Women's Education Volunteer Program in Morocco

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The IVHQ Morocco volunteer program is based in Rabat, the capital city of Morocco. ​Volunteers are required to fly into Rabat-Sale Airport (RBA), which is a 8 to 10 hour flight from most major airports in Canada. Volunteer projects are located in Rabat, Casablanca and Sale.​​

Volunteer programs begin on the first and third Monday of each month. Volunteers can choose to volunteer for periods ranging from 1 week to 24 weeks, although the Teaching English and Teaching French projects have a minimum duration of 2 weeks.

The program orientation begins the first and third Monday of each month, and volunteers need to arrive in Rabat on the Sunday before orientation.

After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Rabat International Airport (RBA). Your airport pick-up is included in your Program Fee.Canadian travelers do not require a visa to enter Morocco for a duration of 90 days.

When you arrive, you will be greeted at the airport by a member of the local team and transported to the volunteer accommodation in Rabat, Casablanca or Sale (location will depend on proximity to your specific placement). Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.

If you are traveling in Morocco prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up at the Rabat Ville Train Station in Rabat on the day before your program orientation.

Orientation is hosted by our Moroccan team at the volunteer base in Rabat. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date. Orientation covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Morocco – Introduction to Morocco, Moroccan Customs, Rules and Expectations, Language Lessons, Safety, Travel Opportunities in Morocco, Introduction to your Project and Placement. The orientation will also give you a chance to meet other volunteers and swap contact details for weekend travel and socializing.

First Day: On your first day of volunteering, you will be escorted to your placement by a local coordinator and introduced to the placement staff you will be working with.

Weekdays: A typical volunteer day would be as follows

8.00 AM Breakfast at the homestay.

9.00 PM - 10.00 AM Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements. Work and hours are dependent on the project and placement that each volunteer is working at. There is a tea break and lunch break with times varying depending on the placement.

2.00 PM - 5.00 PM Work at the placement usually ends. Volunteers are free to travel home, prepare for the next day or do some shopping and sightseeing.

8.00 PM Dinner at the homestay.

Please note, this schedule can vary depending on the particular project the volunteer in participating on. Volunteers taking Arabic or French language lessons spend half the day volunteering and the other half of the day taking language lessons.

Volunteers are accommodated in a homestay where you will live with a local family and other volunteers. These families receive money from your program fee for support, food and board. It is exciting to stay with a family, as this is an opportunity to learn the Moroccan way of life, meet local people, eat local food, speak the local language (Darija: the Moroccan Arabic dialect) and engage in local customs and traditions. Living is basic, yet still comfortable, and most homestays have electricity and running water. Volunteers can expect to share a room with other volunteers, however in some homestays volunteers have their own rooms. Bedding is provided, but it is recommended that volunteers bring their own sleeping bag if you wish to travel on the weekends, along with a towel and toiletries. It is important to note that Moroccan homes have a shared living environment in which Sdaders (Moroccan couches) are used as beds within the homes, while also used during the day for sitting and dining.

WiFi is available in the majority of the homestays in Morocco. To keep connected, you can also purchase a local SIM card with data for an unlocked mobile phone.

Influenced by African, Arab, Moorish and Berber cuisines, Moroccan cooking blends Mediterranean fruits and vegetables with spices, typically imported. A typical Moroccan meal begins with a series of hot and cold salads, followed by a tagine (Moroccan stew) and bread is eaten with every meal. Lamb or chicken dishes are common, as is couscous topped with meat and vegetables. The consumption of pork and alcohol are prohibited, as per Muslim dietary restrictions and drinking mint tea is a daily tradition. Volunteers in Morocco are served three meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Bottled water is readily available in Morocco and volunteers should budget approximately US$5 (CA$6) per week for this (2 liters per day). If you have any special dietary requirements, please let us know when you apply for the program so we can make arrangements for you.

“This was such a wonderful experience that it’s hard to accurately verbalize what I gained and how it changed me. Morocco has so much to offer, from minutia (freshly squeezed orange juice, only 4MAD!) to the glamourous and exotic (hikes through the High Atlas, stargazing in the Sahara, surfing beside camels in Essaouria) there is never a dull moment on these programs. The host families couldn’t have been more welcoming and warm, the local staff were accommodating, the work placement was rewarding, the other volunteers were adventurous and interesting. This is not an all-work-no-play program, so if that is what one is looking for in a placement, Morocco might not be the right country; however, if one were seeking a stimulating adventure and an exciting volunteer experience, IVHQ Morocco is the ideal place for it.” - Mariah Moore (Teaching English Volunteer in Morocco)

Read more reviews from IVHQ volunteers in Morocco here

During the weekends, volunteers have spare time and usually just relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Rabat and Morocco. Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield to destinations, such as Marrakech, Merzouga (Dunes), Tinghir (Ksabah), Fes, Meknes (imperial cities), Volubilis (Roman), Tanger, and south of Europe (Gibraltar, Andalusia, Portugal, south of Spain).

See our Morocco Travel and Tours page to learn more about the volunteer travel options available in Morocco!

Weather and climate: Morocco has a Mediterranean climate that is generally hot and dry for most of the year, with cooler, yet still mild, temperatures and rainfall during the winter months between November and March. Morocco has widely varying terrain and the climate varies greatly throughout the country. Temperatures can be incredibly high in the southern and south eastern desert areas whereas, the temperature drops considerably in the higher lying mountainous areas, even dropping to freezing point at night. In Rabat, temperatures reach an average high of 27°C (80.6°F) in the summer months and an average high of 17°C (62.6°F) in the winter months. Temperatures can drop to an average of 7°C (44.6°F) in the winter and it is generally always cold in the evenings throughout the year.

Volunteers need to be 18 years or over to participate on this program, unless volunteering with a parent or guardian. If you are under the age of 18, IVHQ offers alternative volunteer opportunities for teens. Visit our High School Volunteer Abroad page to learn more.

All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance and provide a criminal background check to IVHQ’s local team on arrival in Morocco. Additional requirements apply for Teaching French, Women’s Education and Ramadan volunteers, please read the project description below.

It is not a prerequisite for volunteers to speak Arabic or French, however volunteer work can sometimes be restricted for those with limited Arabic and/or French language skills. Volunteers on the Teaching French project must be fluent in French. Volunteers can take advantage of Arabic and French lessons offered exclusively to IVHQ volunteers by our program staff in Morocco.

Free Interactive Volunteer Training - All volunteers are encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training, which is available exclusively to registered IVHQ volunteers. The training is designed to build an understanding of important aspects that need to be considered before embarking on an IVHQ program. It helps volunteers to prepare in the right way by providing advice on what it takes to be a safe, responsible and valuable volunteer. Try a sample of the training here.

Our local team in Morocco offer Arabic and French lessons to volunteers, which can be organized and paid for in advance through IVHQ. Lessons are tailored to each volunteer’s current level of Arabic or French. Past volunteers feel that taking these lessons can help you immensely with your day to day volunteer work and communicating with local people.

• 10 Hour Package – US$265 (approximately CA$348)
• 20 Hour Package – US$535 (approximately CA$704)
• 30 Hour Package – US$800 (approximately CA$1053)
• 40 Hour Package – US$1065 (approximately CA$1402)

Please make a note in your application or contact your IVHQ Program Manager after you have registered for the program if you would like to add language lessons to your Morocco volunteerp experience.