LIFE IN ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe is home to the majestic 'Victoria Falls', also called 'Mosi Oya Tunya' by locals. This country offers pristine wildlife and nature and is in the top 40 of the most beautiful habitats in the world. Zimbabwe offers more than enough to captivate your spirit and offers a unique African experience as it is one of the least traveled countries in Southern Africa. It has a warm climate year-round and the local Zimbabwean people are very friendly, peaceful, loving, warm and some of the most hospitable people in Africa. It is a country with a rich history and heritage that dates back to early ancient times. Despite the abundance of natural resources and the high literacy rate, Zimbabwe remains one of the poorest countries in Africa today with the unemployment rate around 95%.
MAKE YOUR NEXT VOLUNTEER TRIP COUNT BY BECOMING PART OF A WORTHWHILE CAUSE AND JOINING OUR TEAM IN zimbabwe TODAY!
ISSUES FACING ZIMBABWE
Zimbabwe's economy has been strained for years, characterized by hyperinflation, unemployment, and a decline in agricultural production. Currency instability has led to a lack of confidence in financial institutions and hindered foreign investment. Many citizens rely on informal markets for their livelihoods, as formal employment opportunities continue to dwindle. The political climate in Zimbabwe has been marked by instability and unrest. Governance issues, including corruption and a lack of transparency, have eroded public trust. Electoral processes have frequently been criticized for lacking fairness and inclusivity, leading to tensions between different political factions. Zimbabwe's health system is under immense pressure due to insufficient funding, inadequate infrastructure, and a shortage of medical personnel. Infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, continue to pose significant public health challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated existing weaknesses in the healthcare system. The country also faces environmental problems, including deforestation and land degradation, which impact agriculture and livelihoods. Water scarcity and climate change present additional challenges, affecting food security and the ability of communities to sustain their economic activities. The education system in Zimbabwe has seen a decline in quality due to funding shortages and infrastructural decay. Many schools struggle to provide basic resources, affecting student outcomes. Access to education remains uneven, particularly in rural areas.
how you can help
Volunteering in Zimbabwe can be a rewarding experience that contributes to local communities and helps address various needs. Volunteering in Zimbabwe brings not only the opportunity to assist in meaningful projects but also the chance to learn from the local communities and their rich culture. As a volunteer in Zimbabwe, here’s how you can contribute: bridge gaps in education by volunteering in a school to provide tutoring in subjects like English, mathematics, or science. Assist with after-school activities that promote learning and personal development. Join a program that allow you to work alongside medical professionals in clinics or outreach programs, especially in rural areas. Help in providing health education concerning nutrition, hygiene, and disease prevention. Work with local farmers to promote sustainable farming practices that can help improve food security. Assist in building or renovating local facilities, such as schools, clinics, or community centres. Volunteer with organizations focused on wildlife preservation and habitat restoration. Engage in programs that educate the community about conservation and sustainable practices. Work with orphanages or shelters, providing care, support, and education to children in need. Get involved in initiatives that empower women through skills training and economic support. Participate in initiatives that provide relief during emergencies or natural disasters, assisting with distribution of food, clothing, and medical supplies. Participate in language and cultural exchange programs that foster understanding and promote cross-cultural communication.
ESSENTIAL COUNTRY INFORMATION:
CAPITAL CITY: Harare
POPULATION: 13 million
CURRENCY: South African Rand (ZAR)
LIFE EXPECTANCY: 62
TIME ZONE: UTC +02:00
LITERACY PERCENT: 41
RELIGION: Christian, Indigenous beliefs
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE(S): English, Ndebele, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Xhosa, Zulu
WEATHER AND CLIMATE: Because of the elevation in Zimbabwe it is unusual for the temperature to rise above 33 °C / 90 °F, or drop below 7°C / 45 °F. the rainy season is between the months of May to June. During this season, the views of Victoria Falls are obscured by heavy mist. By October, animals are easier to see in the thinning vegetation and they congregate around water holes, but it's very hot, and Victoria Falls is at its least, impressive. The most ideal time to visit this country is between the months of July to September.
BULAWAYO COMMUNITY IMPACT PROGRAM
PROVIDING OUTDOOR EDUCATION, CHILDCARE, AGRICULTURE, HIV/AIDS, SPORTS OUTREACH
Location: Bulawayo & Area (Southern Region)
This captivating and inspiring program was founded in 2008 with a vision to make the lives of children affected and infected by HIV and AIDS more hopeful and successful. Since that time, this program has helped over 1000 children in Africa through various events and programs. One of the main objectives of this program is to provide sponsorship to less privileged children to help them go to school and get the best education possible. The children that get sponsored are supplied with school uniforms, school supplies and payment of school fees and tuition. While volunteering on this program, you will be given plenty of opportunity to help organize and coordinate sports tournaments for students in urban and rural schools. One of the main purposes of getting everything together is to help raise awareness with various issues concerning HIV and AIDS that affect their daily lives. The long-term goal of this project is to build a sports academy. By establishing a sports academy program, it will greatly enhance the community and give teachers the opportunity to train, develop and equip young athletes with various sports and education skills to help them become more successful in life. As a volunteer on this program, there are several different ways you can get involved and we have included those options below.
