Sports & Community Development in Zambia
VOLUNTEER
SPORTS
Inspire fitness and confidence in school kids
Head to Livingstone to lead energetic sports sessions for primary school kids. In many local schools, physical education isn’t part of the regular curriculum, so your role is hands-on, active, and genuinely valued. Alongside a local sports coach, you’ll design and deliver fun, inclusive sessions that get students moving, building teamwork, and developing confidence through sport.
You’ll be based in Livingstone, a lively Zambian town just minutes from Victoria Falls. During evenings and weekends, you might go on game drives in nearby game reserves, go white water rafting, or simply enjoy sundowners on the banks of the Zambezi River. This project effortlessly combines purpose, community, and adventure.
Project highlights
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Build confidence through sport
See how sports can boost participation, resilience, and self-belief.
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Be part of a community
Spend your afternoon on a wide range of community development projects.
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Make Livingstone your home
Become part of a volunteer family and a welcoming Zambian community.
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Have an adventure
Go on game drives, take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi, or do a bungee-jump.
Available: Year Round
Duration: 2 Weeks+
Price From $2,050 This cost covers your accommodation, meals, project fees, transfers, 24/7 support and in-country orientation.
What You’ll Do
COMMUNITY
Lead Physical Education Sessions
Your mornings are spent at a local community school delivering structured P.E. lessons to classes ranging from Grade 1 to Grade 7. Working alongside a local sports coach, you’ll help plan and run two to three sessions each morning, adapting activities for different age groups and class sizes, sometimes up to 60 students. Sessions usually begin with an introduction and warm-up before moving into games, relays, team challenges, and skill-building activities. The focus isn’t elite performance; it’s participation, teamwork, coordination, and enjoyment. You’ll quickly learn how to manage large groups, communicate clearly, and keep energy levels high in a fast-paced environment.
U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Good Health & Well-being | Quality Education
Good Health & Well-being | Quality Education
COMMUNITY
Develop Creative & Inclusive Activities
Because there’s no fixed P.E. syllabus in place, creativity is encouraged. As a sports volunteer, you’ll help introduce new sports, playground games, and team-building activities that students may not have experienced before. At the same time, you’ll learn local games and dances from the students themselves, making sessions a two-way cultural exchange. A key part of the role is ensuring activities are inclusive and accessible to everyone, regardless of ability. You’ll gain practical experience adapting drills, encouraging participation, and creating a positive, supportive environment.
U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Good Health & Well-being | Quality Education
Good Health & Well-being | Quality Education
COMMUNITY
Support After-School and Holiday Clubs
Join fellow volunteers in Livingstone to run after-school and holiday clubs during school breaks, providing a safe and supportive space for students to learn, play, and stay active. You’ll lead 2-hour sessions for around 20 students, blending educational lessons with fun, hands-on activities that promote health, safety, and a love of learning. This is your chance to get creative, bring your own ideas to the table, and make important topics engaging and interactive while seeing the immediate impact of your work on the students’ confidence and skills.
U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
Good Health & Well-being | Quality Education
Good Health & Well-being | Quality Education
What You'll Take Home
Why This Project Suits You
This sports volunteer project builds more than just stamina. Leading sports sessions in a cross-cultural setting develops confidence, adaptability, and leadership in a very practical way. You’ll gain experience managing large groups, thinking on your feet, and communicating clearly in dynamic environments. For those considering careers in sports coaching, physical education, youth work, community development, or teaching, this placement provides hands-on experience you can clearly articulate. You’ll understand how sport can be used as a tool for engagement, inclusion, and confidence-building, especially in resource-limited settings.
By the end of your stay, you’ll have:
Developed leadership and group management skills
Built confidence in coaching and activity facilitation
Strengthened adaptability and problem-solving abilities
Gained insight into sport as a community development tool
Improved cross-cultural communication skills
Example Weekly Schedule
Monday
Breakfast
07:00 – 07:40
Morning
08:00 – 11.00 | Teaching Physical Education (P.E.)
Physical Education (PE) sessions are for students in grades 4 to 6. Volunteers attend alongside a sports coach and begin each session by introducing themselves, reviewing the rules of PE, and leading stretching exercises. Each session lasts 40 to 50 minutes, during which students participate in drills, games, and relay activities.
11:00 – 12:00 | Back at the Volunteer House
The volunteers have free time to read a book, go to the supermarket.
Lunch
12:00 – 12:30
Afternoon
12:30 – 13:00 | Preparation time
The volunteers prepare for the afternoon activities together with the staff, ensuring that everyone is fully prepared and understands their role for the afternoon. At times, they also help make peanut butter sandwiches and juice for the students.
