Sports & Community Development Volunteer Project in Zambia

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Facilitate Sports Lessons that Build Confidence in Youth

Put your passion for sports, fitness, wellness, and nutrition to great use as you educate and train school students in the rural villages of Livingstone. Physical education does not form part of the school curriculum in Zambia, and with limited resources, and a lack of skilled coaches, your input is vital to ensure these children stay active and learn to enjoy exercise. Physical education improves self-confidence, teamwork, mental and physical health, as well as helps develop life skills, that would otherwise be lacking.

Project Highlights

  • Bring a fun, creative and dynamic approach to delivering sport lessons to children of primary school age
  • Bring your skills from home and assist with a variety of after-school sports clubs
  • Teach lessons on physical health and general life skills at schools, focusing on issues like hygiene, nutrition, communication and teamwork
  • Observe progression, improved skills and confidence amongst the local children first hand
  • Be immersed into the community and help to empower and influence all ages with a sense of self-worth
  • Offer children enriching stimulation through a variety of afternoon community development projects
  • Meet the friendliest, most warm hearted, gracious, determined and zealous African people, who are guaranteed to inspire and motivate.
  • Visit the majestic Victoria Falls, also known as “The Smoke that Thunders” and enjoy some of the amazing tourist activities that Livingstone has to offer
Group of people jumping together.

Quick Facts

Livingstone, Zambia

Harry Mwanga Nkumbula International Airport

Specific Start Dates

10 days - 12 weeks

Impact: Sports Development

$1,995 – $5,150

Destination

Volunteer taking a break on a hammock.

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. 

You’ll be staying in the heart of Livingstone at a private volunteer house within the popular and vibrant Victoria Falls Backpackers Zambia. This comfortable backpackers’ is 15 minutes from Victoria Falls and is a 5 minute walk from Livingstone’s town centre which has many stores and a great selection of cafes and restaurants for you to explore at weekends.

You will have access to a swimming pool, lounge, bar, fire pit area and even a climbing wall! These communal areas offer the perfect space to get to know each other and relax at the end of the day. Bedrooms are dormitory style with bunk beds and shared bathroom facilities, as well as daily housekeeping. The staff can share knowledge about the area and are happy to help organize river cruises, canoe safaris, and trips to Chobe National Park. You won’t want to leave your “new home” as the staff will become your new family!

You will receive three fresh and delicious meals a day cooked by local chefs during the week. For breakfast you can expect cereal and toast, along with a cooked option such as eggs, pancakes or French toast. Lunch could be a wrap, pizza or sandwich paired with a fresh crispy salad. For dinner you might have a pasta dish, curry with rice or an authentic stew. Vegetarian options are available and we can cater to most dietary requirements. At weekends you will have access to the kitchen to make your own food, though most volunteers choose to visit local cafes and restaurants. Café Zambezi makes great traditional Zambian food and is a favourite amongst locals, while Maramba River Lodge is a popular spot for sundowners and Fez Bar is a popular place to hang out with locals and do a little dancing in the evenings!

To keep in touch with family and friends back home, Victoria Falls Backpackers has complimentary WiFi for you to use during your stay. You can also purchase a SIM card with data bundles if you wish.

Weather in Livingstone tends to be stable and sunny from August until late October when the “monsoon” rains start to hit. Either side of this time, the weather is very pleasant. The climate is tropical or sub-tropical depending on altitude, with a hot, humid, and rainy season from mid-November to March and a dry season from April to mid-November. October is typically the hottest month of the year.

Project Impact Areas

Physical Education Classes

With physical education lacking from the Zambian curriculum, it is an unfamiliar concept to most community schools, but with your support as volunteers, we can help change attitudes on health, fitness, and nutrition. The children absolutely love these lessons so please bring your passion and energy in abundance as you track student progress and witness their growth.

You’ll volunteer once a week at five different schools, running physical education classes, teaching the students new games and designing new lessons to educate students both in a theoretical and practical sense, allowing for more in-depth training and skill development.. The physical education classes we run will also allow you to use your initiative and creativity to relate your sessions to an aspect of health, such as nutrition, or even an upcoming event such as the Olympics or the World Cup. Should you have expertise in a specific sport, you can teach an entire lesson focused on it.

sports-coaching-community-development-zambia

Health Club

Join us on a vital 2-hour session every Wednesday afternoon where you and your fellow volunteers will educate children aged 10-13 at a local community school on a variety of health topics. Cover important subjects in an interactive way to ensure learning is fun and relevant with tangible improvements in knowledge as you deliver these sessions to a group of approximately 20. In the past, we have covered subjects such as fire prevention, wound dressing, hygiene, a healthy diet, and exercise, but we welcome your suggestions for new topics. 

Training Local Teams

Working with various local sports organizations, provincial and district ministries for sports, and other NGOs, you will have the opportunity to coach sporting teams as well as to teach new drills to the coaches. African Impact has a strong partnership with the TAG Rugby Trust, which means you will coach large groups of enthusiastic children in an exciting new sport. With the opportunity to utilize your skills in the development of local coaches, you can help further increase the sustainability of this project. Furthermore, as a sports coach, you will have the opportunity to coach football, volleyball, basketball, netball, rugby, or any other sport you would like to introduce to the children during afterschool clubs, community sports days, and holiday clubs. The African Impact Sports Project also supports the government fun run and awareness days.  

sports-coaching-community-development-zambia

Specialised Sports

Your schedule is set for you by your Project Manager; however, if you have any particular interests or skills you would like to use, we would love to try and accommodate them! The children at the schools are always keen to learn new activities – particularly if they come from overseas!! We can set up a class for you to teach netball, yoga, athletics, cricket, Aussie rules, baseball, or whatever your interest is. Equipment is very difficult to come by so please keep that in mind, if you are able to acquire donated sporting equipment, the community will greatly appreciate it.

Holiday Club

During school vacation time volunteers run “holiday clubs.” Holiday club is extremely important as it offers students valuable time to catch up on learning missed due to the Zambian “Hot Seating” system. Not only does it give young people a safe environment to spend their summer holidays, it is also a lot of fun whilst providing an effective educational tool. You’ll work closely with our teaching volunteers to teach lessons for the first half of the morning and then engage the students in recreational activities and teach the importance of a healthy lifestyle. For self-starters, holiday club is a fantastic way to direct instruction for a few weeks and leave your mark on the students. 

sports-coaching-community-development-zambia

Other Activities

Recent Volunteer Reviews

Dates & Rates

When would you like to volunteer?

Give us an idea of your travel plans, you can also say ‘I’m not sure yet.’ We’ll take it from there.

How long would you like to volunteer?

This is the place to select your preferred duration(s). The African Impact team recommend at least 4 weeks for a truly memorable experience!

10 days $1995
2 weeks $2150
3 weeks $2450
4 weeks $2750
5 weeks $3050
6 weeks $3350
7 weeks $3650
8 weeks $3950
9 weeks $4250
10 weeks $4550
11 weeks $4850
12 weeks $5150

Personal Information

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Volunteer and two girls playing hopscotch.

Project Fee Includes:

  • Airport pick-up and drop-off
  • Accommodation throughout your stay
  • 3 delicious meals on weekdays
  • Transport to and from project
  • 24/7 support from experienced international and local staff
  • Full orientation to ensure you contribute responsibly
  • Project equipment and resources

Project Fee Excludes:

  • Flights
  • Travel insurance
  • Visa-related costs
  • Weekend trips or tours not on the itinerary
  • Snacks, soft drinks, gifts, and souvenirs
  • Mandatory contribution of US$25 that is donated to the African Impact Sustainability Fund

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