Volunteer in Africa

Walk on the wild side as you help to protect some of the world’s rarest and most vulnerable species.

From the grassland savannahs of South Africa to the ancient rainforests of Madagascar and the island beaches of Seychelles, Africa offers you not only some of the world’s remotest places, but also some of the most significant opportunities to contribute to the global fight against habitat loss, species extinction and marine pollution.

Overview

Volunteer in Africa 

Picture Africa. You’ve probably pulled up images of sun-baked deserts, grassy plains and large animals lounging in pools of sun. Yes, volunteer work in Africa offers you ample opportunity to experience all of this, but in reality, there’s so much more to the African continent. 

When you join a volunteer program in Africa you could see firsthand how rainforests creep out in every direction on the islands of Seychelles, where the year-round rainfall is high. You could assist in safeguarding endangered and critically endangered lemur species on the tropical island of Nosy Be in Madagascar. Or travel to a private game reserve in South Africa, home to lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. Here you’ll work alongside an international research team and contribute to critical wildlife conservation work.

All of GVI’s volunteer programs are closely aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). Our programs focus on creating positive change through a variety of locally-led initiatives, including conservation and environmental sustainability, community development and education. We work in collaboration with a number of partner organisations, local communities and non-government organisations (NGOs) on the ground, including:

 

  • Madagascar National Parks.
  • Karongwe Game Reserve Association, Rhino Revolution, EarthRanger, Kruger2Canyons Biosphere and Wildlife Protection Solutions in South Africa.
  • Seychelles Parks and Gardens Authority (SPGA), Seychelles Conservation and Climate Adaptation Trust (SeyCCAT) and Coral Watch.

 

Participants in our Limpopo wildlife volunteer programs have the opportunity to support community development initiatives alongside conservation efforts. Through GVI’s partnerships with local schools and education centres, participants contribute to educational projects, encouraging community engagement and connecting people with wildlife.

We offer sustainable and ethical volunteer opportunities in Africa with a focus on:

 

 

In addition to our Planet-focused programs, you can also contribute to community-focused volunteer programs in Ghana, Madagascar,  Tanzania or South Africa. Here, you can contribute towards achieving the UN SDGs by participating in programs focused on:

 

 

In Ghana we work with various stakeholders, such as governmental bodies, community-based organisations, schools, and groups that focus on the empowerment of women and girls. We also support ChildSafe, a global child protection initiative.

GVI’s volunteer programs in Africa are community-led. This means that volunteers work in collaboration with the local community on projects identified by the community as important. By supporting on-the-ground partner organisations, GVI’s volunteer programs focus on addressing global issues in a sustainable way. 

As a continent, Africa has the second largest population in the world. In spite of that, many African countries have a history of making their resources go further. Volunteer work in Africa will see you working in partnership with local communities and learning from them. This is an opportunity to find out about Africa from those who live there, and experience the wide variety of countries and cultures that make up the African population.

Filter programs

Volunteering
Marine Conservation Expedition in Seychelles
Volunteering
Wildlife Research Expedition in South Africa
Volunteering
Lemur and Wildlife Conservation Expedition in Madagascar
Internship
Wildlife Conservation Internship in Madagascar
Volunteering
Island Conservation Expedition with Snorkelling in Seychelles
Volunteering
Volunteer with Desert Elephants in Namibia
Volunteering
Penguin, Whale and Dolphin Conservation in South Africa
Volunteering
Island Biodiversity Surveying Citizen Science Project in Seychelles
Volunteering
Dolphin, Turtle, Shark and Ray Research in Mozambique
Internship
Wildlife Conservation Internship in South Africa
Volunteering
Rescue Dogs for Wildlife Conservation in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Internship
Coastal Conservation Internship in Madagascar
Volunteering
PADI Divemaster and Marine Conservation Expedition in Mozambique
Research Fellowship
Wildlife Research Fellowship in South Africa
Research Fellowship
Wildlife Conservation Research Fellowship in Madagascar
Volunteering
Coastal Conservation Volunteering in Madagascar
Research Fellowship
Wildlife Conservation Research Fellowship in Seychelles
Professional Apprenticeship
Wildlife Conservation Apprenticeship in South Africa
Internship
Marine Conservation Internship in Seychelles
Internship
Island Conservation Internship with Snorkelling in Seychelles
Professional Apprenticeship
PADI Divemaster and Marine Conservation Apprenticeship in Seychelles