TravelWorks.co.uk » Volunteer Abroad » Burkina Faso » FAQ
Gap Year in Burkina Faso
The French-speaking west African land of Burkina Faso is one of the poorest and least-developed countries in the world. The population depends on agriculture, though periods of drought turn the country into a landscape of dry savannahs.
Yet Burkina Faso is still known for the “don’t-worry-be-happy” mentality of its people. With very limited resources, the Burkinabès have managed to establish a culturally-diverse country, where many different races live together in peace.
This programme is currently not available for 2011, but please feel free to check out some of our other programmes in Africa, such as volunteering in Ghana.
Can I participate if I’m not from the UK?
Do I need to take a test to prove my French skill level?
Do I need special references or experience to participate?
Is there an age limit? How old are typical participants?
Can I participate with a friend?
Can I combine my volunteer work in Burkina Faso with a programme in another country?
Can I choose the city/region where I would like to volunteer?
Can I choose which project I would like to work on?
How much time will I actually spend volunteering? Will I have free time?
Should I bring any special supplies for my volunteering project?
May I extend my stay in Burkina Faso?
What will my accommodation be like?
Will I live and work with other volunteers?
Can I contact my host family before my departure?
Can I contact other volunteers before I depart?
How will I get to my volunteering site each day?
What is the health/safety situation in Burkina Faso? Do I need vaccinations?
Do I need to apply for a visa?
Should I buy travel insurance?
Are food and accommodation included in the programme price?
How much money should I expect to spend on extra costs such as travel and food?
When does the programme start? How long does it last?
Will I earn money during my project work?
Can I participate if I’m not from the UK?
Yes. Participants from the United Kingdom and the United States are welcome to participate in the gap year in Burkina Faso programme, as are citizens from other countries. If you are from another country, we will have to check your country’s visa requirements to see if you can participate.
Do I need to take a test to prove my French skill level?
No test is required, but you will need to have very good French skills in order to take part in the gap year in Burkina Faso. Your French should be good enough that you can communicate effectively with people in Burkina Faso. You do not have to speak fluent French, but your French level should not be so low that it hinders your activities as a volunteer. You will be asked to complete a C.V. in French prior to your departure, and you will be able to brush up on your French during an 8-lesson course in Burkina Faso.
Do I need special references or experience to participate?
No special experience is required for the gap year in Burkina Faso. However, any special skills which you could use as you volunteer would be both helpful and welcomed. Motivation, flexibility, and personal initiative are the most important qualities you can bring to your volunteer project in Burkina Faso.
Is there an age limit? How old are typical participants?
Participants must be above 18 years of age in order to participate in the gap year in Burkina Faso. Participants are usually 20-25 years old, but older and younger participants are also very welcome to participate.
Can I participate with a friend?
Yes. When you apply, you can list a travel partner. We cannot guarantee that you will be placed in the same project or host family with your friend. However, you will probably live in the same town.
Can I combine my volunteer work in Burkina Faso with a programme in another country?
Yes. It is often possible to combine programmes. Feel free to contact TravelWorks for more information.
Can I choose the city/region where I would like to volunteer?
You will be able to list your top project preferences before your departure, but you will not be able to pick where you volunteer. Most participants volunteer in Ouagadougou during their gap year in Burkina Faso. Sometimes participants volunteer in smaller towns in the country. Where you do your volunteer work will often depend on where help is needed at the time.
Can I choose which project I would like to work on?
You will be able to list your three top preferences for the type of volunteer work you would like to engage in during your gap year in Burkina Faso. For example, you could state that you would like to work in a high school, orphanage, or day-care centre. We will do what we can to place you in an establishment matching your top preference, but we cannot absolutely guarantee that this will be possible. Your placement will depend on where help is needed and on any experience you may have. It may occur that a project you had not yet considered will be suggested for you.
Which projects can I work on?
In Burkina Faso, there are various opportunities for volunteer workers. For example, you could work in an orphanage, caring for children and keeping them busy. Or, you could teach in a primary school or a school for people with disabilities. Another possibility is offering health and hygiene advice. Any relevant experience you may have in these areas of work will be an advantage, but flexibility, creativity, and personal initiative are much more important.
Depending on the project, you may work full work days or part-time. Participants usually have free weekends. Please note that school projects will be closed from May through August and around Christmas and Easter due to holidays.
Burkina Faso is a developing country. Many projects here are rather poorly equipped or cannot afford to employ enough people, making your work here all the more important. In the projects, there is often no one to tell you what to do all the time. Therefore, you will need to show a great deal of initiative and creativity as you pitch in and help during your gap year in Burkina Faso.
How much time will I actually spend volunteering? Will I have free time?
The amount of time you spend volunteering will depend on the project in which you are placed for your gap year in Burkina Faso. In general, participants work about 8 hours each day. You will have 2 free days per week, giving you plenty of time to explore Ouagadougou and other parts of Burkina Faso.
Should I bring any special supplies for my volunteering project?
You do not need to bring any supplies for your volunteer work, but after you find out which project you will be doing, you can bring project-appropriate materials. For example, if you are working with children during your gap year in Burkina Faso, you could bring along toys, art supplies, or school materials.
May I extend my stay in Burkina Faso?
You can originally book the programme for 8, 12, or 16 weeks. Once you are in Burkina Faso, you may be able to extend your stay, but you will need to inform our partner organisation as early as possible. If you extend the gap year in Burkina Faso programme, you will need to pay an additional fee for accommodation and meals, to our partner organisation. You may have to switch to a different project or host family if you extend your stay. We cannot guarantee that you will be able to extend your stay once you are already in Burkina Faso.
