Volunteer Abroad Program in Malawi or Zambia

My 10-month journey with RVA took me from Saint Vincent to Malawi and back again, and it was truly a life-changing experience. The three months of preparation in Saint Vincent taught me discipline, teamwork, independence, and how to live and work as part of a collective. Those lessons became even more meaningful during my six months in Malawi, where I had the opportunity to work with children, teachers, caregivers, and communities in Dowa and Dzaleka. We visited preschools, supported caregivers and teachers, helped improve facilities, organized projects, and worked alongside local communities to make a meaningful difference.
While I went to Malawi hoping to help others, I ended up learning just as much from the people I met. I learned about resilience, community, generosity, resourcefulness, and what truly matters in life. The experience pushed me far outside my comfort zone and helped me grow in confidence, patience, independence, leadership, and understanding of the world. Most importantly, I made some of the best friends of my life. The people I lived, worked, struggled, laughed, and grew with became like family, making leaving Malawi incredibly difficult.
Returning to Saint Vincent for our final month gave me the chance to reflect on how much I had changed since the beginning. I came home with unforgettable memories, lifelong friendships, new skills, and a completely different perspective on life. RVA was so much more than traveling abroad or volunteering — it challenged me, taught me, connected me with incredible people, and changed me in ways I will carry with me for the rest of my life. I will always be grateful for these 10 months.

The program was extremely important for both my personal and professional life, as it helped me develop and improve my English communication skills over the course of the 10 months. It also played a key role in helping me define a clearer direction regarding the professional field I want to pursue, while broadening my perspective on life and the world. Living and interacting with people from different countries and realities (different financial situations, cultures, and religions) was incredibly enriching and eye-opening.

It was a truly rewarding experience that I will never forget. The friendships I built and the experiences I lived were deeply transformative for me, shaping not only my career goals but also the way I see and relate to the world around me.

I will begin by saying a few words that I wrote when I finished my program and that one of my professors in the program still reminds me of them, every time life gives us the gift of meeting again in different parts of the world. Mr. Jasper Frees, I came to this program with my pockets full of money, an angry face and an empty heart and I finished the program with my pockets empty, a smiling face and a heart full of love and joy.
Mi programa duro 14 meses en los primeros 6 meses estuve en la isla de san Vicente y las granadinas, en las instalaciones de Richmond vale academy, allí aprendí todo lo necesario para realizar la segunda parte del programa de viajar a mozambique, en la escuela casi todo el programa fue realizado bajo la metodología de learn by doing, allí aprendí nociones básicas de portugués, agricultura orgánica, estilo de vida autosostenible, energía solar, sistemas de permacultura, globalización, blue economy, resolución de conflictos, resiliencia, políticas internacionales, microcréditos, sistemas de recolección de agua de lluvias, desarrollo social y un poco más.
Es un programa fuerte que fortalece la mente y espíritu, también te ayuda a crear lazos con tu equipo de trabajo y compañeros, algo indispensable para poder realizar el viaje a mozambique, en mozambique nos centramos en proyectos de microempresa basado en la reutilización y comercialización de ropa y productos de segunda mano que llegan de Europa y EEUU, proyectos clave para desarrollar la economía de las familias en la zona.

I joined the program in October 2022 and finished by August 2023. It was my first time as volunteer and that's why I decided to join, I didn't need experience or even studies related to it. During my first 3 months I was involved in the most interesting classes, discussions and debates about climate change, poverty, another kind of history, colonialism and Africa, also, I was taking part in many workshops that later would be helpful in my service period. At Richmond I found the most amazing experience, I made wonderful friends and I got to be more interested in subjects related to the word.
For the next 6 months I was a preschool Development Instructor in Malawi, working with preschools in the rural areas of the country defiantly change my loge, now I look back and im proud of taking the chance of joining such a life changing experience. I got to know the people and their culture, live the daily Malawian life and make many memories and friends for the rest of my life, I also evolve as a person and I found my purpose in life.
during my 10th month I was back at Saint Vincent where I was able of sharing experiences and realising that I had changed.
If I would known before about it I would have done it way time ago, never is too late to join.

This experience for me was really too much fantastic, because is open our eyes and mind about another cultures, context, situations etc. Because also we can prove our personalities and is growing every moment. Besides is maverous when we know another topics like climate change, colonization, also when we practice news technics about organic agriculture, permacultur, productions food. In every country is different for example about the soil, seasons, facilities for water, economic situations etc...

RVA is a great place to meet people who are interested in learning and finding solutions to big problems like climate change and inequality. It is not only theoretical knowledge but you are also working with communities. I highly recommend this program to anyone who is interested in expanding their awareness and wants to live in a better world while also making new friends from all over the world. St. Vincent is an amazing place, really safe and beautiful. Thanks to this program I was able to get closer to my purpose. It was a great decision to join.

This experience of 6 months in Saint-Vincent-and-the-Grenadines was unique and I will never forgot it ! I met people from all over the world with different background and it was an incredible human experience. This program help me to grow up, to be envolved and to learned a lot. Thanks to Richmond Vale Academy and all the person I met, today I really know what I want and what is my purpose. Also I’m aware about the world where I live and the importance to take care of the Earth. Projects allow us to work directly with the community by taking actions and do the maximum to have a positive impact in the island.
The program show us the collective strength, help us to build our opinion and our vision of the present and the future. I also learn how to improve my relationship with people : tolerance, listening, trust, empathy… The things that I really appreciate is that you are never alone : your team become part of your family. I did a lot of things that I never think I was able to do thanks to the experience. To conclude, don't hesitate, this program is amazing !

My dream was joining an international volunteering program, but I never expect will be one of my best and happiest experiences in life, live that experience in Saint Vincent influenced a lot. Learning about different topics provided by the school like permaculture and have the amazing opportunity to live in the community taught me many educational and spiritual things, the local people, and their incredible willingness to help and teach us about everything made the time there so special.
This experience expands my vision about the situations that we face in our world like poverty and climate change, things that we cannot wait to take action and also filled my heart and soul with knowledge and sweet people, I learned from their example and this is something that we cannot postpone either in our lives, the possibility to live and experience more emotions and feelings that makes us a little bit better human beings.