Waste Reduction & Eco-building in Zambia

VOLUNTEER

ENVIRONMENTAL

Turn plastic waste into practical builds in Livingstone, Zambia

Join our award-winning ecobricking project shaping Zambia’s future. Calling all passionate environmental advocates! This groundbreaking project, recognized for its innovative approach and impactful results, offers a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the world.

Step into the heart of Livingstone, a vibrant town in Zambia, and become a key player in the fight for a sustainable future. Get involved with sustainable ecobrick building projects, awareness workshops, and community initiatives that encourage people to use plastic waste to improve their communities and lives. This plastic bottle bricking initiative goes beyond traditional volunteering, offering an immersive experience where you’ll actively contribute to the environmental conservation movement in Zambia.

Project highlights

  • Sustainable Building

Assist with tasks like mixing cement, laying bricks, plastering, painting, and refurbishing structures.

  • Waste Reduction

Create a healthy living environment for the community by collecting litter.

  • Community Education

Host workshops on plastic pollution to educate locals on its impact on health, wildlife, and the environment.

  • Ecobricking

Fill PET bottles with soft plastic to create building materials.

Livingstone, Zambia
Available: Year Round
Duration:
2 Weeks+
Price From $1,950
This cost covers your accommodation, meals, project fees, transfers, 24/7 support and in-country orientation.

Project impact areas

Here’s how you will create significant impact through the Waste Reduction & Eco-building project in Zambia.

ENVIRONMENTAL

Ecobricking

Every scrap of plastic you collect becomes a mighty Ecobrick, a warrior in the fight against pollution and these bricks get put to good use. We build everything from chicken coops to school benches with them! We also run a swap shop with school students to encourage them to get involved. The students can swap Ecobricks they have made for stationery, toys, and football jerseys.

U.N. Sustainable Development Goals

1. No poverty

2. Zero hunger

3. Quality education

4. Gender equality

ENVIRONMENTAL

Eco Club

Engage with students in environmental workshops where they will learn about recycling, pollution etc. At the Swap Shop, students can exchange completed Ecobricks for educational items such as notebooks, pencils and more.

U.N. Sustainable Development Goals

1. No poverty

2. Zero hunger

3. Quality education

4. Gender equality

ENVIRONMENTAL

Environmental Cleanups

Gear up for epic cleanup initiatives alongside people from the local community. Picture this: you’re not just litter picking, you’re battling plastic pollution that affects the natural landscape around you including the amazing animals that call the Zambezi river home. Witness the transformative power of collective action as you restore the natural beauty of Zambia, one piece of plastic at a time.

U.N. Sustainable Development Goals

1. No poverty

2. Zero hunger

3. Quality education

4. Gender equality

Example Daily Schedule

Monday - Friday

Morning

07:45 – 11:00

Litter pick-up and ecobricking

11:00 – 12.00

Free time

Lunch

12:00 – 12:30

Afternoon

12:30 – 13:00

Preparation for Afternoon Activities

13:30 – 16:00

Community Development Activities (Dependent on Community Needs)

Dinner

18:30 – 19:00

Evening

19:00 – 21:00

Free time, games night or movie night

Accommodation & Meals

Livingstone, Zambia

Your home away from home in Livingstone is a friendly, secure volunteer base with comfortable shared rooms and social communal spaces.

You’ll stay at Victoria Falls Backpackers in a comfortable, social volunteer set-up with shared rooms (4–8 beds), hot-water shared bathrooms, and access to facilities like a dining area, bar and swimming pool. It’s also an easy walk to Livingstone town centre for shops, cafés and restaurants.

You’ll be supported by African Impact staff throughout, with a full orientation on arrival. The base has 24/7 security, clear safety procedures, and robust participant and child-protection policies in place.

Life at the Base

Livingstone, Zambia

Livingstone is a vibrant, soulful town with a friendly atmosphere. It is known as the adventure capital of Africa, situated close to Victoria Falls. Adventure isn’t all that awaits female empowerment volunteers in Zambia – Livingstone’s heart beats with the rhythm of a rich culture and history. Enjoy dinner overlooking the Zambezi river and take in the most spectacular sunsets you’ve ever seen.

