Africa

Africa is one of the top places for career breakers to volunteer and travel. A fascinating continent, it offers voluntary opportunities in almost every field and a huge diversity of landscapes and cultures.

What?

Africa is the world's second-largest continent, both in terms of area and population. It has around 50 countries, which are home to 900 million people. These countries are:

  • Algeria
  • Angola
  • Benin
  • Botswana
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Cape Verde
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Comoros
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Djibouti
  • Egypt
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Ethiopia
  • Gabon
  • The Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guinea
  • Kenya
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Namibia
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Rwanda
  • São Tomé and Príncipe
  • Senegal
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • Sudan
  • Swaziland
  • Tanzania
  • Togo
  • Tunisia
  • Uganda
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe

Why?

  • Africa is the world's poorest continent, and has a huge number of projects which need volunteers. A career break to Africa can give you the opportunity to really make a difference to people's lives.
  • There is a wide range of voluntary placements in Africa. Working with refugees, AIDS education, and teaching children are all opportunities for working with people. Conservation projects include working on game reserves with animals like elephants and lions, or marine conservation.
  • Africa is much more diverse than people think. From bustling cities to quiet beaches, busy Arabic markets to tribal villages – there's a lot more to it than what you see on the telly.
  • The landscape is also very diverse (pretty much what you'd expect from a continent this size). Mountains, beaches, plains – wherever you go, you're bound to see some interesting wildlife. There are even penguins off the southern coast!

How?

If you're doing voluntary work, the organisation which arranges your placement will be able to help with getting you there, sorting out the visas, etc.

Many career breakers who travel to Africa choose to go on a safari or a bus tour. As well as being safer than travelling alone, these give you a good opportunity to meet fellow backpackers and learn from your guide. It's a good idea to check the credentials of the company – many have a responsible travel policy so your money is going into the local community and helping to provide jobs.

Facts for the career breaker

  • There's not much paid work available in Africa, although some of the volunteer organisations will cover your expenses.
  • Visit www.fco.gov.uk for the latest travel advice and political situation for your destination. While Africa has well-documented problems of instability and violence, do keep things in perspective. As long as you take the usual precautions, you probably won't run into serious trouble.
  • Many voluntary projects in Africa are run by the local community, and have local volunteers as well as foreign ones.
  • A lot of African countries have a long history of welcoming travellers; friendly locals, amazing sights and new cultural experiences make Africa a great destination for career breakers.

Top Africa tip

Take some chilli sauce – not all African food is spicy.

Now where?

Search for a career break or see a list of Africa career breaks.