Ramadan Volunteering Program in Morocco
Interested in Muslim culture and want to be a Ramadan volunteer in Morocco? International Volunteer HQ’s Ramadan project is an exciting opportunity to experience the ninth month of the Islamic calendar when Muslims refrain from eating and drinking between sunrise and sunset. Volunteers can help with a wide range of activities during Ramadan, including distributing food to disadvantaged people when they break their fast in the evening. Both volunteers and locals benefit from increased intercultural knowledge and understanding.
Highlights:
- Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
- Affordable fees from $310 for 1 week
- Includes accommodation, meals, airport pick up, orientation and 24/7 support
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Serve food to disadvantaged Muslims during the month of Ramadan
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Discover Morocco’s rich history and culture
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Stay with a local family and experience life during Ramadan
Who is this program suited to?
Key information
What to expect and how you'll make an impact
Muslims worldwide observe Ramadan as a month of fasting. In Morocco, around 98 per cent of the population are practising Muslims, so it is a religious tradition that the large majority of Moroccan society takes part in. The Ramadan project provides a unique opportunity for volunteers to experience Ramadan in a Muslim culture, while helping socially disadvantaged families and brightening the daily lives of the children in those neighborhoods.
As a Ramadan volunteer you’ll help to support Muslim communities by collecting and distributing food to people who can’t afford to feed themselves when they break their Ramadan fasting with the evening meal of Iftar. This takes places in community centers that cater for disadvantaged and low-income communities.
You don’t need to be a practising Muslim to volunteer, but you are required to observe Ramadan customs while in Morocco.
The Ramadan project is only available during the four weeks of Ramadan, which changes every year, but falls between March - May for the next few years. Volunteers are able to take part in another project during the day and this can be arranged with the local team when you arrive.
Why do Ramadan volunteering in Morocco with IVHQ?
When you volunteer during Ramadan in Morocco you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
- Improving cross-cultural understanding about Islamic practices
- Learning about Ramadan and Islamic culture
- Developing your communication skills
- Practicing your French or Arabic
- Immersing yourself in Moroccan culture
- Discovering Morocco’s rich history
Volunteer requirements
- Volunteers under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian to participate in this program and may be asked to provide additional documentation to the local team
- All volunteers aged 13+ are required to provide a criminal background check to IVHQ prior to departure. Those aged 13-17, if unable to obtain a criminal background check, can provide two character reference letters instead
- All volunteers are required to have adequate volunteer travel insurance
- All volunteers must speak fluent English.
- 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, and you should expect a significant language barrier as few people speak English.
Morocco photo gallery
”It was a beautiful Moroccan experience. I recommend Morocco to any one who wants to see a new culture and meet beautiful hospitable people. A lovely experience and a very diverse country, every city is a different and interesting story.”
Farah, Turkish, 25
Read reviews from Ramadan volunteers in Morocco
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Location
Rabat is a bustling, beautiful place and the capital city of Morocco. With a vibrant mixture of African, Berber and European cultures, it is a fascinating place to visit. It’s the home of Morocco’s king and his court, a huge number of mosques and monuments, an old Medina listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site and a wide range of other interesting things to see and do.
While Morocco has made progress towards improving quality of life for its citizens, there is still a huge socioeconomic gap between those with wealth and those without, and a big difference in access to basic necessities in rural and urban areas. Employment can be especially difficult to come by. Volunteers can help address the challenges of inequality and poverty by assisting with a range of projects that aim to continue to develop society and equality in Morocco. Volunteer projects are located in Rabat, Casablanca and Sale.
Arrival and orientation
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.
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 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 – an introduction to Morocco, Moroccan customs, rules and expectations, language lessons, safety, travel opportunities in Morocco, and an 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.
Volunteer schedule example
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
Work and break times are dependent on each project and placement. Volunteers taking Arabic or French language lessons spend half the day volunteering and the other half of the day taking language lessons. A typical volunteer day would be as follows
| 8:00 AM | Breakfast at your homestay. |
| 9:00 - 10:00 AM | Volunteers leave home and travel to their placements to begin work. |
| 2:00 - 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. |
Weekends
During the weekends, volunteers have spare time and usually relax or take the opportunity to explore other parts of Rabat and Morocco. In Rabat, you can visit the ancient city ruins of Chellah, learn to surf, treat your senses to the charms of the market stalls in the old Medina, see any of the city’s large number of sacred and religious sites, mosques and monuments, take a traditional steam bath, wander the pretty blue and white streets of the Kasbah des Oudaias, or take in a beautiful garden or art gallery.
