Volunteer Malawi
BFiM runs on the enthusiasm of it's volunteers. Malawi doesn’t just need financial support, it needs people like you to go out and share your experiences and your knowledge. We appreciate that the main worries about visiting Africa (apart from cost) are safety and living standards. We offer our volunteers somewhere secure to stay. The house has a house keeper, clean plumbed in toilets and hot showers (mostly!!). It has 3 bedrooms and comfortably accomodates 8 volunteers. The house is in the centre of Lilongwe and is in walking distance of Falls Secondary School and the old town centre. It is available to anyone who wants to visit any of our projects all year round. We hope that this will encourage more people to visit.
You will be amazed at how much you can offer. You do not have to teach or coach sports. All you have to do is invest some time at one of our schools or at some of the rural projects run by other charities in Lilongwe. You will have to pay for your own flights (around £550) and food and running costs when you are there (around £50 per week). We hope that you too will fall in love with Malawi.
Cost
Malawi can cater for any budget. You will be amazed at how far your money can go if you want it to and you will be amazed at the incredible things you can see and do on a reasonable budget. The best way to get an idea of costs is to get in touch with us. We will be happy to talk to you and more often than not we will be able to meet with you in the UK before you leave.
Food
We estimate a typical combination of eating in and eating out will cost a maximum of £30 per week.
Flights
Depending on how far in advance you book you should expect to pay £400 - £900.
Health
You will need to visit a health centre to arange appropriate vaccinations and also anti-malarials.
This may cost around £200. If you are comfortable buying anti-malarials in Malawi they are cheaper.
Travel
Travel with a tourist company will be expensive, but there are no real advantages to doing it this way. We recommend going solo! The africa on a shoestring recommends a budget of $15-$20 per day but you can do it for far less than that. Or far more if luxury is your thing!
Sam and Wayne Volunteered in 2008. Here is there film:
Travel Malawi...
Malawi lies, land locked, in the Great Rift Valley, 20% of its area is taken by the picturesque Lake Malawi, which runs along the North East edge. To the south Mt Mulanje, Central Africa's highest peak, towers above the plains. In the North is the Nyika Plateau, a vast expance of rolling hills, dotted with herds of zebra and antelope. Scattered through Malawi's varied landscape are several Game reserves and Parks where the big five can still be spotted. In the middle of the country and only 1 1/2 hours from the lake shore is the capital city and the base for BFiM, Lilongwe.
Lilongwe
Lilongwe is a small city, scattered over a large area. It has two centers, old and new. In the new side, City Centre, you will find offices, banks and government Embassies seperated by well kept gardens and grassy areas. In old town you will find a vast bustling market and the chaotic mini-bus station, it is busy here and there is plenty to be seen.
The Lake
There are loads of beautiful places to visit along Malawi's lake shore, either camping or staying in hotels or hostels. Here are our top 3:Senga Bay
This is a small town at the eastern end of a board peninsula that juts into the lake from Salima. The clear water and sandy beaches are inviting and you can go windsurfing, canoeing and snorkelling. You can also go hiking in the nearby Senga Hills.
Steps campsite/Livingstonia Beach Hotel - this is a gorgeous campsite. There's good security and spotless bathrooms (but no hot water). It sits peacefuly at the end of a private beach where a rocky headland juts into the water.
Nkhata Bay
The small, bustling town of Nkhata Bay is cradled amoung the hills of the northern lakeshore. In front of the town a peninsula where Ilala ferry docks, juts into the lake. Although local 'tour guides' are a nuisance, Nkhata Bay is a lovely place to visit and offers a good balance of activaties and relaxation.
Njaya Lodge - Perched serenly on a hilltop above the lake, this place is ledgedary on the travellers grapevine. The chalets range from simple without bathroom to comforatable with bathroom. The bar and restaurant open onto a wide terrace with a magnificent view.
Monkey Bay
This small port, at the southern end of lake Malawi, is home to a large and animated monkey population. It is also home to theIlala, the trusty passenger ferry that has been chugging slowly up and down the lake for more than 50 years. Most visitors arrive or depart on the Ilala, from the deck you will get a unique view of Malawi as the ferry calls at isolated villages, loading and offloading its intriguing cargo of fish, bicycles, goats and furniture.
Nyika National Park
Shrouded in peaceful solitude amid an expanse of waving grass and rolling hills the Nyika Plateau is protected by the Nyika National Park. The park is home to the rare roan antelope as well as many other grazing animals. The air is pure and there is a special kind of beauty in the barronness of the plateau. On clear days the views from the edge of the plateau are endless. Although you won't see the bigger animals you see in other parks, the distinctive feature of Nyika is the romantic landscape. As you approach antelope and zebra will watch warily from a distance or gallop off into the safety of the tall pine forests around the camp.
Once inside the park you can arrange day walks or hikes that last all week, horseback safaris or drives with a ranger.
Liwonde National Park
A few kilometres south of Lake Malawi, Liwonde national park is a fine wilderness area. A boat trip of the wide River Shire, which meanders lazily through the park, is a great way to explore. You can watch floating islands of weed slip past on the smooth current, birds building their nests in the reeds, snorting hippos and snoozing crocks.
As
well as its river dwelling creatures Liwonde is known for its large elephant population. You'll also see plenty of Antelope species and warthog. If you are lucky you may even spot a lion or leopard. There's also a rhino breeding programe close to Mvuu Camp. It's best to visit in the dry season when the roads are more accessable and animals are easier to spot.
Mvuu Camp - This beautiful camp is perched on the riverbank in the northern part of the park. It has comfortably furnished chalets and roomy walk-in tents with bathrooms. There's a large thatched restaurant and bar overlooking the river.
Blantyre
Malawi's commercial capital, Blantyre was named after a town near Glasgow in Scotland, the birthplace of David Livingstone. The city is spread out along Chilembwe Hwy to the point where it merges into its 'sister city', Limbe. The city centre, however, hemmed into a triangle by Victoria Ave, Haile Selassie and Glyn Jones Rds is very compact and most places of interest are within easy walking distance.
Unusual Auction Raises Money For BFIM Library Project
Monday 16th August 2010
The recent Building Futures in Malawi Blues and Rock Garden Party went down a storm. Not only did a larger than ever crowd revel in the unique atmosphere that was electrified by some of the best musical talent in Colchester, the charity gift auction was an unusual turn of events. As regular guests of the BFIM music event will know, each year a cake is auctioned off to raise money to improve the lives of children in Malawi, but this year there was a surprise in store for the guests. An employee of sponsors High Position, an Essex based search engine optimisation company, offered themselves up for bidding in return for a night out on the tiles. In good spirit Kerry McCarthy was won by colleague Tobias Bowman and the pair spent an evening drinking fine wine and eating good food, followed by some dancing at a local nightclub. In total the event raised a stunning £5,900 which will go towards the latest project, building a community sports school which includes a secondary school, sports fields, community centre and library amongst many other things.
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