PUBLIC HEALTH INTERNSHIP
Quick Facts
Livingstone, Zambia
Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport
Specific Start Dates
4 weeks
Impact: Healthcare
PUBLIC HEALTH INTERNSHIP
This is a 4-week global health program that takes place in the town of Livingstone, Zambia. The internship is designed to improve access to, and quality of, healthcare. You will do innovative work in a low-income area that includes determining the health of community populations, launching and running initiatives, and addressing context-specific barriers to effective healthcare.
Read about a previous volunteer’s reflections on her Public Health Internship in Zambia.
Project Highlights







The Destination
Livingstone is a beautiful, rural town in southern Zambia just a stone’s throw away from the mighty Zambezi river and the border of Zimbabwe. It is a hub for visitors looking to experience one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World – Victoria Falls, locally known as Mosi-oa-Tunya, ‘the Smoke that Thunders’. Livingstone is the ultimate playground for adventure-seekers, wildlife enthusiasts, and lovers of the great outdoors. Whether you’d like to bungee jump, swim in the ‘Devil’s Pool’, white water raft down the Zambezi, join a river safari or enjoy an African sunset, every experience in Livingstone is unique. The town itself is relaxed and friendly with an intriguing culture and history. Here, you’ll find arts and craft producers, museums, colonial architecture, traditional village life, as well as delicious local food and laidback African lifestyle.
Accommodation
Meals
Communication
Climate
Project Impact Areas

PUBLIC HEALTHCARE
By measuring success and working on challenges with African Impact, you are helping to share solutions and raise awareness. You will engage in research to provide support to often forgotten and over-looked demographics. Your work with pivotal groups contributes to your legacy while aiding their well-being.
You will work closely with members of the community in workshops that address issues including mental health, general nutrition, physical health, and other topics tailored according to age, gender, and income bracket. Providing opportunities to ask questions, provide resources, and share answers is always the goal.

WORKSHOPS AND INNOVATION
Effecting interventions at grassroots level can be highly useful in accomplishing change. That is why we work with groups that can go on to support each other. Through a series of workshops (that you will help deliver) on varying topics, you’ll find your internship experience to be dynamic and fulfilling in surprising ways. A structured delivery based on strong research will please any crowd. You will gain valuable skills during these workshops. You may present on HIV, talk to different schools or establishments, or compare the dynamics of rural vs urban medicine.

CLINIC VISITS AND HOME-BASED CARE
This will be a regular part of the program and gives you an opportunity to learn from others on the front line of public healthcare. Often the focus is on reactive care while looking to involve and speak to “at-risk” individuals. You may sit in on talks on teenage pregnancy from a local midwife or discussions on pre- and post-natal care, cholera, malnutrition, living with HIV, or medication protocols.
You will also work in a home-based care system on the outskirts of Livingstone to gain insight into the healthcare system and the difficulties and limitations faced daily.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Throughout your stay, you will be supported by our Internship Supervisor, as well our project coordinators who will add context to your specific interests within this field; this will provide a deeper insight into the history of Zambia, as well as the challenges facing Zambia’s healthcare system. Your supervisor will support you with tools to use throughout your experience and beyond, exploring personal goals and opportunities for your future
Recent Reviews
“Working with African Impact was one of the best decisions that I could have made! It was so cool to experience Africa from the viewpoint of a medical participant. Going into the villages and meeting people in personal situations made the whole experience much more meaningful. African Impact is a great organization to work with and they are so willing to work with you to help you have the best experience possible.”
“I came into this program looking for some hands-on experience in the medical field. What I got out of it was so much more than I could have ever dreamed. When you wake up in the morning, I always do so with a smile because I know that today I’ll be able to help someone that actually needs it. For a long time now I’ve been on the fence about whether or not I should commit down the medical path. After my time here on this program, I can say with confidence that I’m pretty sure I will become a doctor.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Hospitals in Zambia
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Other Activities
VICTORIA FALLS ADVENTURES
AFRICAN SAFARI
CULTURAL TOURS AND MARKETS
Apply Now

Once you have submitted your application, a Destination Specialist will be in-touch to discuss the project with you.
Project Fee Includes
- Accommodation throughout your entire stay at the lively Victoria Falls Backpackers Zambia, in a private section shared by our volunteers, interns and staff
- 3 delicious meals a day cooked by chefs from the local community (weekdays only)
- Airport pick-up and drop-off by the African Impact team
- Experienced international and local staff members who are there to support you 24/7
- Full training and mentoring within your chosen field
Project Fee Excludes
- Flights
- Medical or travel insurance
- Visa-related costs
- Weekend trips or tours, or any other non-placement activity
- Laundry
- Snacks, soft drinks, gifts or souvenirs
- Mandatory contribution of US$25 that is donated to the African Impact Sustainability Fund
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