13:00 – 16:00 | Community Project
Each day, the volunteers visit a different community project. These may include Eco Club, Math Club, Reading Club, Girl Impact, Rugby, Health Club, and others. Teaching volunteers are mixed with those working in medical, education, or sports roles to create a balanced team.
16:00 – 16:30 | Back at the Volunteer House
Dinner
18:00 – 18:30
Evening
18:30 – Onwards | Free night
Easy night for all the new volunteers.
Tuesday
Breakfast
07:00 – 07:40
Morning
08:00 – 11:00 | Teaching Physical Education (P.E.)
Physical Education (PE) sessions are for students in grades 4 to 6. Volunteers attend alongside a sports coach and begin each session by introducing themselves, reviewing the rules of PE, and leading stretching exercises. Each session lasts 40 to 50 minutes, during which students participate in drills, games, and relay activities.
11:00 – 12:00 | Back at the Volunteer House
Volunteers receive an activities talk from Victoria Falls Backpackers, after which they can book their weekend activities.
Lunch
12:00 – 12:30
Afternoon
12:30 – 13:00 | Preparation time
The volunteers prepare for the afternoon activities together with the staff, ensuring that everyone is fully prepared and understands their role for the afternoon. At times, they also help make peanut butter sandwiches and juice for the students.
13:00 – 16:00 | Community project
Each day, the volunteers visit a different community project. These may include Eco Club, Math Club, Reading Club, Girl Impact, Rugby, Health Club, and others. Teaching volunteers are mixed with those working in medical, education, or sports roles to create a balanced team.
16:00 – 16:30 | Back at the Volunteer House
Free time for everyone until dinner
Dinner
18:00 – 18:30
Evening
18:30 – Onwards | Movie night
Today the volunteers have a movie night in the volunteer house.
Wednesday
Breakfast
07:00 – 07:40
Morning
08:00 – 11:00 | Teaching Physical Education (P.E.)
Physical Education (PE) sessions are for students in grades 4 to 6. Volunteers attend alongside a sports coach and begin each session by introducing themselves, reviewing the rules of PE, and leading stretching exercises. Each session lasts 40 to 50 minutes, during which students participate in drills, games, and relay activities.
11:00 – 12:00 | Back at the Volunteer House
Today we do a language lesson. One of the staff will teach the volunteers some basic Nyanja phrases.
Lunch
12:00 – 12:30
Afternoon
12:30 – 13:00 | Preparation time
The volunteers prepare for the afternoon activities together with the staff, ensuring that everyone is fully prepared and understands their role for the afternoon. At times, they also help make peanut butter sandwiches and juice for the students.
13:00 – 16:00 | Community project
Each day, the volunteers visit a different community project. These may include Eco Club, Math Club, Reading Club, Girl Impact, Rugby, Health Club, and others. Teaching volunteers are mixed with those working in medical, education, or sports roles to create a balanced team.
16:30 – 18:00 | Back at the Volunteer House
The volunteers are taken to the Maramba community to visit the local market. At the market, a wide variety of goods are sold, with the fabric stalls being a particular favorite. Volunteers can buy chitenge fabric, which local tailors can turn into skirts, bags, or other custom items.
Dinner
18:00 – 18:30
Evening
18:30 – Onwards | Games night
The volunteers either play games in the volunteer house or we go to a pub quiz in town.
Thursday
Breakfast
07:00 – 07:40
Morning
08:00 – 11:00 | Teaching Physical Education (P.E.)
Physical Education (PE) sessions are for students in grades 4 to 6. Volunteers attend alongside a sports coach and begin each session by introducing themselves, reviewing the rules of PE, and leading stretching exercises. Each session lasts 40 to 50 minutes, during which students participate in drills, games, and relay activities.
11:00 – 12:00 | Back at the Volunteer House
The volunteers have free time to read a book, go to the supermarket etc.
Lunch
12:00 – 12:30
Afternoon
12:30 – 13:00 | Preparation time
The volunteers prepare for the afternoon activities together with the staff, ensuring that everyone is fully prepared and understands their role for the afternoon. At times, they also help make peanut butter sandwiches and juice for the students.
13:00 – 16:00 | Village Tour
Every volunteer has the opportunity to take part in the Village Tour, which is organized by the women of the local women’s group. This tour serves as an income-generating activity for the group while allowing volunteers to visit and experience two different communities around Livingstone. Volunteers also get to taste local snacks. If a volunteer has already participated in the Village Tour the previous week, they instead take part in a community project.
16:30 – 18:00 | Back at the Volunteer House
Dinner
18:00 – 18:30
Evening
18:30 | Free night
Volunteers can chill at the volunteers and play games with each other or read a book.
Friday
Breakfast
07:00 – 07:40
Morning
08:00 – 11:00 | Teaching Physical Education (P.E.)
