Malawi medical volunteer project offers Pre-med, nursing, and medical students and professionals valuable hands-on medical experience in Malawi. Go Volunteer Africa has medical volunteer opportunities in the hospitals, community clinics and rural health posts. Medical volunteers in Malawi spend the majority of their internship working as an assistant to a doctor/healthcare professional.
Malawi Medical volunteer work responsibilities vary with your education, skills, and previous experience. Interns interested in joining this Malawi medical volunteer project must have health care certification, such as an ID as a medical student, EMT or paramedic certification, or nursing or physician’s credentials.
PROJECTS HIGHLIGHTS:
- Shadowing professionals medics and assist whenever needed.
- Assist patients (getting them from one service point to another)
- Treating minor injuries, vaccinations etc. (depending on skills)
- Getting actively involved in the daily work of the hospital, taking rounds of the wards, maintaining files, and doing routine patient checkups like measure Blood pressure, pulse, check fever etc.
Your exact role within the hospital or clinic will be determined by your level of medical experience as well as by the enthusiasm and effort which you show to the local staff. Pre-university interns usually start by observing the doctors and nurses. You may find more practical opportunities arise once you get to know the local staff and if you can demonstrate a good understanding of local medical conditions.
We offer short and long term medical volunteering placements in hospitals, clinics, outreach centres and slum community projects in Blantyre and Lilongwe, Malawi. Placements are available in areas of Dentistry, HIV & AIDS, Medicine, Midwifery, Nursing, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy, Psychology, Radiography and Veterinary
PROJECT LOCATION:
Blantyre City, is the largest commercial and industrial capital of Malawi, is in the Shire Highlands and geographical center of the Southern Region of the country and lies 35° east of Greenwich Meridian and 15° 42″ south of the Equator. It is a transport communications node with road, rail and air links to all parts of the country and neighboring countries of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Zambia and Tanzania. It covers an area of 228 km2.
Lilongwe is the capital city of Malawi, on the Lilongwe River. At its heart, woodland trails weave through the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre. This sanctuary shelters rescued and injured animals, including lions, monkeys and crocodiles. Shops, bars and restaurants dot the Old Town district. The Capital City district, also called City Centre, is home to the 21st-century, Chinese-built Parliament building.
ARRIVAL & AIRPORT PICKUP:
After you have booked and confirmed your placement, please book your flights to arrive at either Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe or Chileka International Airport in Blantyre (So make sure you know the exact location of your project before booking flights). A member of staff from our local partner organization in Malawi will meet you on arrival at the airport and take you to the volunteer guest house or host family which will be your base for volunteering. Both airports services numerous international carriers including the national airline Malawi Airlines. Malawi has good connections to destinations throughout Europe, the Asia- Pacific region, USA and Africa.
ORIENTATION:
Orientation and Placement will be done the next day. Generally, your volunteer orientation is an overview of the project’s mission, expectations and introduction to the local community and project site. Following your arrival in Malawi you will be given a presentation by the co-coordinating project team to prepare you for the work you will be doing.
PROJECT DETAILS:
Malawi is an incredible destination in Africa, friendly people, exotic wildlife and adventure experiences. But majority of the people living in rural areas and semi urban communities in Malawi have difficulty accessing healthcare facilities and affordable medical services. Malawi faces constant food uncertainty, high levels of malnutrition leading to a high infant mortality rate.
Furthermore, Malawi is one of the countries most affected by HIV/AIDS and malaria. Our Malawi Medical Volunteer Project aims to address some of the above mentioned issues at a local level through education, awareness and improved access to primary and palliative health care and treatment.
Rural communities in Malawi are in desperate need of assistance; usually the nearest hospital or clinic is miles away and local lack the transportation to seek help. Our Outreach teams and volunteers participating on our Malawi medical volunteer project arrange mobile clinics which go direct to communities and perform checkups, minor surgery, advice and also assistance.
Usually skilled professionals are encouraged to apply but there are also spots available for general assistants with no medical background. This medical volunteer placement can be an eye opening experience but also extremely rewarding when you get to see the difference you make on the ground.
The governmental health care system in Malawi is organized into three levels. Local health care centers deal with the most common and easily treated problems and offer maternity services. More serious cases that cannot be dealt with at this level are referred to district community hospitals, which provide secondary health care, including some basic types of surgery. Tertiary care is then offered at one of the 3 central hospitals, situated in the North, Central and Southern regions.
