Africa FAQ

FAQ Number:	48
Question:	What is VolunTourism?
Answer:	Voluntourism is a new brand of tourism that incorporates an element of service and volunteering into the traditional holiday for anywhere from one week to multiple months. Voluntourism is a great way of immersing yourself in a culture rather than just breezing through and seeing the top tourist attractions. Voluntourism has become extremely popular in Africa, and projects exist that allow volunteers to assist with medical projects, teaching projects, building projects, orphanages, and wildlife conservation efforts. Some projects are geared towards people with specific skill-sets (i.e. doctors, teachers, or veterinarians) while others are open to people of all experience levels who are simply able to commit to the project with good intentions and motivation. Some Voluntourism operations are for-profit while others operate as non-profits. You will have to do a lot of research in decided which one is right for you, but the thing that most commonly differs between the two kinds of operation is the degree of comfort you will be provided during your stay (i.e. accommodation, meals, transport). The cost of hosting volunteers can be extremely high, so often non-profits ask that in exchange for the opportunity to become involved in the organization's work, volunteers will arrange their own accommodation, meals, and transport while in country. Conversely, for-profit voluntourism groups offer a more guided and comfortable experience because that's literally what you're paying for! Accommodation and transport in country while generally be arranged for you, and often your meals will even be provided. A great site to learn more about voluntourism and to help you plan your trip is < www.voluntourism.org >
Source:	www.voluntourism.org

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FAQ about Africa

What is VolunTourism?