handsonafrica.com

Share your skills and exceed your own expectations – helping the people of Africa reach their greatest potential by joining a team of short-term volunteers working hand-in-hand with the local people. Our volunteer coordinators will work with you to choose a date, project and country to fulfill your volunteering goals. Service programs are generally two weeks.

A “working vacation” you’ll never forget.
Come join us. A Hands on Africa volunteer vacation is not just an opportunity to travel and immerse yourself in a foreign culture. It’s an opportunity to use your unique skills and interests to help provide the people of Africa with a horizon they wouldn’t otherwise have. Be the hands and feet of Jesus and share His love and saving Grace with the people of Africa.

We lead trips to Zambia, Sierra Leone, Kenya and Malawi twice a year, and hundreds of people have traveled with us. A trip usually lasts about 10 - 14 days including travel time.  If you want to find out more about dates and the different ministries in each country you can visit the Trip calender.

We work in rural areas, in villages with limited to no luxuries, making the experience so much more authentic.

We invite you to see firsthand the despair, hope and joy that exist, and to experience how your gift of presence can impact lives.  Come and share the love of Christ.  Step outside your comfort zone into God's comfort zone.

HOW TO APPLY?

1. Select the type of project or region of Africa that most interests you. Our volunteer coordinators can help you.
2. Visit our Trip calender for the next available programs. Check your calendar. Select service program dates most convenient for you. Call/email us with any questions.
3. Complete and submit the application form below  – under age 18 – must complete a minor application and travel with a parent or adult legal guardian. After we receive your completed informational forms, we will process your application and you will be notified of approximate costs. If you are within 75 days of departure, you must submit your entire payment by cash/check. If you are more than 75 days from departure, you may submit your flight fees (the earlier flights are booked, the lesser the costs) and the balance 75 days prior departure by cash/check.
4. Renew your passport, if required, and make your travel arrangements. Our volunteer coordinators will assist you with visa and vaccine requirements.
5. Review the Service Program Volunteer Agreement.

TAX DEDUCTABLE SERVICE PROGRAM FEES

If you are a U.S. tax-payer, your out-of-pocket savings for volunteer service programs. Your Service Program fees, air fare, visa and related travel expenses are tax deductible if you adhere to our program itinerary, because you perform the work of Hands on Africa, a 501C-3 tax-exempt organization. When combining federal and state income tax savings, the average volunteer will save about 33 percent of the total cost of the service program.
IRS requirements is that you work, on average, eight hours per day, five days out of seven to ensure you can claim this tax benefit. The service program time eligible is from the time you arrive in and depart from the host country, assuming reasonable travel time. Daily travel time to/from the work site and your lodging isn’t included in the eight-hour requirement. However, you can include reasonable preparation and planning time. For instance, when your work project includes teaching, you are expected to prepare one hour for every hour of teaching. Please note that additional travel or vacation either before or after the service program may disqualify all or part of your service program fee, air fare, etc., from this tax deduction. Regardless of your volunteer work projects, we recommend you keep a personal journal detailing the hours you work for tax purposes.

SAFETY AND SECURITY

There are inherent risks in traveling anywhere in the world, especially in developing countries. However, since 1997, and with thousands of volunteers working with us, Hands on Africa has maintained a top safety record. We do our best to provide a safe environment in all host communities. However, while we take every reasonable precaution to protect your safety, as is the case in all travel, you are primarily responsible for your personal safety. Food, lodging and transportation arranged for volunteer teams are done in a manner to maximize health and safety.

If you're hearing the question, "You're going where?" from family and friends, you're not alone. While our volunteers rarely let world headlines keep them from their destinations, their loved ones back home often need extra reassurance. Here are some important facts:

Because volunteers travel as representatives of Hands on Africa, not as tourists, team members are accepted as "friends" in the host communities, and as such, are afforded an extra measure of safety. Additionally, volunteers work together as a team, and never need be alone in the host community.

If you or your family members are concerned about your security in a host community, contact us for current information. For information on immunizations and infectious diseases, refer to the website for the Center for Disease Control for the latest information about suggested immunizations and travel advice.
Overall, be aware that the headlines can overstate or exaggerate reality. Be a world-wise traveler, but don't let the headlines keep you from doing God’s work. While Hands on Africa has never had a health or safety circumstance that couldn't be resolved quickly and thoroughly, inherent risks and dangers are part of travelling or staying in any foreign country. These include, but are not limited to, travel on dangerous roads, different hygienic standards; infrastructure challenges (including unsafe roads, road maintenance, transportation delays and accommodation conditions); forces of nature, geographic/climate conditions; civil unrest or terrorism; travel by motorcycle, bicycle, train, foot, automobile, aircraft, raft, boat, bus, van or other conveyance; the hazards of traveling in mountainous terrain, high altitude and undeveloped areas; significantly lower standards of healthcare, infectious diseases, and accident or illness in remote regions without means of rapid evacuation or availability of adequate medical supplies and facilities.

STAYING INVOLVED AT HOME

When you join a Hands on Africa Volunteers team, you join a worldwide network of service sustained by local host organizations, Hands on Africa staff and volunteers worldwide. All work together to ensure our partnerships will consistently address the needs of the local people we serve. When you return home, you join a network of volunteers who help us continue to serve host communities in many new ways.
Help us Engage New Volunteers: A steady stream of committed volunteers and sufficient funding form the foundation of our continued support across the globe. Many of our volunteers join future teams, and many bring others with them. This is the most effective way you can continue to support Hands on Africa’s work. While your personal service is central, we also need your help to recruit others to join future teams, and to provide additional financial support for vulnerable children in host communities worldwide.

Work with us to share your story in these ways:
Social media: Facebook, (like our fb page hands.on.africa.1 and share posts), Twitter, YouTube, and more.
Personal presentations: Meet with your friends and neighbors.
Feature interviews: Write a first-person story or talk with the media (write a review on our fb page)
Volunteer references: Email, call or write prospective volunteers
We'll support you with fact sheets, videos, photos, brochures and powerpoint presentations to support your efforts.
Donate to a Project: While our volunteer teams provide tremendous "hands-on" resources year-around, funding often falls short. That's where your donations help fill the gap. If you're excited about the opportunity to provide essential services to children, please help us to raise funds for special needs or one of our on-going programs.

Application Form:

For more information contact Michelle at michelle@handsonafrica.com.