Volunteer to help care for underprivileged children in Maun, Botswana. Facing a high unemployment rate and one of the world’s highest HIV infection rates Botswana has its share of social needs. Nevertheless it is a relatively peaceful and stable African country with the prospects of a bright future if its children can be adequately cared for and educated. Maun is an isolated town servicing a large rural area and it contains a number of day care centers for children. Based at one of the child care centers you may help with hands-on teaching, organising activities, caring for the children, arranging food, assessing needs, developing the center and more. Whilst placed here you will have the opportunity to explore the surrounding area including the Okavango delta (one of Africa’s natural wonders), Chobe National Park, the Kalahari Desert and get to experience life as a local in this fascinating location.

There are large numbers of young children in Botswana who are vulnerable and others whose parents both need to work. These children are the future decision makers of the country and providing a good foundation for their education is key to the future of this important African country. There are a large number of day-care centers with various needs many of whom are seeking volunteer assistance. Your role will be to play your part in assisting these care centers to provide the foundation for the education of these children. You’ll work in direct contact with these children on a daily basis taking care of their basic needs and giving them much needed love, care and guidance. As a volunteer, you would be working in an assistant day-care provider role teaching children life skills, arranging stimulating and developmental activities and providing adult supervision. At the care centers you will work with a local care giver or teacher assisting them and taking on responsibilities as your skills and experience allows. In general you may play three different roles:

1. Teaching – The children at the care centers are taught basic English and maths.
2. Care giving – Encouraging the children giving them attention and arranging fun activities for them, playing games with them, teaching them basic life skills and giving them the care and attention they need at that age.
3. Centre development – Volunteers are often involved with painting educational murals, organizing fundraising events, taking children to the play ground and working on income generating projects, or arranging small infrastructure projects like building swings.

There are many other activities that you as a volunteer might like to get involved in; sports (start a small sport program for the kids), art projects, music and singing songs (bring an instrument and teach some kids to play), and various other community initiatives (e.g. recycling, craft development). Wherever you feel your strengths lie is where you should get involved – use your own creativity and work together with your project leader and the caregivers at the care point.