F R E Q U E N T L Y A S K E D Q U E S T I O N S
We love to hear from you but before you get in touch, why not find out if we've already answered your question. We've taken the top fifty queries we get and issued our responses below. If you still can't find the information you're looking for then feel free to contact us directly.
How much money will I need when I am in Africa?
As all accommodation and internal transfers to your placement area are provided for all volunteers, the only thing you'll need to worry about is food and drinks. In the vast majority of placements, food for the week can be sourced for between £5 and £9 from local markets. If you wish to purchase bottled mineral water during your expedition, this usually works out at approximately £1 for 3 Litres. Independent travel costs vary significantly and if you wish to take a holiday following your working placement then you speak to your expedition leader regarding this. We suggest taking a visa / mastercard rather than large quantities of cash. Always inform your bank of your plans prior to leaving the country and if you would like to save money on exchange rates and overseas transaction fees, view this helpful guide http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-travel-money
How much money will I need to spend on vaccination + insurance?
Vaccinations are a postcode lottery. Prices vary from county to county and you should speak to your local GP and travel Nurse before deciding where to purchase your travel vaccinations. For NHS guidance on the correct health precautions to take in the country you're travelling to, simply go to http://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations/africa.aspx and click on your expedition country.
I don't speak the local language. (Swahili, Chitumbuka, Chichewa, Dholuo, Luganda)
Will this be a big problem?
In many of our University Societies, language lessons are provided by alumni and indigenous speakers through our society meetings but no language ability is assumed on placement and the majority of lessons are taught in English. In some cases, translators are provided as required however first aid is a topic that is easily taught without the need for significant prose or verbal description. Watach-and-repeat methods of practice and practical experience are more important than learning the Swahili for "Blood" (It's Damu by the way!)
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Is it safe to be in Africa?
Sub-Saharan Africa is a vast continent of 54 individual sovereign countries, many of which are in the top 10 financially developing countries in the world. There are stereotype of Africa as a war-torn continent. These narratives and generalisations are not only unhelpful, they distract from the truth about this varied and pluralistic continent. This said, there can always be inherent dangers in travelling to an area that you are unfamiliar with, which is why our staff complete full risk assessments prior to each expedition. These assessments are reviewed regularly and our international risk update provider (www.drum-cussac.com) keeps us in the loop with any changes to risk levels or political unrest in the areas we work so that we can stay ahead of the curb when it comes to safety.
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