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Volunteer in Zambia

Explore International Volunteer HQ’s exciting Zambia volunteer abroad program. Choose from a wide range of trusted Zambia volunteer projects, including Teaching, Medical and Construction & Renovation, Elderly Care, Childcare and a unique Rural Teaching project. Volunteer opportunities in Zambia are based in Livingstone, which is a hub for travelers visiting Victoria Falls and the surrounding National Parks. With affordable Program Fees and top rated volunteer projects trusted by over 135,000 travellers, IVHQ is the best volunteer organisation in Zambia.

Highlights:
  • 6 meaningful project options available year-round
  • Program Fees from £318 for 1 week
  • Includes airport pick-up, orientation, accommodation, meals and 24/7 in-country support
  • Accommodation in a dormitory-style volunteer house

  • Projects based in Livingstone and surrounding rural areas

Apply For Free

Key information

Fully hosted experience from £318
Volunteer from 1 - 16 weeks
Ages 18+ and families
Based in and around Livingstone
Projects align with UN Sustainable Development Goals
Impact driven projects run by locals
B Corporation certified organization
Marvel at waterfalls & wildlife

Volunteer opportunities in Zambia

Increases access to education

3-5 hours volunteering per day

Program Fees from £318

  • Duration: 1 - 16 weeks
  • Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
  • Based in kindergartens and daycare centres
  • Volunteers aged 18+ and families

Help in kindergartens and daycare centres for underprivileged children aged between 2-6. Assist with lessons and fun activities, using your creativity to make the days exciting and fulfilling.

Supports community development

3-5 hours volunteering per day

Program Fees from £358

  • Duration: 1 - 16 weeks
  • Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
  • Community centres and schools
  • Volunteers aged 18+ and families

Help local builders with hands-on work to build and improve community centres, toilet facilities and schools in poor communities where labor is often hard to find.

Improves health & wellbeing

4-5 hours volunteering per day

Program Fees from £318

  • Duration: 1 - 16 weeks
  • Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
  • Based in elderly care facilities
  • Volunteers aged 18+ and families

Volunteer in under-resourced elderly care facilities for those who need support, but can’t get it from their families. Provide general care and assistance in a range of areas where help is needed.

Improves health & wellbeing

3-5 hours volunteering per day

Program Fees from £401

  • Duration: 1 - 16 weeks
  • Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
  • Based in clinics
  • Volunteers aged 18+

Volunteer in medical centres in low income communities, shadowing and assisting local medical staff. Volunteers with relevant experience can assist in a range of medical fields.

Increases access to education

4-8 hours volunteering per day

Program Fees from £483

  • Duration: 1 - 8 weeks
  • Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
  • Based in rural villages and schools
  • Volunteeers aged 18+ and families

Help informal community or government schools set up for students who can’t afford to pay for their education. Teach English and other subjects as the head teacher or teaching assistant.

Increases access to education

3-5 hours volunteering per day

Program Fees from £318

  • Duration: 1 - 16 weeks
  • Programs start every first and third Monday of the month
  • Based in local schools
  • Volunteers aged 18+ and families

Help informal community or government schools set up for students who can’t afford to pay for their education. Teach English and other subjects as the head teacher or teaching assistant.

What recent volunteers said about their IVHQ experience

AT
Alisha Thompsett
19 Jul 2023

I’ve now completed 3 volunteer trips with IVHQ this year and after each one I leave with a sense of pride knowing not only have I enjoyed a new culture and experience but I have done so making a difference to those in the local community.

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MR
Mihrab Randhawa
16 Jul 2023

Everything was so well organized and the IVHQ team was so helpful with any questions that I had. The local team was absolutely amazing! They made us feel so comfortable and safe. They helped us every step of the way throughout my stay. I loved my time at school, spending time with the children. I was so inspired being around a group of people that all left their lives behind to volunteer in Africa.

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LC
Lynne Clemente
16 Jul 2023

The local team was outstanding! The local coordinators are so pleasant and personable, always wearing a big smile on their faces. They were very helpful during my stay, organizing excursions, scheduling safe and reliable taxi drivers, and providing airport transfers. The orientation presentation was very informative and entertaining.

Volunteering at my placement was a wonderful, humbling, touching, and rewarding experience. The children were so happy, despite having so very little. Their enthusiasm towards school and learning was beautiful. Hearing them sing songs, dance, passionately raise their hands and participate in lessons, and work so diligently to improve their reading, writing, and Math skills was a treat. It was a very different learning environment than I am used to in the high school where I teach at home. My heart was touched every time the children came running up to hug me, give me a high five, or hold my hand. The farewell song that they sang on my last day brought me to tears. Such beautifully happy and energetic children, with good hearts and positive spirits. The third grade teacher I worked with was outstanding! He clearly has a special bond with his students and utilized very effective teaching methods. I believe that the experience was beneficial for all involved. In terms of accommodation, I was prepared for the sparse, basic living conditions. It brought me back to my college days in a dormitory. It was perfectly sufficient for the time that I stayed. The grounds were very well kept and the staff was extremely friendly and hard working.

I was also pleasantly surprised with the meals. There was an abundance of salads, greens, and vegetables at each meal, along with rotating starches. Everything was delicious. As a vegetarian, I was prepared to be flexible during my stay. However, there were always plenty of tasty salads and vegetables at each meal. As a high school history teacher who loves to travel (especially throughout Africa and Europe), I was excited for a new challenge - one which I hoped would result in personal and professional growth, while also helping students who are less fortunate. I embraced the opportunity to immerse myself in a culture and a classroom which are so drastically different from my own. I also met some amazing volunteers in my accommodation who will now become lifelong friends. Zambia is in a perfect location for exploring the many natural gems of Africa. With fellow volunteers, I was able to explore Victoria Falls and go on an overnight camping safari in Botswana's Chobe National Park. I would 100% recommend IVHQ for anyone who is considering a volunteer project. It will be an unforgettable experience. The impossibly beautiful places and people of Zambia captured my heart. I most definitely will return. Thank you IVHQ and the local team for the experience of a lifetime.

