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Find your Field of Work and Travel as a Volunteer!

My Magazine 2023/04
5 min
Volunteering is a thing that many of us consider doing, but an experience that only minorities embark on. If you have ever met someone who has travelled to different countries and volunteered, you probably already heard how incredibly Satisfying and life-changing experience it can be. Besides just ticking off the country from your bucket list as a regular tourist, volunteering gives you a unique opportunity to experience local culture and create sustainable and positive change in humanitarian projects. You can see the country off the beaten tourist tracks, meet new friends, learn new skills and find your true self on the journey of self-discovery.

With an attractive geographical location and cultural history, The Gambia is a lovely volunteer location. A small silver of land on the mainland of Africa, The Gambia is known for its vibrant culture, busy fishing villages and gorgeous beaches. So think no more; give yourself a life-changing authentic experience to learn about a culture and new skills and provide a little back to the community.

Many hospitals, health clinics, nurseries, and primary schools seek international volunteers. Rural areas and small villages are also volunteer destinations in The Gambia. Here are some of the volunteering programs that have been accepting international volunteers for the past ten years, and now, you can easily book one of them through My Gambia.

 

VOLUNTEER ON THE FARM

Volunteering on a farm and sustainable farming can be very rewarding. It provides a platform for volunteers to work alongside the community and promotes sustainable agriculture, education, and youth empowerment. Volunteering at Kankanba Farm is an opportunity as you will work with local farmers to plant and harvest various crops, including vegetables and seasonal fruits, and learn about the practices critical for long-term farming success. In addition, volunteers can get involved in multiple activities, such as animal care for sheep, chickens and cows, tractor operations, maintenance and renovation work, beekeeping and more.

 

VOLUNTEER IN MEDICINE

Volunteering with Health professionals is a prospect to gain new knowledge and experience. Travelling to The Gambia can be a unique opportunity to reevaluate the important things in life. The chance to familiarize yourself with the place's culture to connect with the community as much as possible will not only affect the lives of your patients directly but also allow local communities to make extra income by visiting them, spending a day with them, or even deciding on a homestay experience. So if you are a physiotherapist, doctor, nurse or other health personnel, there are many opportunities to volunteer in a general hospital, private physiotherapy clinic, clinical laboratory, or psychiatric clinic. It is an excellent opportunity for students in healthcare professions to get practical knowledge and learn valuable lessons that will help them in their career path forward. Visiting the local hospitals and speaking with the doctors can also help them understand their healthcare challenges.

 

VOLUNTEER IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Volunteering in environmental protection while travelling can be an excellent opportunity to spend some time with the local community and learn the way of their life, religion and traditions, to gain basic knowledge of one of the local languages. At Gunjur, you can meet with Gunjur-Conservationists-Ecotourism-Association (CETAG) and learn about environmental issues such as climate changes, environmental pollution, erosion, sewage disposal etc. You can also take a language class in Mandinka or Wolof (2 of the most widely spoken language of both The Gambia and Senegal). Volunteering activities include tree planting, engaging with horticulture activities, collecting data on sea turtles, labelling and interpreting museum artefacts, doing lessons on environmental protection and learning about traditional medicinal practices.

 

VOLUNTEER AT THE NURSERY SCHOOL

Volunteering at nursery schools can be a significant way to help some vulnerable children and families. It is also an opportunity to develop and enjoy new experiences. You can connect to the community, meet new people, know a culture, learn new skills and share what you know—located in Brufut, a village about half an hour from the main tourism area, is World Nursery School. Children between 4 and 7 attend the nursery as they do not have access to regular schooling opportunities but always desire new knowledge. Activities such as storytelling, sports, outdoor games, playing on instruments, singing, learning about letters, numbers and basics of the English language, and any other learning activity can be done with the equipment and materials available in the centre. Volunteers must use their resourcefulness, adaptability and originality to design and form new activities they plan to perform with children.

 

VOLUNTEER IN PSYCHOLOGY AND MENTAL HEALTH

Mental health is a burning issue worldwide right now. Many mentally disabled people lack access to adequate care, or local superstition prevents them from getting help. By volunteering in mental health, you can overcome these barriers and help the communities approach mental health with care and understanding. As a volunteer, you can participate in multiple activities, from awareness of mental health to supporting people with mental health issues and helping them to get through difficult times. As challenging as this role is, it is rewarding too.

 

PHOTOGRAPHY AND JOURNALISM VOLUNTEER

A famous Chinese proverb, "One picture is worth a thousand words, " is accurate as a single click can bring meaningful change. Photojournalism can give you a unique opportunity for a creative, learning and fun-finding experience. You will learn to work as a team, researching and producing the content with an important end goal. In these programs, you can engross yourself in the community life, culture and nature of The Gambia and know about the real challenges that will help you develop your vision as a photographer or a writer. You can work with NGOs promoting social initiatives and make a visual or give words to experience while exploring The Gambia.

 

VOLUNTEER IN VETERINARY CLINIC

A small private veterinary clinic welcomes all who have a degree in veterinary professions and are willing to test their skills in an environment where medical supplies are not taken for granted and tropical animal diseases are another challenge. Working with the clinical team, you will be responsible for assistance to the veterinarians and being on duty for emergency cases. You can choose to stay in the staff room of the clinic or commute to work every day from your preferred place of stay.

 

VOLUNTEER IN CLINICAL LABORATORY

This program is intended for students and graduates of biochemistry and lab biomedicine who would like to improve their knowledge in Western Africa and help in the busiest hospital in Serrekunda. Work is taking place in biochemical, haematological and paediatric and microbiological laboratories, performing various tests on the most common diseases in The Gambia, such as malaria. Volunteers exchange knowledge and techniques with the clinic staff, which guides all activities. The volunteers help and assist in their daily routine and work and get an invaluable experience in the environment, lacking modern and necessary equipment to conduct research.

Ready for a life-changing experience? Contact us and let us make it possible!

 

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Volunteer Trails

With the heritage of making a change in The Gambia for the past 12 years, Volunteer Trails is the creation of a new vision that will improve the quali...
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