Please note that you must stay for at least 8 weeks in Burkina Faso.
What will my accommodation be like?
During the first four days of your stay in Burkina Faso, you will take part in an orientation, during which you will stay with other volunteers in a hostel, where all meals will be provided. After this, you will stay with a host family, also with full board. Host families in Burkina Faso are very carefully chosen and are usually “middle-class” families. You should expect far simpler living conditions than what you are used to. In general, the more rural the area is where you are volunteering, the simpler your living conditions will be.
The Burkinabè, as the people of Burkina Faso are called, are very hospitable and social. You should be prepared to have far less personal space than you have at home. Many friends and relatives of your host family will often be in the house. Even though the many people around you may become a bit stressful at times, you will have the great opportunity to get to know the lifestyle of the Burkinabè and to meet many interesting people.
Will I live and work with other volunteers?
You may live with other participants, but most volunteers live alone with their host families. You are likely to meet other volunteers during your orientation and during your volunteer work, but this is not guaranteed.
Is there a volunteer “base”?
The office of our partner organisation in Ouagadougou is there to help you if you have any questions, problems, or concerns during your gap year in Burkina Faso.
Can I contact my host family before my departure?
You probably will not be able to contact your host family before your gap year in Burkina Faso, because many families do not have telephones or an internet connection. When you arrive in Burkina Faso, a staff member from our partner organisation will drive you to the home of your host family.
Can I contact other volunteers before I depart?
Yes, if there are other TravelWorks volunteers, we will send you their contact details about two weeks before your departure for Burkina Faso.
How will I get to my volunteering site each day?
Volunteers usually go by foot or bicycle to their project sites. You will have the opportunity to rent a bicycle for about £2.50 (US$4 / €3) per week. Host families usually live just a short distance away from where the projects are located.
What is the health/safety situation in Burkina Faso? Do I need vaccinations?
Burkina Faso is a developing country, where the health risks are much more serious than those in Europe or the United States. The risk of malaria is especially high. As long as you eat and drink hygienically and take care to protect yourself from mosquitoes, you can reduce your risk of contracting dangerous infectious diseases such as malaria and diarrhoea. It is important that you visit a doctor as early as you can before your departure for advice about necessary vaccinations and health precautions. Please wait to receive your vaccinations after you have definitely been admitted to the programme. You can find useful information regarding vaccinations at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk.
In Ouagadougou there are several private clinics where French is spoken. Burkina Faso has a high and ever-growing AIDS rate. It is of the utmost importance that you take this into account in regard to your personal behaviour in Burkina Faso.
You can find more detailed information regarding safety and health in Burkina Faso and other countries on the website of the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office: www.fco.gov.uk or on the website of the U.S. Department of State: travel.state.gov.
Do I need to apply for a visa?
Yes. Citizens of the United Kingdom and the United States need to have a valid passport, a valid visa, and a certificate of vaccination against yellow fever in order to enter Burkina Faso. If you are from another country, it will be necessary to check your country’s visa requirements to see if you are eligible to participate.
If you are not a resident of the United Kingdom or the United States, it will be necessary to check your country’s visa agreement with South Africa to determine if you will be able to participate in the programme.
Should I buy travel insurance?
Yes, we strongly recommend that you get travel insurance to protect yourself abroad. WorldNomads offers flexible travel insurance for short-term and gap-year travellers like yourself. Note that this is only a recommendation. Feel free to search for the travel insurance which is right for you.
Are food and accommodation included in the programme price?
Yes. Full board (three meals per day) and accommodation will be provided during the four orientation days (in a hostel) and during your stay with the host family.
How much money should I expect to spend on extra costs such as travel and food?
Our partner organisation in Burkina Faso estimates that you will spend about £135-180 (US$ 225-300 / 150-200 €) per month in extra costs, for excursions, souvenirs, etc. Of course, this will depend on your personal lifestyle, so you may spend more or less than this during your gap year in Burkina Faso. You should also factor the following expenses into your trip’s budget:
- Flight ticket
- Visa costs
- Travel insurance
- Vaccinations
- Drinking Water
- Daily transport to/from the project (£2.50/week bicycle rental possible)
- Miscellaneous personal expenses
When does the programme start? How long does it last?
The participant arrival date for the programme is the second Sunday of each month. The orientation begins the following day (Monday). The overnight stay from Sunday night to Monday morning is included in the programme price.
The programme in Burkina Faso lasts a minimum of 8 weeks, and you can book a maximum stay of 20 weeks through TravelWorks before your departure.
Due to holidays, participants cannot be placed in school volunteer projects from May through August or around Easter and Christmas.
Will I earn money during my project work?
No, this is volunteer work! This means that through your work, you are supporting people in need and assisting in projects, which usually have barely enough money to cover their own essential expenses. Please do not expect payment for your volunteer work. Instead, look at this as an amazing opportunity to help people and gain meaningful life experiences.
What are my next steps?
If you decide to participate in the gap year in Burkina Faso programme, just fill out the PDF or online Booking Form. Please note that if you are booking online you will need a credit card (we accept Visa or MasterCard). If you choose the PDF booking form, please print, fill out, and sign the form before faxing it to TravelWorks. As soon as we have received your application, we will process your booking. At this point your application will be legally binding. We will contact you if we need any additional information.
You will receive various application materials by e-mail after you have applied for the gap year in Burkina Faso programme. These documents need to be completed and returned to TravelWorks.
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