Long weekends can be taken to travel further afield to destinations, such as Marrakech, Merzouga, Tinghir, Fes, Meknes, Volubilis, Tangier, and Gibraltar, Andalusia and Portugal in southern Europe.
Accommodation and WiFi
Volunteers are accommodated in a homestay with a local family. 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. These families receive money from your program fee for support, food and board.
Living is basic, yet still comfortable, and most homestays have electricity and running water. You can expect to share a room with other volunteers, however in some homestays volunteers have their own rooms. It is important to note that Moroccan homes have a shared living environment in which Sdaders - Moroccan couches - are used for sitting and dining during the day and as beds at night.
Bedding is provided, but it is recommended you bring your own towel and toiletries, as well as a sleeping bag if you wish to travel on the weekends.
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.
Meals
Volunteers in Morocco are served breakfast, lunch and dinner each day.
Influenced by African, Arab, Moorish and Berber cuisines, Moroccan cooking blends Mediterranean fruits and vegetables with spices. A Moroccan meal often begins with a series of hot and cold salads, followed by a Moroccan stew called tagine, and bread. Lamb and 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. Drinking mint tea is a daily tradition and bread is eaten with nearly every meal.
Bottled water is readily available in Morocco and volunteers should budget approximately $5 per week for 2 liters a day. If you have any special dietary requirements, please include these in your application.
Pricing
Duration |
Program FeeDue 30 days before you start, or within 48 hours if you register inside of 30 days. Covers the cost of hosting you.
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|---|---|
| 1 week | $310 Equivalent to $45/day |
| 2 weeks | $580 Equivalent to $42/day |
| 3 weeks | $770 Equivalent to $37/day |
| 4 weeks | $960 Equivalent to $35/day |
| 5 weeks | $1,150 Equivalent to $33/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,340 Equivalent to $32/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,720 Equivalent to $31/day |
| 10 weeks | $2,000 Equivalent to $29/day |
| 12 weeks | $2,280 Equivalent to $28/day |
| 16 weeks | $2,840 Equivalent to $26/day |
| 20 weeks | $3,400 Equivalent to $25/day |
| 24 weeks | $3,960 Equivalent to $24/day |
- Accommodation
- Meals
- 24/7 in-country support
- In-country program orientation
- Pre-departure support from your Program Manager
- Airport pick-up
- Personalized preparation tools, guides and check lists
- Access to IVHQ’s preferred insurance and flights partners
- Discounts on language lessons
- Certificate of International Volunteering
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
- All programs attract a Registration Fee of $299 in addition to the Program Fee. This covers all pre-departure support services.
- A 5% international banking fee is added at point of payment.
- Additional things to budget for include: Visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), vaccinations, criminal background check, public transport to and from your placement each day and return to the airport when your program finishes.
- Recommended spending money: Volunteers in Morocco generally find US$40 to be sufficient for weekly expenses.
Affordable Arabic & French Language Lessons
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 and will be for 2 hours per day Monday through Friday. Past volunteers feel that taking these lessons can help you immensely with your day to day volunteer work and communicating with local people.
- 1 week of lessons (10 hours) – $265
- 2 weeks of lessons (20 hours) – $535
- 3 weeks of lessons (30 hours) – $800
- 4 weeks of lessons (40 hours) – $1065
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 volunteer experience.
Check what's required to visit Morocco
Check out the widget below to find out what the Covid-19 restrictions and visa requirements are for Morocco, based on your country of residence.
Safety and support
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
- All volunteers encouraged to complete our interactive pre-departure training.
- All local teams trained on best practice volunteer management & First Aid.
- All IVHQ programs are required to adhere to IVHQ's Risk Management Policy.
- All volunteers have access to 24/7 in-country support from our local team.
Protecting against COVID-19:
Volunteers tested for COVID-19 within 72 hours of travel
Health & safety information provided during orientation
Strict disinfecting standards for programs & accomodation
Greater physical distance between volunteers
Essential country information
| Capital | Rabat |
| Population | 36.47 million |
| Languages | Arabic and Berber |
| Currency | Moroccan Dirham (MAD) |
| Time zone | UTC±00:00 |
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.
