Hosted by Animal Experience International

Wildlife Rescue in Malawi

Name: Wildlife Rescue in Malawi
Brand: Animal Experience International
SKU: 26400
Rating: 5 (1 reviews)

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Location

Malawi

Length

1 to 9 weeks

Project Types

Conservation Environmental Conservation Wildlife Conservation Education Women's Rights Veterinary Service

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Program Details

Language

English

Age Min.

Age Max

100

Timeframe

Short Term Spring Break Year Round

Housing

Hostel Lodge

Groups

Small Group (1-15)

Travel Type

Solo Women

Pricing

Starting Price

1000

Price Details

Airport pick up and drop off (at closest airport), accommodation, food, On-site training, Emergency Support, Donation to Placement Partner, AEI Travel Manual, Carbon credits to offset 3 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, 1 tree planted, Premium Individual Travel Insurance (up to $500, 000 USD in emergency medical coverage), Travel discounts (through automatic membership to a volunteer only travel discount program), 24/7 Travel and emergency assistance.

What's Included

Accommodation Some Activities Airport Transfers Equipment Meals SIM cards Transportation Travel Insurance Wifi

What's Not Included

Some Activities Airfare Domestic Airfare Visa

Last Updated: Feb 14, 2024

Last Reviewed: May 13, 2015

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About Program

Southeast Africa is known for its magnificent wildlife - you can’t think of Malawi without imagining elephants, lions, zebras, giraffes, monkeys, and other African wildlife. But the reality is that these animals are under extreme pressure from the illegal wildlife trade. Animals caught up in the illegal pet trade that are not killed can be subjected to a lifetime in captivity. Injuries from snares, traps, spears, or bullets can lead to slow and painful deaths. Wild places that animals can call home are also in decline which has led to an increase in human-wildlife conflict.

Our partner in Malawi is working hard to stop this tragedy. Their mission is to help Malawi’s wild animals in need, combat wildlife crime and empower the guardians of the wild. Their wildlife rescue, rehabilitation and education centre was opened in 2008 and is currently the only accredited wildlife sanctuary in Malawi. Here, with the help of their volunteers, they care for injured and orphaned wild animals.

This program is no longer offered. View more programs from Animal Experience International.

Video and Photos

A volunteer feeds an orphaned duiker antelope

A volunteer in blue scrubs bottle feeds an orphaned monkey

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Program Highlights

Hands on ethical work with animals in rehab care and sanctuary
Cultural immersion with the local community members
Accommodation and meals all included in the program
Days off to explore local natural and cultural wonders
Start dates every week of the year

Program Impact

This amazing organization envisions a Malawi where everyone respects and protects wildlife. They have partnered with government and law enforcement officials to fight wildlife crimes and ensure charges are enforced through the justice system in Malawi. They run the country’s largest environmental education program reaching thousands of people each year - from school children to decision makers and law enforcers. Their wildlife research programs support projects that are critical to effective conservation management, and they have partnered with the Department of National Parks & Wildlife and Conservation Research Africa to build Malawi’s first Wildlife Research Institute in Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve. Volunteers spend most of their time helping care for animals at the Wildlife Center which is world-renowned for its work in wildlife welfare and has won numerous awards and accreditations. When you volunteer with this organization, you are supporting this critical work being carried out in Malawi.

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Program Reviews

5.00 Rating

based on 1 review

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Rating Spread Volunteer

5 rating 100%
4 rating 0%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 0%

Impact 5
Support 4
Fun 4
Value 2
Safety 5

Showing 1 - 1 of 1 reviews

We don't really have turtles where I live, so this was an amazing experience for me. I work in veterinary medicine at home and was in between jobs, and since I'd always wanted to volunteer abroad but couldn't b/c of my work schedule, this was the perfect time. Working with a different species that I never get to see and learning about them was such a joy for me, and working with any kind of wildlife and being able to get close to these animals is a privilege and an honor. I fell in love with the turtles, and I still think of them every day. I dreamed about turtles for days after I got home!

