Volunteer Malawi

 
Volunteer for Building Malawi! Building Malawi exists because of the enthusiasm of it's volunteers. Malawi doesn’t just need financial support, it needs people like you to go out, volunteer in Malawi and share your experiences and your knowledge. 
 
"Day one in the local village where I'm coaching was AMAZING! I used to be called luke, I'm now called white person! On a serious note though it is a really special place and I can't help but want to learn to have an approach to life like they do here! They do life right.... Happiness isn't about money, wealth, possessions.... I thought I already knew that but I really learned that lesson hard today! The kids smiled more today than the average British kid does in a year! Inspiring stuff it really is!" - Luke Lynam
 
Contact us here to get involved
 
Building Malawi  work in partnership with Play Football Malawi to improve opportunities for young people in Malawi through sport. Play Football Malawi run things on the ground including the volunteer programme
 
5 Reasons to Visit or Volunteer with Building Malawi and Play Football Malawi:


 

Please read the 'Everything you need to know about Volunteering with Building Malawi' page. All Frequently Asked Questions Answered Here>>

 

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Volunteering Opportunities

We are delighted that you are interested in visiting Malawi and supporting our work - thank you! We hope you will choose our Volunteering Opportunities. We are delighted to partner with Swiss charity Play Football Malawi who now deliver the volunteer programme. We focus our time on building school, library and sports facilities. Come out to Malawi and work with some inspiring young Malawians! We are a small organisation. 

 

Contact Building Malawi for further information about our FREE volunteering opportunities in Malawi - Click Here!

 
"I had a brilliant Summer - I loved getting stuck into the football coaching. James Chilimampunga (the head coach) was fantastic and the kids were amazing. Some awesome football talent and even more impressive goal celebrations. Loved it! Thanks Building Futures - I'll be back next year with more footballs!"
- Paul Christian, Manchester. Volunteer Football Coach.
 
Read on to see Frequently Asked Questions
 
This video was made by Volunteers Darren Barham, Daniel Biggins and Tom Bowden. As well as volunteer work they did for Building Malawi it includes footage from a trip they made to Victoria Falls:
 

 

Frequently Asked Questions (please send any questions to us here!):

 


 

 

 
 

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
"Tom! I miss Malawi! How is my main man Henry Sanjani? and how is everything going at Lingadzi Academy? Why am I not in Malawi now? The weather here is rubbish! Hope to be back soon. Please say hi to everyone from me"
- Sam Jarvis, Birmingham. Volunteer Teacher
 
Below is the video made by Sam Jarvis and Wayne Holland:
 
 

 
We hope that you too will fall in love with Malawi. Contact Building Malawi here.


Travel Malawi...

Malawi lies, land locked, in the Great Rift Valley, 20% of its area is taken by the picturesque Lake Malawi, which runs along the North East edge. To the south Mt Mulanje, Central Africa's highest peak, towers above the plains. In the North is the Nyika Plateau, a vast expance of rolling hills, dotted with herds of zebra and antelope. Scattered through Malawi's varied landscape are several Game reserves and Parks where the big five can still be spotted. In the middle of the country and only 1 1/2 hours from the lake shore is the capital city and the base for BFiM, Lilongwe.

Lilongwe

 
Modern Banks in New TownCentre of Old Town

Lilongwe is a small city, scattered over a large area. It has two centers, old and new. In the new side, City Centre, you will find offices, banks and government Embassies seperated by well kept gardens and grassy areas. In old town you will find a vast bustling market and the chaotic mini-bus station, it is busy here and there is plenty to be seen.

The Lake

 
There are loads of beautiful places to visit along Malawi's lake shore, either camping or staying in hotels or hostels. Here are our top 3:

Senga Bay

This is a small town at the eastern end of a board peninsula that juts into the lake from Salima. The clear water and sandy beaches are inviting and you can go windsurfing, canoeing and snorkelling. You can also go hiking in the nearby Senga Hills. 