Physical Education (PE) sessions are for students in grades 4 to 6. Volunteers attend alongside a sports coach and begin each session by introducing themselves, reviewing the rules of PE, and leading stretching exercises. Each session lasts 40 to 50 minutes, during which students participate in drills, games, and relay activities.
08:00 – 11:00 | Back at the Volunteer House
The volunteers have free time to read a book, go to the supermarket etc.
12:00 – 12:30 | Friday check-in
Before lunch, a “Friday Check-In” is held. During this session, volunteers are asked for feedback on the week, informed of any maintenance in the house, updated on the weekend plans, and briefed on any new arrivals.
Lunch
12:30 – 13:30 | Cultural meal
Afternoon
13:30 – 16:00 | Cultural Afternoon
Volunteers gather in the boma at the backpackers, where one or two staff members give a talk about Zambia. The session includes time for questions and answers, followed by a “mock wedding,” in which two volunteers are playfully married to demonstrate a traditional Zambian wedding. Afterward, everyone participates in drumming and dancing together. If a volunteer has already attended the cultural afternoon the previous week, they instead take part in a community project.
Dinner
18:00 – 18:30
Evening
18:30 – Onwards | Free night
Volunteers can chill at the volunteers and play games with each other or read a book.
Project Location
Livingstone, Zambia
Livingstone: Life on the Zambezi
Set on the banks of the Zambezi River, and a short drive from the mighty Victoria Falls, Livingstone is a town that perfectly balances adventure, culture, and everyday life in Zambia. It has a warm, welcoming energy, with friendly locals, colorful markets, and a relaxed pace that makes it easy to settle in. Outside of your volunteer hours, there’s plenty to see and do. You can spot hippos and crocodiles while taking a boat trip on the Zambezi, walk the paths around impressive Victoria Falls, or go for a game drive in the local game reserve. For those seeking adventure, options include white-water rafting and bungee jumping.
Weekend activity options include:
- Visit the iconic Victoria Falls and take in its incredible power
- Take a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River, surrounded by hippos and crocodiles
- Explore Livingstone’s local markets, shops, and cafés
- Go on a day safari in nearby national parks to spot wildlife
- Try adventure activities like bungee jumping, zip-lining, or white-water rafting
Accommodation
Your home during the project is a simple, comfortable volunteer house in Livingstone, designed to give you everything you need while staying immersed in local life. You’ll share rooms with other volunteers, each equipped with basic furnishings, fans, and secure storage. Bathrooms and showers are shared, and communal areas provide space to relax and connect.
There is also a pool for you to unwind during hot days. The house is within easy reach of the clinics, schools, and local amenities, so it’s easy to balance project work with downtime and explore the town at your own pace. Staying here also gives you the chance to experience daily life in Livingstone alongside other volunteers and local staff.
Meals are prepared on-site by our local team and give a taste of Zambian cuisine alongside familiar, international options. Expect wholesome breakfasts to start your day, filling lunches during project hours, and warm, home-cooked dinners in the evenings. Ingredients are fresh and locally sourced, and dietary needs can usually be accommodated with prior notice. Weekends offer the chance to try local cafés, markets, or cook together with fellow volunteers, making meals not just nourishing but also a social and cultural experience.
You’ll be supported by an experienced local team who oversee daily project activities, training, and volunteer wellbeing. They provide orientation on arrival, guide you through your volunteer work, and are available for advice and support throughout your stay. The team also helps you understand local culture and customs, ensuring your work is respectful, effective, and a positive experience for both you and the community.
Staying in Livingstone, you’ll have access to Wi-Fi at the volunteer house, though note speeds can vary. Local SIM cards with data are inexpensive and widely available, allowing you to stay connected while out in the community. Power outages can occasionally occur, which is part of life here, so having a charged power bank and some flexibility is useful.
Volunteer safety is a top priority. You’ll receive a full induction covering health precautions, local customs, and emergency procedures. During clinic visits and home-based care, staff ensure activities are conducted safely and responsibly. The volunteer house is in a secure area, and staff are available 24/7 in case of emergencies. Simple precautions like staying hydrated, protecting yourself from the sun, and following local guidance will help ensure your experience is both safe and enjoyable.
Accommodation
Your home during the project is a simple, comfortable volunteer house in Livingstone, designed to give you everything you need while staying immersed in local life. You’ll share rooms with other volunteers, each equipped with basic furnishings, fans, and secure storage. Bathrooms and showers are shared, and communal areas provide space to relax and connect.
There is also a pool for you to unwind during hot days. The house is within easy reach of the clinics, schools, and local amenities, so it’s easy to balance project work with downtime and explore the town at your own pace. Staying here also gives you the chance to experience daily life in Livingstone alongside other volunteers and local staff.
