Lake Malawi Volunteer Projects - Medical, Teaching, Sports, Childcare

One of the greatest things I took from my travel and experience with Naturally Africa Volunteers (NAV) was perspective. NAV's medical, teaching, sports, and childcare projects exposed me to the culture, people, and life throughout rural Malawi, Africa- a place and people so different from my everyday life. I am a medical student and was working on the medical project, although I felt I was able to have a hand in nearly every aspect of NAVs projects, getting to work with volunteers from all over the world. So many people in Malawi are faced with hardship I could not have imagined, but they live with a great sense of happiness, family, and faith. I can't thank NAV's staff and project managers enough for exposing me to this in a way that was comfortable and safe for volunteers. People I interacted with were welcoming and friendly and the kids are so fun to be around, Malawi is truly the warm heart of Africa. I also had an amazing time traveling on weekends throughout the country with other volunteers safely and affordably- we spent time on beaches of lake Malawi, hiking, and on safari. We returned after every weekend ready to work on the projects which was absolutely the most fulfilling aspect of my trip and why I was there to begin with. So happy I made the decision to volunteer with NAV, I returned a year after my first trip for a second time to volunteer, returning to familiar faces, and I plan to return again. Both times returning home with a better perspective on life.

My time in Malawi flew by, I thoroughly enjoyed myself and wish I could have stayed for longer. The people are so kind and friendly and it has been a wonderful experience to discover their culture and enjoy their fantastic country. It was truly special to meet the wonderful children and teachers and to help them to learn in a more creative and exciting way and to see them all grow in confidence and self esteem, with all the children enjoying the activities and being engaged in their learning.
I will treasure the memories I have made and will stay in touch with the brilliant staff at NAV to find out how they are all getting on.

Perfect program if you are a pre-med/med school student (don't worry, if you have no medical experience, present volunteers will be happy to show you how to dress a wound + other useful tips ! ) who wants to practice a lot of wound care (dressing big/minor wounds, assisting on burns and fungal infections), shadowing in a hospital, raise awareness on the biggest Tropical killer diseases (Malaria, HIV).
I have also developed my interpersonal skills by working in a team during the afternoon sessions with the lovely HIV support group and the lecturing sessions with the HBC group members (good for shy and non-confident speakers). It felt really rewarding to apply and share the medical knowledge I've acquired during my university years and to see the powerful impact I had on this community and on the bordering villages.
The stay at Nkope and at Mlambe cottage is lovely and you'll also have time to relax during the evening (card games and other activities with volunteers) and weekend excursions which are a lot of fun ! (scuba-diving, safari, hiking Zomba's plateau, etc)
Tips: I stayed 1 month and wish I had stayed longer (1.5 months).

Amasangalala ndi Malawi ! (Enjoy your time in Malawi !)

I came on this project as a medical volunteer. I am a 56 year lady from New Zealand. I came with a completely open mind as I didn't quite know what to expect. I don't have a medical background like a lot of the medical students that are here, but that didn't matter. I do have some experience in adult training. There are plenty of books here to give you ideas for topics for when you teach the small groups of locals. They are always very interested in what you have to say and I have found it very rewarding. Dealing with the wound care is a very interesting aspect of the project and a basic knowledge of this would be good. All the other volunteers were old enough to be my children but that didn't matter they made me feel younger than I actually am!
Every day is different and the time just flies by. I have had great trips at the weekends to explore some beautiful areas and parks. It truly is a wonderful experience as the local people are so friendly. Next Monday when I leave will be a really sad day.
I highly recommend Naturally Africa as a rewarding experience and achance to "do your bit".

This was the experience of a lifetime! It was both challenging and fun.
The project staff are so friendly and dedicated. You really get the chance to be actively involved in what is going on, in both practical ways and in the discussion of ideas. I was on the teaching project but also found it interesting to hear about what the medical volunteers were up to; it was nice that the teams socialised together. It was good to have a mix of people with different levels of experience too.

Local people seemed very welcoming of volunteer support and I believe the project has made some valuable differences to their lives (I only selected 8/10 rather than higher simply because it is hard to comment on the long-term from just one visit) as well as enriching my own life. I enjoyed the weekend trips as Malawi has such natural beauty to offer as well as the warmth of the people. There was even the opportunity to learn a little of the local language. If you are open to new experiences and being part of a team, I would definitely consider volunteering with this organisation.

This project is fantastic, based in a rural village it is really making a difference to the communities around it in many different ways that they need. I was working with the medical project which consisted of wound care, HIV support groups and training home based carers. Wound care was a great way to practically help people who wouldn't get otherwise. HIV support groups were a great space for sufferers to get together and talk about what they are going through and socialise as well as learn about HIV and ask questions. The home based care groups were my favourite part of the project they were so enthusiastic and eager to learn about how to care for people in need in their village. The project staff were so supportive, always there to help or talk to and I always had a translator with me. The people I met in the community were awesome and so welcoming. Malawi is such a beautiful country and it is so lovely that the volunteers' house is on the shores of the lake. At the weekend it was great exploring the country, going to a music festival, on Safari, to uninhabited islands on the lake, horse riding in the mountains or just chilling on the beach, and the project staff were great at recommending, organising and facilitating these trips. The project staff were always happy to do social things in the evenings even things they wouldn't usually do such as a bonfire and toasting marshmallows on the beach for bonfire night and celebrating birthdays! This was the best 3 months of my life and I can't wait to go back to this amazing country!