I was treated wonderfully during my volunteer time at the turtle center--I was made to feel included, like an important part of the organization. My personal needs were accommodated, and my work was appreciated and celebrated. Further, I was given the opportunity to do "real" work that made a visible difference to the animals--i.e., they didn't just stick me in a back room filing papers or something boring like that. I was handling turtles from the first day and was helping the animals in direct and meaningful ways. It was also a great opportunity to learn about the local area, about its ecosystem, and about the incredible work the turtle center is doing for the environment and the animals.

The people at AEI and the people at the turtle center were absolutely awesome to me from start to finish. They made me feel that my safety and comfort was important to them and that they wanted me to enjoy my experience. You need to be flexible about details; things at your destination may not be the way you were told to expect, and you may not know in advance what your housing and transportation situation will be and so forth, so you have to roll with that. But you can trust that they will be looking out for you and they'll make sure you are always safe and taken care of.

EVERYONE should volunteer at some point in his/her life. Beyond the direct impact it has on the souls that you help, it also expands your own heart and soul in a way that nothing else ever will. No matter what your skills are or what your personal situation is in life, there is always, always something you can do to make a difference to someone. I've been volunteering at home for many years, but traveling abroad alone to do it was a huge confidence builder and a big "reset" in my day-to-day life. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again!

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Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you pick this program?

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Raven: I've always wanted to go abroad to volunteer, but work was always an issue; it's hard to skip out for 2-3 weeks when you're full-time employed. But being in between jobs gave me the opportunity to finally do it--I had plenty of time on my hands and no boss to answer to.

Also turtles are animals we don't have in my dry, mountain-foothills home, so it was a chance to work with species I never get to see.

What is the most important thing you learned abroad?

Raven: I've been lucky enough to travel a fair amount over the years, and the more places you go and the more so-called "foreigners" you meet, the more you learn that they're not really foreigners at all.

turtle

They're just like you: Their hopes and dreams, their needs and motivations, what's in their hearts, is so much closer to yours than you think. The similarities among people are so much more significant than the differences.

What made this experience unique and special?

Raven: This trip gave me a chance to work hands-on with wildlife. Many of us never get a chance to get up close and personal with wild animals, as they're often either protected (i.e., we're legally prohibited from approaching them), elusive, or simply too dangerous for people to get close to. It was a huge honor to be allowed to help these creatures that I normally wouldn't encounter, and to learn about them.

And I wasn't just tucked away sweeping floors or filing papers, removed from the animals, either--I actually got to handle the turtles from day one. How cool is that?

Tell us about an experience you had that you could not have had at home.

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Raven: I live in an arid area in the American west, where water is scarce. My volunteer program was in the wetlands, a type of landscape that I've never seen before.

One day, I got a chance to go help the staff track some released turtles with a radio transmitter. You have to go out into the swamp wearing waders, which I've never even seen in person! It was pretty hilarious--I had to tie a rope around my waist to hold up the waders, since I don't wear belts. This being my first time hiking through a swamp, I only got a few yards in before I got stuck in the mud and had to use a tree branch for leverage to help pull myself out. The staff member I was with was so nice about it--she didn't even laugh at me!

What made this trip meaningful to you, or how did this trip change your perceptions or future path?

Raven: I had suffered a trauma back home and was feeling defeated and low on confidence. Going abroad to volunteer in a new place, with new people, new animals, new EVERYTHING, gave me a chance to push the "reset" button.

Being of service to others and seeing an actual difference that my efforts made allowed me to come home with a shift in my mindset that probably wouldn't have happened had I stayed at home licking my wounds.

About Animal Experience International

We are a B Corp that provides safe, ethical and authentic animal volunteering. Everything is curated by us: travel and animal experts. Our commitment is to change the lives of AEI clients AND to change the lives of our placement partners. One of the goals of AEI is to encourage our clients to share their knowledge. Students, vet techs, accountants...