Volunteer in Malawi with Go Volunteer Africa and get involved in a very rewarding and worthwhile volunteer and travel experience of a lifetime. We have medical volunteer projects in Blantyre city, Lilongwe and villages across the country. Medical volunteers in Malawi under Go Volunteer Africa support the vital and varied work of the local clinics and hospitals. The Malawi medical volunteer project is suitable for pre-med students, medical students and volunteers with medical qualifications.
Volunteers without medical experience also play an important role in assisting in the local community clinics, doing office work and teaching HIV/AIDS awareness in schools. If you are a Pre-Med, Medical or Nursing student looking for a perfect volunteering option where you can serve the underprivileged ones and gain first-hand learning experience, then you must apply for this Malawi Medical volunteer project run by Go Volunteer Africa.
SKILLS REQUIRED:
For the medical placement, volunteers need to be training. You will need to be aged 18 years or above at the time of joining the program. Everyone is welcome to apply and a lot of pre-med, medical students, graduates and general people looking to help can apply to join these project. If you are looking to volunteer in a skilled role (for example as a doctor), you will need to provide certificates and your level of experience
GROUP VOLUNTEER TRIPS:
Get some friends together or organize a group from your school and embark on this incredible adventure! Discounts are offered on any group of 5+ participants on Malawi volunteering program.
LONGTERM VOLUNTEER WORK:
Please contact us for more information about our long-term volunteering program in Malawi. We will guide you on the best times of the year, what to pack, and what extra health precautions to keep in mind and all logistics.
VOLUNTEER ACCOMMODATION:
Volunteers are provided accommodation in a volunteer house or in a homestay accommodation managed by the local coordinating team. Three meals a day (Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner) are provided to the participants from Monday – Sunday. The accommodations are neat and clean. Accommodation is shared amongst volunteers on the ‘same gender sharing’ basis rooms. Wifi internet, warm water is not guaranteed.
The homes are close to useful amenities like banks, ATM’s, currency exchanges, restaurants, cafes and shopping places. All placements are around 10 – 30 minutes from the accommodation. At some point volunteers might be on the move and hence we suggest also bringing a sleeping mat and sleeping bag/pillow for travel and weekends away on adventures. Bathrooms are usually shared. There is a lounge area for relaxing, reading, or watching movies.
AGE REQUIREMENT:
Our program is for anyone eighteen years and above. We don’t accepts volunteers of 17 years of age and below on this program. There isn’t a maximum age limit, though a reasonable fitness level is necessary.
VISAS:
Visitors to Malawi must obtain a visa from one of the Malawian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa exempt countries or countries eligible for visa on arrival. All visitors must hold passports valid for a minimum of 6 months from the arrival date. Depending on the purpose of visit, a traveler who has a valid visa is granted a Visitors Permit (VP) or Business Visit (BV) at the port of entry valid for 30 days and can be extended up to a maximum period of 90 days. According to a document published by the Department of Immigration, nationals of all countries that are not visa exempt may obtain a visa on arrival. Malawi launched an eVisa application system on 1 November 2019
INSURANCE:
You’ll need to buy appropriate travel insurance covering your participation on the program. You won’t be able to go without the right travel insurance so double check to avoid disappointment. Please make sure that you’re covered for the whole duration of your trip – from the day you leave your home to the day you return. Buy here Now
WEEKENDS AND FREE-TIME:
Over the weekends or evenings, participants are free to eat out and explore the different delights that Malawi has to offer. We arrange city day tours and long-weekend safaris. No matter what your interests, there is always something for everyone to enjoy!
PROJECT FACTS:
| Availability: | Project open all year round |
| Duration: | Minimum 3 weeks commitment |
| Age Limits: | Minimum 18yrs or older for solo travelers. |
| Minimum Age: | —— |
| Dates: | Flexible start and end dates |
| Arrival dates: | One day before the start date |
| Airport Arrival: | Airport pickup, meet and greet by GVA partner representative |
| Working Days: | Monday – Friday – 5 days a week, 3-7 hours in a day |
| Weekends: | Travel / Sightseeing NOT included in program cost |
| Accommodation: | Host Family or volunteer house |
| Meals: | Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily |
| Support: | Pre-departure guide, In-country staff available 24/7 |
| Location: | Blantyre and Lilongwe |
| Language: | English |
PROGRAM FEE: (USD$):
APPLICATION & PLACEMENT BOOKING FEE:
Please Note: An application and placement booking fee of $180 is charged over and above the program fee as an application payment to secure your placement.
The fee covers: Administration Costs, Placement Booking & Confirmation, Pre-departure support & documentation, 24-hour international HQ back-up.
For Medical / Healthcare Volunteers: *Hospital administration fee of $100 per month (regardless of lesser duration) is added for all medical placements. Have an inquiry? Contact Us