On the weekends, you can chase adrenaline at Victoria Falls with white-water rafting, bungee jumping or a gorge swing, take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi, join a game drive in a nearby national park, explore local markets and culture, or simply unwind by the pool with your volunteer crew.

SIM cards can be purchased from most shops or at the airport with various packages allowing for phone calls and/or data usage. Our accommodation offers free WiFi that enables you to make contact with home. Power and electricity supply can be intermittent in Livingstone and its surrounds so do bring your power banks and embrace patience if you encounter an outage. TIP: Ensure your cellphone is enabled to allow for a foreign SIM card if you intend to use one.

Arrive at Harry Mwanga Nkumbula (Livingstone) International Airport (LVI) on your Monday start date, landing between 9am and 6pm in order to make the complimentary transfer service. Look for the African Impact sign – a friendly face will be there to welcome you!

Our brilliant African Impact team, led by Base Manager Sander, will look after you during your time with us! Whichever project you choose, you’ll get to know everyone incredibly well both out on project and around the base. Our crew of changemakers are waiting to welcome you to Livingstone!

Our base has outsourced security staff patrolling 24/7, and our team is trained in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) competencies. The base is equipped with fire safety equipment and evacuation plans. We have comprehensive policies, including child protection, to protect all participants. Upon arrival, trained staff will induct you on our policies, procedures, and code of conduct to ensure your safety and awareness.

Project Destination

Livingstone is a vibrant, soulful town with a friendly atmosphere. It is known as the adventure capital of Africa, situated close to Victoria Falls. Adventure isn’t all that awaits female empowerment volunteers in Zambia – Livingstone’s heart beats with the rhythm of a rich culture and history. Enjoy dinner overlooking the Zambezi river and take in the most spectacular sunsets you’ve ever seen.

Communication

SIM cards can be purchased from most shops or at the airport with various packages allowing for phone calls and/or data usage. Our accommodation offers free WiFi that enables you to make contact with home. Power and electricity supply can be intermittent in Livingstone and its surrounds so do bring your power banks and embrace patience if you encounter an outage. TIP: Ensure your cellphone is enabled to allow for a foreign SIM card if you intend to use one.

Flights & Arrivals

Arrive at Harry Mwanga Nkumbula (Livingstone) International Airport (LVI) on your Monday start date, landing between 9am and 6pm in order to make the complimentary transfer service. Look for the African Impact sign – a friendly face will be there to welcome you!

Staff

Our brilliant African Impact team, led by Base Manager Sander, will look after you during your time with us! Whichever project you choose, you’ll get to know everyone incredibly well both out on project and around the base. Our crew of changemakers are waiting to welcome you to Livingstone!

Safety

Our base has outsourced security staff patrolling 24/7, and our team is trained in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) competencies. The base is equipped with fire safety equipment and evacuation plans. We have comprehensive policies, including child protection, to protect all participants. Upon arrival, trained staff will induct you on our policies, procedures, and code of conduct to ensure your safety and awareness.

...the joy of making a real impact...

“I came to African Impact for 10 days and I have loved everything about my experience. Staff are so unbelievably friendly, always greeted with a smile and a laugh. I loved being out on project and interacting with the community, I feel I really got out of my trip what I wanted and am so grateful to have been able to experience this. There were lots of opportunities to engage with local culture and the weekend activities such as the trip to Chobe National Park have created memories I will never forget. I highly recommend anyone who craves adventure while being able to give back to consider African impact!.”