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PM
Paris Martin
04 Jul 2023

I felt very prepared before coming to Zambia as the information provided by IVHQ was very informative and accurate. The support by the local team was amazing and they did so much for us. Whenever we had a question, we went straight to their office and they were always there to help guide us. They provided tour recommendations, made us feel self and helped us to manage our donations at the end. I can't thank them enough for the time and effort they provided to us.

I always felt safe and accommodated by them and everyone else involved with IVHQ in Zambia. The way volunteering made me feel was so special, and a feeling I wasn't prepared for. Although I found it challenging at times, the children and program have had a major impact on me and my life, and are things I will cherish forever. It helped me grow as a person and experience something that is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I loved meeting all the volunteers who I shared my experience with. Doing numerous activities in the afternoons and having fun with them made the experience so much more special, beyond the amazing volunteering each day. We were there for each other, supported each other and felt safe together. I definitely had personal and emotional growth. I wanted to join an IVHQ volunteer program to get out of my comfort zone and travel, and do something for the community.

Seeing the children and teachers faces light up everyday we walked through the school gates is a memory I will cherish forever and when things get hard at home, I will remeber to always ground myself back to these wonderful people and the experience I had. Just do it! You will meet so many like-minded people and have an experience of a lifetime - guaranteed!!

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KT
Katie Togher
22 Mar 2023

My Program Manager was very helpful and always replied quickly to any questions that I had. I felt quite well prepared after reading the program guide. Everyone from the local team was very nice and friendly and always stopped to talk to us when they saw us. I had an amazing time volunteering at the school and was very sad to leave. The accommodation was very nice and I felt comfortable there for 3 weeks. Food was all very tasty and there was plenty of it. Hard to choose only one best moment as there were so many but I always looked forward to walking into my class in the morning as all the children would run up and give me a big hug which was so cute. Getting to experience a new culture and make friendships with people from all around the world was priceless. Just go for it, it’ll be the best thing you do and you won’t regret it!

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RC
Renelle Cancilla-Martin
18 Jan 2023

I'm so grateful for all the attentiveness to detail, the tips, language help, emails and quick replies! IVHQ IS THE BEST! I've traveled with other organizations before, and none were as thorough and caring as IVHQ.

I also cannot say enough good about all of the local team! They cared for all of us, accepted us from all of our many countries, treated us like family, made sure we had what we needed daily, gave us cultural teaching and overall completely enhanced the entire week just by being so gracious! They're my friends now and I'm so very grateful. I ate better in Zambia than I do at home. The staff are amazing cooks and eager to share the cultural food and spices of Zambia. They also cooked traditional American and other countries' meals to make us visitors feel more comfortable. So much food - more than I could ever eat!

Favorite moments were with the children, villages and in the streets and shops of Zambia. Truly, everywhere in Zambia, including animals! If you want to be up-close-and-personal with true wild nature, go to Zambia. Where else does a Zebra walk up to you when you're at the pool? Or walk alongside you as you're swimming? Only in Zambia! Walked with Lions! Saw hippos so close from a boat, I could count his teeth! I had seen wildlife in Kenya, but in Zambia, they are so much closer in distance. The impact of Zambians living a life of gratefulness. No matter what they have, no matter how hot it is, or how hard their day is going, they smile and are full of kindness. I can't wait to go back in 4 months!

To those hesitant to go, there is nothing to be afraid of, when booking with IVHQ. They truly take care of you from the beginning, to the end. The local staff are very protective and make safety priority #1. If you have any concerns, you can easily address them beforehand. I truly believe there is no problem that IVHQ cannot solve.

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To read all reviews, visit our reviews page.

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Webinar: Volunteering abroad in Zambia with IVHQ

Considering volunteering abroad in Zambia? Watch the replay of our webinar where our experts will answer all your questions, give their top program recommendations, and give you tips and tricks to make the most of your volunteer abroad program.

Free-time experiences & tours in Zambia

Take your volunteer experience to the next level with IVHQ's affordable activity and tour add-ons in Zambia! Explore your options below and learn how to book them once you've been accepted onto the IVHQ Zambia program.

Chobe Camping Safari (2 days, 1 night)
Chobe Camping Safari (2 days, 1 night)

A memorable 2 day safari experience at the Chobe National Park, Botswana, known for its huge elephant herds.

£301
Rhino Game Drive
Rhino Game Drive

Experience Mosi-Oa-Tunya guided game drives, home of most of Zambia’s white rhino population.

£107
Bungee Jump Victoria Falls
Bungee Jump Victoria Falls

Enjoy a scenic bungee jump off the Victoria Falls Bridge, located in Mosi Otunya Park.

£148
Rhino Game Drive
Rhino Game Drive

Experience Mosi-Oa-Tunya guided game drives, home of most of Zambia’s white rhino population.

£107
Chobe Camping Safari (2 days, 1 night)
Chobe Camping Safari (2 days, 1 night)

A memorable 2 day safari experience at the Chobe National Park, Botswana, known for its huge elephant herds.

£301
Bungee Jump Victoria Falls
Bungee Jump Victoria Falls

Enjoy a scenic bungee jump off the Victoria Falls Bridge, located in Mosi Otunya Park.

£148

Check what's required to visit Zambia

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How to get started

Pick a destination + project and apply for free
Meet your personal volunteer travel expert
Pay the Registration Fee to secure your place and upgrade your MyIVHQ account
Get ready to volunteer abroad, we’ll support you every step of the way!