Volunteer Co-ordinator

Lilongwe Wildlife Centre is an award winning wildlife rescue, conservation and education centre set right in the heart of Malawi. We are the first ‘People and Wildlife’ project accredited by the Born Free Foundation and have just received a Responsible Tourism Award for the organization deemed internationally as ‘Best for Wildlife and Conservation’. Volunteers are absolutely crucial to our project and as our programme is growing we’re looking to fill the following role.

Background to Lilongwe Wildlife Centre

Malawi itself is the world’s 10th poorest country, most people live on less than $1 a day and the HIV/AIDs rate is 1 in 4. Due to a rapidly increasing population the pressure on the country’s natural resources is tremendous, and it has the 5th highest rate of deforestation in the world. Despite these hardships the countryside is incredibly beautiful and it is known as the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’ for its amazingly friendly and happy people. There is hope and we need to act now if we are going to make a difference.

We aim to help the people and wildlife of Malawi through:

1) Wildlife rescue & rehabilitation: we are Malawi’s only wildlife sanctuary and have 255 animals in resident at the moment, the majority of whom we aim to release back into the wild where they belong. Those that can never be released, for example, our one eyed lion Bella, are kept in huge enclosures and given the highest standard of life as possible.

2) Habitat conservation: very few capital cities can boast such a large and stunning wilderness reserve right at their heart. It is one of the last patches of acacia combretum forest in the whole of Malawi, and is home to animals like wild hyenas, crocodiles, monkeys and antelopes and hundreds of species of birds and rare trees and orchids.

3) Environmental education: We have over 20000 visitors to the centre every year, half of which are local school children who would never have the chance to visit their own country’s national parks. Not only can we give them an amazing day out, we also have the chance to influence and inspire the next generation – ultimately the future of Malawi. Our major focus for the next year is to build up our capacity and infrastructure to deliver a fantastic education programme that not only provides them with knowledge about conservation and wildlife but also equips them with skills like numeracy and literacy.

4) Community outreach: this is an absolutely crucial part of our programme. Our outreach projects all include an element of wildlife or environmental conservation but also help participants in other areas of their lives. For example our adult literacy programme ‘learning through wildlife’ has helped scores of previously unemployed and illiterate women learn to read and write, empowering them to take control of their own lives e.g. finding a job/helping their own children learn to read and write. Another example is our ‘green and clean’ project which has also been very successful – over 6000 trees were planted last year, and we have managed to create a fuel briquette business with youngsters who are now selling the briquettes (made themselves using recycled materials, leaves etc) rather than selling firewood, therefore helping to reduce deforestation. We also personally distributed 12000 briquettes to the local community which has helped to generate a demand. The project has been extended thanks to UNDP funding.

What does the role entail?

You’ll be responsible for the smooth running of the day-to-day operations, from co-ordinating volunteers on the ground through to managing the food budgets and menus and showing the volunteers Lilongwe’s social scene. You’ll also have a chance to muck in with the projects yourself and develop new ones working alongside other Centre staff.

Who is the ideal candidate?

You will have some experience of people management, perhaps you have worked on overland tours or other volunteering programmes in a similar role. Experience of other volunteering programmes abroad is a real benefit, especially if they are in developing countries. You might also have an animal/ecology/zoology background since much of our volunteering is wildlife based. You’ll need to be a real people person, optimistic, full of energy, outgoing and approachable with a can-do attitude whilst also being practical and hardworking and mature enough to take the job, and issues like health and safety, very seriously. As with the role above, this is a full time position requiring commitment and hard work where you will live and breathe the project, so it’s a great opportunity for anyone who wants to gain practical experience and get stuck in with a project that is truly making a difference.

What’s the deal?

We’re looking for a minimum 3 month commitment with basic food and accommodation provided, starting at the end of February or sooner to allow for further training. We will provide airport transfers and you will need to fund your own flights and visas. The hours are flexible on this job since you will be responsible for coordination out of hours, but in general you will get a day off a week plus a long weekend every month and, work commitments permitting, there is the opportunity to take off more time to explore Malawi.

• If this role is not suitable for you you are also very welcome to join as a volunteer, roles include animal care assistant, marketing intern, vet assistant, community outreach assistant, education assistant and doing general work around the centre to assist our busy and dedicated team. Placements run from as little as 2 weeks up to 3 months or more.