Ailish McCreanor, 27, Scotland

Project gallery

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COMMUNITY EDUCATION
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ECOBRICKING 1
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Cultural Immersion
Cultural Immersion
Gallery - Accommodation 4
Gallery - Accommodation 4
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Pricing

Rates

USDGBPEURAUD
DurationProgram Fee
2 weeks$1,950 ($975 per week)
3 weeks$2,800 ($934 per week)
4 weeks$3,650 ($913 per week)
5 weeks$4,500 ($900 per week)
6 weeks$5,350 ($892 per week)
8 weeks$7,050 ($882 per week)
10 weeks$8,750 ($875 per week)
12 weeks$10,450 ($871 per week)
2 weeks£1,560 (£780 per week)
3 weeks£2,240 (£747 per week)
4 weeks£2,920 (£730 per week)
5 weeks£3,600 (£720 per week)
6 weeks£4,280 (£714 per week)
8 weeks£5,640 (£705 per week)
10 weeks£7,000 (£700 per week)
12 weeks£8,360 (£697 per week)
2 weeks€1,794 (€897 per week)
3 weeks€2,576 (€859 per week)
4 weeks€3,358 (€840 per week)
5 weeks€4,140 (€828 per week)
6 weeks€4,922 (€821 per week)
8 weeks€6,486 (€811 per week)
10 weeks€8,050 (€805 per week)
12 weeks€9,614 (€802 per week)
2 weeks$2,886 ($1,443 per week)
3 weeks$4,144 ($1,382 per week)
4 weeks$5,402 ($1,351 per week)
5 weeks$6,660 ($1,332 per week)
6 weeks$7,918 ($1,320 per week)
8 weeks$10,434 ($1,305 per week)
10 weeks$12,950 ($1,295 per week)
12 weeks$15,466 ($1,289 per week)
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Inclusions

  • Backpacker style accommodation with swimming pool
  • Breakfast, lunch and dinner (Mon - Fri)
  • Airport transfers on arrival and departure
  • All project transport, equipment and resources
  • Support from experienced local and international African Impact staff
  • Full orientation for responsible project contribution

Exclusions

  • Flights
  • Visas
  • Insurance
  • Weekend tours
  • Personal expenses

Requirements

  • The minimum age to join this project is 18 years old
  • The minimum stay for this project is 2 weeks
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Award-winning Volunteer and Internship Projects Since 2004

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Project faqs

What Is Ecobricking?

Ecobricking is a sustainable method using PET bottles filled with soft plastics to create building materials. This practice reduces harmful waste, cleans streets, lowers air pollution, protects water systems, preserves soil quality, and prevents wildlife from ingesting toxic plastics, creating a healthier environment for the Livingstone community.

How Are Ecobricks Used In Africa?

Waste pollution is becoming a serious problem across Africa, and there is a great need for collaborative community initiatives that put reducing, reusing, and recycling waste first. Ecobricks are one of those solutions! By taking excess waste, cleaning it, and using it to build firm bricks, Ecobricks have quickly become a game-changer in sustainably reducing waste and building eco-friendly community infrastructure.

How Do Ecobricks Help With Environmental Conservation?

Absolutely! Rather than bringing in new materials to build community structures, Ecobricks reuse and recycle previously discarded items and give them new life. By doing this, Ecobricks also reduces excess non-biodegradable waste from community environments, creating a genuinely cyclical approach to sustainability.

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Our favourite weekend activities in Zambia

Africa’s adventure capital offers no shortage of ways to spend your weekends as a volunteer. There’s something for everyone – from the adrenaline junkie to culturally intrigued traveller.

Safari Time

Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park offers a convenient safari where you can spot elephants, zebras and more, against beautiful backdrops of the Zambezi River. Chobe National Park, across the border in Botswana, is famed for its huge elephant population and an overnight safari is a popular weekend activity.

Victoria Falls

The mighty Zambezi River beckons with exhilarating activities: cruise its vast expanse, battle the rapids on a white-water rafting expedition, or explore hidden waterways on a tranquil canoe trip. Feeling truly adventurous? Take the plunge with a heart-stopping bungee jump or soar through the gorge on a thrilling swing.

Tours and Markets

Livingstone has a rich culture and you can embark on a walking or cycling village tour to a local African village, giving you further insight into the traditional way of life. You can also shop at some of the many markets and stock up on locally handmade goods for your loved ones back home or find interesting local foods to try.

Zambezi River

The mighty Zambezi River beckons with exhilarating activities: cruise its vast expanse, battle the rapids on a white-water rafting expedition, or explore hidden waterways on a tranquil canoe trip.

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