Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
Excited to be a volunteer Teacher in rural Zambia? International Volunteer HQ’s Rural Teaching project is an immersive experience where volunteers live in a remote Zambian village and help teach at the nearby school. Volunteers will stay with a local family and help them with their day-to-day activities, gaining a uniquely authentic insight into their lives. The school is understaffed and has a high need for volunteers who can assist with a range of lessons and tutor students.
If you’re looking for a teaching project in Africa that goes beyond the ordinary, then the Rural Teaching project in Zambia is it. This is an immersive volunteer experience where you’ll be based in a Zambian village, getting a unique insight into African life while making a real difference in the education of children.
Volunteers are based in the village of Makumba, 40 miles from Livingstone. You’ll live as a member of the community, experiencing an authentic lifestyle and volunteering to support teachers in local schools.
You’ll assist local teachers in a school of around 200 students, who range in age from 4-18 years old. Aside from volunteers, international visitors are rare in Makumba, so your perspective and English language skills are particularly valuable. Due to the high demand for support staff and teachers in Zambia, you can expect to be volunteering for full days on a variety of different tasks and subjects. You’ll be primarily helping with:
You’ll also get a unique cultural experience outside of your volunteer hours. You’ll stay in a homestay with a local family, living in a basic house with dirt floors, no electricity, bucket showers and an outdoor toilet. Your homestay will be based around three miles from the school, and you’ll need to walk there each day. Volunteers can also expect to help out around the homestay with tasks such as the general running of the home, including:
When you volunteer to teach in rural Zambia you’ll be adding value to the local community, while also developing personally and professionally by:
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Once you have secured your place, join regular video calls to meet your Program Manager and other volunteers before your trip.
Each and every member of the IVHQ team were exceptional. They responded in a timely manner and were always seeking to levitate stressors. Can't fault them.
The coordinators at the local team in Livingstone were very welcoming and organised. The place was clean and their staff were hospitable. Amazing life changing experience!
I wouldn’t hesitate at all with joining this program, it really is a unique experience and the family and the community you stay with are so special. You forget about all the lack of electricity/running water and you just appreciate every little thing. The family I stayed with in the village - just incredible people.
My Program Manager was amazing, and the local team was very helpful - I had a great experience.
I realize despite how little the children and their families have in Zambia they are always happy and keen to welcome volunteers. Many of the people back at home could learn a lot from them. Go and try it out! You will meet many lovely people from around the world, can give something back and can also see and experience many great different things such as safari and water rafting.
I had an amazing experience on the rural teaching programme. I am already planning on going back. The family are amazing and would do anything for you, but be prepared for a 5 1/2 km walk to school! I couldn't recommend this project enough. It will really change your outlook on life.
To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.
Gain course credit from your college or university and meet your academic requirements when completing a volunteer abroad program with International Volunteer HQ!
Learn about course credit
We encourage volunteers on IVHQ’s Teaching and Childcare projects to come prepared by completing some relevant training, such as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) course. Although formal teaching qualifications are not required on these projects as volunteers are supported by local staff, taking a TEFL course enables you to gain more from the experience. Visit our Online TEFL Course page to learn how to gain an internationally recognized TEFL certification at a discounted rate.
Get TEFL certified online
The Rural Teaching project in Zambia is set in a small village called Makumba. The village is around 2 miles from the school and a 1 hour in a car from Livingstone.
The program orientation begins on the first and third Monday of each month, and volunteers need to arrive in Livingstone on the Sunday before orientation. After you have registered for the program, please book your flights to arrive at Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport (LVI) in Livingstone. 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 Livingstone. Your accommodation is covered by your Program Fee and includes the night before your program orientation.
If you are traveling in Zambia prior to your volunteer program, we can arrange for you to be picked up in Livingstone on the day before your program orientation.
Orientation is hosted by our Zambia team at the volunteer house in Livingstone. Orientation begins on the morning of your chosen start date and covers everything you need to know for your volunteer program in Zambia – an introduction to Zambia, culture and customs, rules and expectations, safety, travel opportunities, 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.