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Education is vital to the future of the children and is a powerful tool in changing the world and breaking the cycle of poverty. Through donations received, it provides school fees and school supplies to orphans and vulnerable children in Africa. Currently there are 500 children in the program. Anyone can sponsor a child from Zimbabwe for $20.00 CAD / month. A profile of the child will be provided to anyone who chooses to sponsor a child.
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For this particular program, there are camps for orphans and vulnerable children. The camps have different themes and the children attend the camps for free, thanks to our donors. The children are taught basic religion, life skills, play games, hiking, swimming and much more. Our goal is to host twelve camps a year for 500 children, train them to be hardworking and committed with everything they encounter in life, equip them with life skills, offer psycho-socio support and more.
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This program has 350-acres of farmland, which will eventually help to feed, educate and support 500 orphans and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe for their entire childhood (5 years or more). Commercial crops like corn, potatoes and peanuts are grown at the farm to feed the children.
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Sports are a powerful tool for bringing communities together and promoting peace. This program helps us provide motivation and leadership to young athletes in Africa. Through this program we get to train hundreds of young people, donate sports equipment and educate locals about HIV and AIDS. Sporting activities include soccer, volleyball, basketball and netball. On average, six tournaments are hosted each year which attract over 1,000 athletes.
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Education is the best way to change the world. This program will provide an online interactive school that will offer various high school and college level courses in partnership with Liberty University in the Lynchburg, VA, USA.
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This program works with children that are infected and affected by HIV and AIDS. Some of the children are HIV positive and contracted the virus at birth. Some of the children are orphans and lost their parents to HIV and AIDS. The children on anti-viral drugs require nutritious meals every day in order for the drugs to work; otherwise they become a toxin to the body. This program helps to provide nutritious meals to the children and provides counselling for them.
AN EXAMPLE OF THE WAYS THIS PROGRAM HAS BENEFITED THE COMMUNITY
“Sponsored 500 children infected and affected by HIV/AIDS
Impacted over 1000 athletes through the sports outreach program
Started a poultry and commercial crop farm to feed the children
Developed a micro-financing project in Africa
Started a program specifically for HIV positive children that provides medical attention, counselling and nutritious meals
Donated sports equipment, school supplies, clothes, school fees, toothbrushes, toothpaste and food to orphans and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe”
Bulawayo Community Impact Program Fee
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$165.00 CAD
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$315.00 CAD
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$465.00 CAD
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$610.00 CAD
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$750.00 CAD
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$895.00 CAD
PLEASE NOTE: Volunteers are required to pay a Registration Fee of $225.00 CAD, which will be added to the program fee. This fee helps to cover the registration, enrolment, administration and processing costs. To find out what’s included in the program fees, scroll down for additional details.
To convert these prices to your currency click here. Fees may vary depending on the USD exchange rate.
OUR PROGRAM FEES INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
Registration Fee - (refundable if you cancel your program), ongoing support from VWB staff, program marketing costs, digital information package, administration costs, travel costs to develop additional programs as well as ongoing costs to sustain programs.
Program Fee - project orientation, program supervision, meals and transport but does NOT include accommodation (approximately $30 USD / night for a hotel), in-country 24/7 volunteer support and in country administration costs. There may be a possibility for a volunteer to stay at the residence of the project director but that is dependent on the time of year and availability. Alternatively, volunteers may also camp outside in tents. Airport pickup/transfer is NOT included in the program fee but private transport is available for an additional cost.
Additional Costs to the Volunteer - visa, flights, travel insurance (mandatory), immunizations / vaccinations, in-country trips or tours, transfer to other areas and spending money.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Our enrolment and registration process begin by applying online. Once you have filled out and submitted the online application form, you will receive a confirmation email. To continue on in our enrolment process, all volunteers will be required to pay a Registration Fee of $225.00 CAD, which will be added to the Program Fee.
This fee helps to cover the administration and processing costs. Once we receive both the registration and program fee payment, we will send you a confirmation email with the program details and encourage you to book your flight at that time. Our team will be readily available to correspond with you and answer any questions you might have from the time you apply until you reach the project. If you have any further questions or concerns please don't hesitate to contact us at: info@vwbinternational.org.