IVHQ Zambia Teaching Program Travel Blog
International Volunteer HeadQuarters When researching volunteer abroad programs, I found IVHQ to be the best. Of course you can volunteer in countries at a lower cost, but I wanted to go through an organization to feel more safe traveling on my own, meet and live with other volunteers, and have the convenience of mostly everything being planned out for me. IVHQ is committed to providing amazing volunteer abroad programs so you can travel overseas with confidence. If you’re searching for meaningful volunteer work and the opportunity to experience a life-changing volunteer vacation, gap year or alternative break, you can trust IVHQ to make it happen. They offer a range of projects in over 40 destinations around the world. IVHQ Website Facebook Pages: IVHQ Facebook Page IVHQ Facebook Group IVHQ Zambia Facebook Group Zambia I chose to volunteer in Zambia because I knew I wanted to volunteer in Africa. When looking at the various African country options on the IVHQ website, I compared the prices, projects, and traveling opportunities. I also looked at the facebook pages for a couple different countries and also watched videos on youtube of people who have volunteered before. I decided that Zambia had everything that I was looking for. One of the big draws for me was the fact that Livingstone is so close to Victoria Falls and Chobe Desert. I knew that I would enjoy all the activities on the weekends. If you are wanting to do the teaching, kindergarten, or construction project, then you will love your placement. I will mention that volunteers placed in medical and elderly programs did not seem totally satisfied. Process After you have decided that you want to volunteer in Zambia, you will need to submit an application. The application is free and you can apply for multiple countries at one time if you aren’t totally sure yet. On the application you will select when you would like to start and what project you are interested in doing. You will hear back within 48 hours of whether or not you have been approved. You can also set up an account on the IVHQ website in order to track the status of your application. You will use this account to complete all the necessary steps before you arrive. Your acceptance email will tell you who your program manager will be. You can e-mail him/her at anytime with any questions. Currently, Will McBride is the Program Manager for Zambia. He was very fast and detailed at clearing up some of my confusion. After being approved, your next step is to pay the registration fee in order to secure your spot. If you use my invitation code (F294F) you will get a 10% discount. Once you have paid the registration fee, you will be given access to a checklist on your account of which you will need to complete before you go. This includes paying your program fee (can hold off on paying up to 30 days before your start date), completing the online training (walks you through country information, safety precautions, and volunteer requirements), as well as submitting a background check, flight details, emergency contact details,and insurance details. You will also be contacted by the in-country coordinator after you have registered. Rebecca Mukumbo is currently the Zambia coordinator and will be able to answer all of your questions beforehand, as well as when you arrive. She is the main person that gives orientation. She will notify you of your placement the week before you arrive. You can email her if you have any special requests. Before You Go Fundraising To help cover the costs, I decided to create a fundraiser page on Fund and Seek. This website is actually better than GoFundMe because a smaller percentage of funds are taken out. I also mailed letters to close family to gain support. Here is a link to my page: https://www.fundandseek.com/mandyvolunteersinzambia Flights When I knew which dates I wanted to fly in and out on, I compared prices on Skyscanner, Google Flights, CheapFlights, and STA Travel. I ended up booking through STA Travel. They will Price Match other companies. You just need to call them or email them to tell them the details of the cheaper flight and they will match it. I went through them because I have booked with them before and they have good customer service. I flew out of London Heathrow (LHR) on British Airways and had a layover in Nairobi, Kenya before getting on my Kenya Airways flight to Livingstone (LVI). You should know that some airlines have a humanitarian baggage allowance. Most airlines only let you check one bag for free, but British Airways and some other airlines allow a second bag for free on volunteer trips. I emailed community.branch@ba.com letting them know that I was going on a humanitarian trip and they responded to let me know that my second bag fee would be waived. However, Kenya Airways did not have this clause so I had to request at the Nairobi Airport that they not charge me for my second bag. After some convincing, I was able to manage getting both bags through to Livingstone for free. This usually only applies on the way there so I just brought an old suitcase that I left with the school I taught at. They ended up using it as a supply trunk. Vaccinations Zambia does not require any vaccinations. However, there are definitely recommended immunizations for the country. The three most common immunizations are Hepatitis A, Malaria, and Typhoid. I got these just as a precaution. However, the malaria pills made me feel nauseous so I stopped taking them after a few days in Zambia. There were few mosquitos when I was in Zambia so I did not think it was super necessary. It is best to ask your doctor before you go. You can get more information on this website: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/traveler/none/zambia Insurance IVHQ requires you to get travel insurance. I purchased mine through USAA Travel Insured International. My benefits included trip cancellation, travel delays, missed connections, accident and sickness
