Steps campsite/Livingstonia Beach Hotel - this is a gorgeous campsite. There's good security and spotless bathrooms (but no hot water). It sits peacefuly at the end of a private beach where a rocky headland juts into the water.

Nkhata Bay

The small, bustling town of Nkhata Bay is cradled amoung the hills of the northern lakeshore. In front of the town a peninsula where Ilala ferry docks, juts into the lake. Although local 'tour guides' are a nuisance, Nkhata Bay is a lovely place to visit and offers a good balance of activaties and relaxation.

Njaya Lodge - Perched serenly on a hilltop above the lake, this place is ledgedary on the travellers grapevine. The chalets range from simple without bathroom to comforatable with bathroom. The bar and restaurant open onto a wide terrace with a magnificent view. 

Monkey Bay

This small port, at the southern end of lake Malawi, is home to a large and animated monkey population. It is also home to theIlala, the trusty passenger ferry that has been chugging slowly up and down the lake for more than 50 years. Most visitors arrive or depart on the Ilala, from the deck you will get a unique view of Malawi as the ferry calls at isolated villages, loading and offloading its intriguing cargo of fish, bicycles, goats and furniture.

Nyika National Park

Shrouded in peaceful solitude amid an expanse of waving grass and rolling hills the Nyika Plateau is protected by the Nyika National Park. The park is home to the rare roan antelope as well as many other grazing animals. The air is pure and there is a special kind of beauty in the barronness of the plateau. On clear days the views from the edge of the plateau are endless. Although you won't see the bigger animals you see in other parks, the distinctive feature of Nyika is the romantic landscape. As you approach antelope and zebra will watch warily from a distance or gallop off into the safety of the tall pine forests around the camp.

Once inside the park you can arrange day walks or hikes that last all week, horseback safaris or drives with a ranger.

Liwonde National Park

A few kilometres south of Lake Malawi, Liwonde national park is a fine wilderness area. A boat trip of the wide River Shire, which meanders lazily through the park, is a great way to explore. You can watch floating islands of weed slip past on the smooth current, birds building their nests in the reeds, snorting hippos and snoozing crocks.

As well as its river dwelling creatures Liwonde is known for its large elephant population. You'll also see plenty of Antelope species and warthog. If you are lucky you may even spot a lion or leopard. There's also a rhino breeding programe close to Mvuu Camp. It's best to visit in the dry season when the roads are more accessable and animals are easier to spot. 

Mvuu Camp - This beautiful camp is perched on the riverbank in the northern part of the park. It has comfortably furnished chalets and roomy walk-in tents with bathrooms. There's a large thatched restaurant and bar overlooking the river.

 

 

 

 

Blantyre

Malawi's commercial capital, Blantyre was named after a town near Glasgow in Scotland, the birthplace of David Livingstone. The city is spread out along Chilembwe Hwy to the point where it merges into its 'sister city', Limbe. The city centre, however, hemmed into a triangle by Victoria Ave, Haile Selassie and Glyn Jones Rds is very compact and most places of interest are within easy walking distance.

 

 

"Thank you for your support"

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to find us!

• Malawian Run
• 100% of money donated goes to the cause
• Minimal UK running costs
• Our projects are sustainable

 

View some amazing film footage of our work here!

Donate your time, raise money, volunteer and other opportunities to help here.