Steps campsite/Livingstonia Beach Hotel - this is a gorgeous campsite. There's good security and spotless bathrooms (but no hot water). It sits peacefuly at the end of a private beach where a rocky headland juts into the water.

Nkhata Bay

The small, bustling town of Nkhata Bay is cradled amoung the hills of the northern lakeshore. In front of the town a peninsula where Ilala ferry docks, juts into the lake. Although local 'tour guides' are a nuisance, Nkhata Bay is a lovely place to visit and offers a good balance of activaties and relaxation.

Njaya Lodge - Perched serenly on a hilltop above the lake, this place is ledgedary on the travellers grapevine. The chalets range from simple without bathroom to comforatable with bathroom. The bar and restaurant open onto a wide terrace with a magnificent view. 

Monkey Bay

This small port, at the southern end of lake Malawi, is home to a large and animated monkey population. It is also home to theIlala, the trusty passenger ferry that has been chugging slowly up and down the lake for more than 50 years. Most visitors arrive or depart on the Ilala, from the deck you will get a unique view of Malawi as the ferry calls at isolated villages, loading and offloading its intriguing cargo of fish, bicycles, goats and furniture.

Nyika National Park

Shrouded in peaceful solitude amid an expanse of waving grass and rolling hills the Nyika Plateau is protected by the Nyika National Park. The park is home to the rare roan antelope as well as many other grazing animals. The air is pure and there is a special kind of beauty in the barronness of the plateau. On clear days the views from the edge of the plateau are endless. Although you won't see the bigger animals you see in other parks, the distinctive feature of Nyika is the romantic landscape. As you approach antelope and zebra will watch warily from a distance or gallop off into the safety of the tall pine forests around the camp.

Once inside the park you can arrange day walks or hikes that last all week, horseback safaris or drives with a ranger.

Liwonde National Park

A few kilometres south of Lake Malawi, Liwonde national park is a fine wilderness area. A boat trip of the wide River Shire, which meanders lazily through the park, is a great way to explore. You can watch floating islands of weed slip past on the smooth current, birds building their nests in the reeds, snorting hippos and snoozing crocks.

As well as its river dwelling creatures Liwonde is known for its large elephant population. You'll also see plenty of Antelope species and warthog. If you are lucky you may even spot a lion or leopard. There's also a rhino breeding programe close to Mvuu Camp. It's best to visit in the dry season when the roads are more accessable and animals are easier to spot. 

 

Mvuu Camp - This beautiful camp is perched on the riverbank in the northern part of the park. It has comfortably furnished chalets and roomy walk-in tents with bathrooms. There's a large thatched restaurant and bar overlooking the river.

 

 

 

 

Blantyre

Malawi's commercial capital, Blantyre was named after a town near Glasgow in Scotland, the birthplace of David Livingstone. The city is spread out along Chilembwe Hwy to the point where it merges into its 'sister city', Limbe. The city centre, however, hemmed into a triangle by Victoria Ave, Haile Selassie and Glyn Jones Rds is very compact and most places of interest are within easy walking distance.

 


Hundreds of Photos from Lingadzi Academy Now On Facebook!

Friday 14th December 2012

Hi everyone, Building Malawi has been extremely fortunate to welcome many visitors and volunteers to Lingadzi Academy in Malawi. These wonderful folk have posted photos to our Facebook Page. Please check them out here: https://www.facebook.com/BuildingMalawi/photos_stream Be sure to like us on Facebook too! We would love it if you could visit Lingadzi Academy. We do not charge our volunteers. For more information check out our Volunteers page here: http://www.buildingmalawi.com/volunteer.html Best wishes from the entire team at Building Malawi! [caption id="attachment_103" align="alignnone" width="301" caption="Kids at Lingadzi Academy earlier this year"]Kids at Lingadzi Academy earlier this year[/caption]

 
 

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