Gap Year in Zambia

At a busy community clinic in the Chelston area of Lusaka. Experienced health care professionals as well as medical/nursing students are welcome to support the in- patient services at the clinic. Patient count can vary from day to day. However volunteers will have a physician to shadow and work with. Volunteers need to bring their own medical equipment, gloves, lab coat, medical scrubs and appropriate shoes. As a medical/nurse/dental volunteer you should expect to shadow, as well as have some hands on work. Expect to be part of a team. These program are as much about learning about universal health care, as it is to offer hands on assistance to the local medical staff who you will be working with.

All volunteers are required to pay US$70 administrative fee for clinical placement. This extra fee is collected and paid locally to the ABV staff in Lusaka.

Medical Professionals and Medical / Nursing Students: Pain Management, basic nursing care for terminally ill patients, teaching primary care givers (family) nursing procedures, counseling, HIV education and information and possible job creation.

Lusaka at a school project which supports orphans and provides education to vulnerable in the community and surrounding areas. The school was founded as a result of the increasing inequality and privation of the plight of the child in accessing basic education and care in rural areas outside of Lusaka.

The school has 300 students, ranging from nursery age through 7th grade. The school implemented a daily feeding program and sports club for boys and girls.

Volunteers will assist the teachers in lessons: English classes focusing on basic alphabet, athematic, geography, basic science and also be involved in after school fun activities, sports, arts and crafts and other games with the kids. Volunteer will actively assist with the feeding program helping to make and distribute meals to the children. The basic aim is to offer assistance to encourage and inspire less privileged but intelligent children in Zambia to stay in school, and assist them to lift themselves out of poverty.

School terms:

• Term 1 - Mid January through early May
• Term 2 - May through early August
• Term 3 – September through early December.

This is a unique opportunity to gain deep insight to the challenges facing the youth and young adults in Lusaka. Work with a grassroots advocacy organization that was established to address the injustices faced by youth including human rights issues, abuse, and arbitrary incarceration. You will work with the Country Coordinator who will supervise you throughout this portion of the program. As a volunteer you would support the joint project which will be helping juveniles that come into conflict with the law, combined with weekly assistance at a local orphanage, this project allows you to focus on supporting youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Some of the volunteer tasks in this program:

• Orphanage support work to encourage education, equality, vocational training and ways for children to grow up and break the circle of poverty leading to injustices in their own community
• Assist on case tracking & monitoring of youth who are incarcerated, to over social support and advice. Assisting lessons at the young adults education center.
• Researching and writing funding reports and proposals
• Participate on occasional advocacy and awareness raising training workshops
• Help organize and establish an Early Childhood Development(ECD) program for the Children(Babies Behind Bars) of incarcerated mothers in Zambian prisons.

At an orphanage which provides 24/7 nursing care for pre-mature and high risk infants and toddlers, most of who are orphaned or abandoned. This center provides much needed food, care, love and nurtures the children back to health. At this project volunteers hold the babies, hand feed and bottle feed babies, change diapers, play with the toddlers, help in the kitchen and laundry duties also. Another orphanage our volunteer work with have children from 4-12 years old and are provided a safe home. These children have school lessons, so expect to read books, help with English lessons, playing in the yard, helping with handicraft and other daily chores. The orphanage are located in residential neighborhoods, about 20-25 minutes' walk from the host family.

Come prepared with ideas and be a creative self-starter who can handle situations where schedules do not exist.

Volunteer Zambia at a rustic, community school on the outskirts of Livingstone. This school, although lacking in proper materials and trained teachers, is free of charge for children in the village. Most the children are orphans, or from very poor families who cannot afford to send their children elsewhere.

The school has over 200 students, mainly between 3-14 years old. Volunteer’s will each basics like writing and reading English. Help the older students with lessons on math, science, perhaps sports activities after school. Volunteer teachers should be enthusiastic and open to a rural village setting. Expect to volunteer Monday to Friday and work alongside the local teacher to create lessons plans based on your strengths and ideas.

This is a great opportunity to support a community program, be immersed with a local host family and visit a wonderful site of Victoria Falls on your free weekend.

Experienced health care professionals as well as enrolled medical / nursing students are welcome. Volunteers will work under the direction of the District Health Office in Livingstone. This program gives volunteers hands-on experience working at a clinic or hospital in the Livingstone area. Aside from providing clinical assistance, volunteer will participate in on-going community outreach work. Health / Nutrition education campaign and national immunization drives may be part of the program work.

Volunteers must provide their own medical equipment; gloves, lab coat, medical scrubs and appropriate closed-toed shoes. Expect to be part of a team. These program are as much about learning about universal health care, as it is to offer hands on assistance to the local medical staff who you will be working with.

At a Children’s Home near Livingstone, Zambia. The Home provides residential care for orphans and vulnerable children who have no family to look after them. Most of them have been orphaned as a result of the AIDS pandemic, which affects about 30% of adults in Livingstone.

Most of the children are school age, between 5 to 10 years old. The only condition for admission is need of care. Volunteers help the full time ‘caretaker/mothers’ to look after the children. Volunteer will support the Home’s effort to provide a caring/homey atmosphere, encouraging the children to take part in chores and helping with homework and remedial teaching.

Volunteers are encouraged to help with English lessons, provide health talks, assist with meals time, and the daily chores and upkeep of the Home itself. Monday to Friday hours, weekends are free.

This is a great opportunity to support a community program, be immersed with a local host family and visit a wonderful site of Victoria Falls on your free weekend.