First Day
On your first day of volunteering (the day after your orientation), 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 is as follows:
| 7:00 AM | Breakfast at the volunteer house |
| 8:00 AM | Volunteers travel to their placements to join local placement staff and begin work on their project. |
| 12:30 PM | Work at the placement usually ends for the day and volunteers return to the volunteer house for lunch. |
| 1:30 PM | After lunch, volunteers may spend their free time as they wish or if they are looking for extra volunteering hours, there are alternatives available such as working at a homework club. |
| 7:00 PM | Dinner at the volunteer house. |
Weekends
During the weekend, volunteers in Zambia have an endless list of activities to join. The area’s major attraction, Victoria Falls, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is one of the largest waterfalls in the world. In addition to the wealth of nearby national parks, nature lovers have the opportunity to experience a range of safaris and tours in Zambia, as well as in other neighboring countries, such as Botswana, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Thrill seekers are also well catered to in Zambia, with an abundance of activities, such as bungee jumping, devil’s pool, white water rafting, abseiling, gorge swinging, zip-lining and microlight flights. Within Livingstone itself, a range of restaurants, curio markets and various cultural activities offer a lot to take in for those wish to stay around town.
Volunteers who choose to join the Rural Teaching placement are accommodated in a basic homestay with dirt floors, bucket showers, an outdoor toilet and no access to electricity or running water in the village.
Volunteers will help with the general running of the homestay, including gardening, moulding bricks, milking cattle, collecting firewood, collecting water from the well, feeding chickens and collecting eggs, harvesting crops, cooking and cleaning.
Volunteers are served three meals per day, prepared by an on-site local cook. All meals will be a mix of western and traditional Zambian food.
Breakfast may include fruit, toast, spreads and cereal with tea, coffee and juice. Lunch is usually provided in the volunteer accommodation, although packed lunches of sandwiches and fruit are provided if requested for those who choose to remain at their placement. Dinners will commonly be a combination of meat, starches and vegetables.
The local staff are happy to accommodate special dietary requests (vegetarian, vegan, dairy free, gluten free etc). Please let an IVHQ staff member know of any special dietary requirements in advance, so we can ensure the local staff are prepared for you.
Spots are limited. For a Registration Fee of just US$299 (approximately $299) you secure your spot and unlock all our preparation and training tools.
You don't need to worry about paying your Program Fee until you get closer to your start date.
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.
|
|---|---|
| 1 week | $595 Equivalent to $85/day |
| 2 weeks | $745 Equivalent to $53/day |
| 3 weeks | $925 Equivalent to $44/day |
| 4 weeks | $1,055 Equivalent to $38/day |
| 5 weeks | $1,195 Equivalent to $34/day |
| 6 weeks | $1,325 Equivalent to $32/day |
| 8 weeks | $1,585 Equivalent to $28/day |
Learn more about what's included in your IVHQ Registration Fee and Program Fee.
Take your volunteer experience to the next level with these popular add-ons and experiences. Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Livingstone program.
A memorable 2 day safari experience at the Chobe National Park, Botswana, known for its huge elephant herds.
Experience Mosi-Oa-Tunya guided game drives, home of most of Zambia’s white rhino population.
Enjoy a stress-free ride from your accommodation to the airport, organized by the local team.
IVHQ follows best practice and industry-leading health and safety procedures, which are regularly reviewed and optimized as part of the B Corporation recertification.
| Capital | Lusaka |
| Population | 17.86 million |
| Languages | English, Nyanja, Lozi, Tonga |
| Currency | Zambian Kwacha (ZMW) |
| Time zone | UTC+02:00 |
Weather and climate
There are three seasons in Zambia: the dry season (mid-April to August), when temperatures drop at night, but the landscape is green and lush; the hot season (September to mid-November), when the best time to see wildlife as flora is sparse; and, the wet season (mid-November to mid-April), which is ideal for bird-watching.
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