Volunteer for 90 days in Africa – Run for Child Poverty

This listing describes a past volunteer opportunity with Run for Child Poverty, a small charity that organised a 2500-mile “Run for Africa” challenge across Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Namibia. The support team included a videographer and a physio or sports masseuse, who travelled with the runner, helped to document the journey and supported the campaign to raise funds for children living in extreme poverty.

Host type

• Organisation / NGO

Mission

The mission of Run for Child Poverty was the relief and prevention of extreme child poverty. The charity aimed to support small projects with the resources and expertise they needed to grow, so that more children could be taken off the streets and given access to education and a safer life.

Volunteer roles

Primary roles

• Videographer – to capture footage of the trip and help reach supporters with powerful clips.
• Physio or sports masseuse – to support the runner during the challenge.

Secondary roles

• Helping to set up camp.
• Taking turns preparing food for the team.

The team reminded applicants that this was a demanding charity challenge and not a standard volunteering project. Wild camping and simple conditions were part of the experience.

Hours and days of help

The expected contribution was around 4–5 hours of help per day, 6 days per week, with 1 day off. In reality the lifestyle was very intense, with long travel days and constant movement with the support vehicle.

Food and accommodation

Yes, food and accommodation were provided.

Accommodation type

The team used tents and camp beds while travelling across Africa. Volunteers needed to be ready for basic facilities, wild camping and limited access to showers.

Diet

The food plan was simple and practical, based mainly on rice, beans, fish, fruits, vegetables and snacks.

Fees and costs

The organisers stated that volunteers did not pay a participation fee. Food and accommodation were covered by the project. Volunteers had to pay for their own flights and personal spending money.

Visa support

Yes, the team could help with visa information and invitation letters. Volunteers still needed to check their own visa requirements for each country on the route.

Benefits and free time

Volunteers joined a unique culture experience in Africa, seeing wildlife, landscapes and local communities while travelling from east to west. In free time they could interact with local people and learn more about the places visited. It was also a chance to document the journey, keep a journal and reflect on the impact of the challenge.

Route and geography

The planned route crossed four countries: Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Namibia. The runner aimed to cover about 30 miles per day, running from the east coast of Africa to the west. Conditions included high temperatures, rough terrain and long periods in remote areas.

Language and internet

The working language of the team was English. Internet access was available at some points along the route but could be limited in remote areas.

Important notice about project status

Contact details (archival)