The Meals
Meals are prepared on-site by our local team and give a taste of Zambian cuisine alongside familiar, international options. Expect wholesome breakfasts to start your day, filling lunches during project hours, and warm, home-cooked dinners in the evenings. Ingredients are fresh and locally sourced, and dietary needs can usually be accommodated with prior notice. Weekends offer the chance to try local cafés, markets, or cook together with fellow volunteers, making meals not just nourishing but also a social and cultural experience.
Support Team
You’ll be supported by an experienced local team who oversee daily project activities, training, and volunteer wellbeing. They provide orientation on arrival, guide you through your volunteer work, and are available for advice and support throughout your stay. The team also helps you understand local culture and customs, ensuring your work is respectful, effective, and a positive experience for both you and the community.
Safety
Volunteer safety is a top priority. You’ll receive a full induction covering health precautions, local customs, and emergency procedures. During clinic visits and home-based care, staff ensure activities are conducted safely and responsibly. The volunteer house is in a secure area, and staff are available 24/7 in case of emergencies. Simple precautions like staying hydrated, protecting yourself from the sun, and following local guidance will help ensure your experience is both safe and enjoyable.
Connectivity
Staying in Livingstone, you’ll have access to Wi-Fi at the volunteer house, though note speeds can vary. Local SIM cards with data are inexpensive and widely available, allowing you to stay connected while out in the community. Power outages can occasionally occur, which is part of life here, so having a charged power bank and some flexibility is useful.
Pricing
Rates
| Duration | Program Fee |
|---|---|
| 2 weeks | $2,050 ($1,025 per week) |
| 3 weeks | $2,940 ($980 per week) |
| 4 weeks | $3,830 ($958 per week) |
| 5 weeks | $4,720 ($944 per week) |
| 6 weeks | $5,610 ($935 per week) |
| 8 weeks | $7,390 ($924 per week) |
| 10 weeks | $9,170 ($917 per week) |
| 12 weeks | $10,950 ($913 per week) |
| 2 weeks | £1,560 (£780 per week) |
| 3 weeks | £2,235 (£745 per week) |
| 4 weeks | £2,910 (£728 per week) |
| 5 weeks | £3,590 (£718 per week) |
| 6 weeks | £4,265 (£711 per week) |
| 8 weeks | £5,620 (£703 per week) |
| 10 weeks | £6,970 (£697 per week) |
| 12 weeks | £8,325 (£694 per week) |
| 2 weeks | €1,825 (€913 per week) |
| 3 weeks | €2,620 (€874 per week) |
| 4 weeks | €3,410 (€853 per week) |
| 5 weeks | €4,200 (€840 per week) |
| 6 weeks | €4,995 (€833 per week) |
| 8 weeks | €6,580 (€823 per week) |
| 10 weeks | €8,165 (€817 per week) |
| 12 weeks | €9,745 (€813 per week) |
| 2 weeks | $2,975 ($1,488 per week) |
| 3 weeks | $4,265 ($1,422 per week) |
| 4 weeks | $5,555 ($1,389 per week) |
| 5 weeks | $6,845 ($1,369 per week) |
| 6 weeks | $8,135 ($1,356 per week) |
| 8 weeks | $10,715 ($1,340 per week) |
| 10 weeks | $13,300 ($1,330 per week) |
| 12 weeks | $15,880 ($1,324 per week) |
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
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!
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Project faqs
DO I NEED TO BE A PROFESSIONAL ATHLETE OR COACH TO VOLUNTEER?
While prior experience in sports coaching is a plus, it’s not essential to become a sports volunteer in Zambia. We welcome individuals with a passion for sports, a willingness to learn, and a desire to make a positive impact on young people’s lives. We provide comprehensive training and ongoing support throughout your sports coaching placement, equipping you with the necessary skills to effectively engage and motivate young athletes.
WHAT IMPACT WILL I HAVE ON THE YOUNG PEOPLE I COACH?
Beyond teaching them sports skills, you’ll be a positive role model and mentor, fostering teamwork, leadership, and essential life skills in a fun and engaging environment. Your dedication can inspire them to pursue their dreams, develop a healthy lifestyle, and become responsible members of their community. You’ll also contribute to creating a safe space for them to play, learn, and socialize, fostering positive development and well-being.
HOW WILL THIS EXPERIENCE BENEFIT ME PERSONALLY?
Volunteering as a sports coach in Zambia will be an enriching experience on both personal and professional levels. You’ll develop valuable leadership and communication skills, gain firsthand experience working in a cross-cultural environment, and broaden your understanding of global issues. Additionally, the joy of seeing young people grow and thrive through your coaching will leave a lasting impact on you!
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.
