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Make an impact in rural Malawi: Join our community projects

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The experience

Our social work project in Karonga engages volunteers in a range of meaningful activities that make a direct impact on the community, including women’s empowerment initiatives and feeding programs for children. We value collaboration and encourage volunteers to help plan and organize activities alongside our team. Our members are always available to provide guidance and work closely with volunteers throughout their stay.

What you offer

25 hours of help per week

Gardening: Help grow plants and cultivate gardens

Arts: Help with painting, graffiti, sculpting or drawing.

Social Work: Help with volunteer work in local projects and communities.

Teaching Sports: Teaching or assisting the host, guests, or local communities in practicing sports or physical activities.

Additional fee required

Amount: US$ 20 Per day

Fee pays for: Benefits for travelers and Materials for volunteer activities

Description: Volunteers are asked to contribute $20 per day, which covers accommodation, breakfast and dinner, utilities, laundry, and security.

What you get

2 days off per week

Private Room: You will have a bed in a private room. In other words, a room just for you.

Breakfast: You are entitled to a free breakfast, every day of your stay.

Lunch: You are entitled to a free lunch, every day of your stay.

Dinner: You are entitled to a free dinner, every day of your stay.

Free Laundry: You can use our laundry room freely.

Free Tours: We’ll take you on tours and rides around town. For free!

Free Hiking Tours: We’ll take you on excursions and hikes around town. For free!

Free Events: Get free entrance for the best events in town.

Pick Up: We will pick you up when you arrive, and take you to our property.

Requirements

Intermediate English

Between 18 and 80 years old

Welcomes solo volunteers, couples, and partners of volunteers

What's not included

Flights, Travel Insurance, Internal Transportation and Visa

Program Details

TWESA's aims cover 5 main categories - Women's empowerment, youth work, climate and sustainability, water and sanitation, and HIV awareness/education.

Depending on your skills, experience, and interests, you may be involved in:
- Community outreach and social work, including visits to local families and support for vulnerable groups

- Fundraising initiatives to sustain ongoing programs and meet local needs

- Organizing and participating in sporting events that promote youth engagement and well-being

- Administrative and office tasks such as data entry, reporting, and communications

- Workshops and training sessions, either as a participant or facilitator

- Educational support, including tutoring or assisting in local schools or learning centers

- Simply playing and being with the children that come to our community centre every day

- Assisting with our feeding programme for children which happens every weekend

- We encourage volunteers to bring their own ideas and passions to the program. Every contribution, no matter the size, helps create a lasting impact in the community.

Activities & Shift

When you apply to volunteer with TWESA, we will do our best to design a program that matches both your skills and the organization’s needs. If you have specific skills or areas of interest, please let us know before your arrival so we can plan activities in advance.

Upon arrival in Karonga, a TWESA team member will meet you and take you to your accommodation to get settled. We can also assist with practical tasks, such as purchasing a local SIM card for calls, texts, and internet access, or helping you obtain any other essentials.

On your first weekday morning, you will visit the TWESA office to meet the team. You’ll have the opportunity to learn more about our work, introduce yourself, and collaborate with us to create a tailored program that makes the best use of your skills, interests, and time.

Volunteers typically work five days a week with weekends free, though the schedule is flexible as occasional weekend activities may be planned. Every Monday morning, we hold a team meeting at the TWESA office to share ideas and plan the week’s activities to ensure effective collaboration. Volunteers are also invited to join the TWESA WhatsApp group, where we share photos, updates, and information about our work.

For those with laptops or an interest in supporting administrative tasks—such as grant writing, blog updates, or reporting—we generally spend mornings in the office (approximately 8:30 am – 12:30 pm) before lunch. Afternoon activities vary depending on the day’s schedule and volunteer programs.