Volunteer in Cameroon

Volunteer in Cameroon and discover a Central African country that has a lot to offer...

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Volunteer Projects and Internships in Cameroon

Cameroon is a Central African country with a population of about 22 million people. While you will find a high population density in Cameroon's urban centers, there are just as many country dwellers, for whom poverty continues to be a huge issue. In fact, a study that was undertaken in 2007 revealed that about 40 percent of the rural population is affected by dire poverty. Yet Cameroon is also a place that is extremely rich in terms of its culture. Estimates suggest that 235 to more than 280 different linguistic groups and folks call this Central African nation their home.

While there is a great need for volunteers at the local projects, the country has a lot to offer as well. As such, committing to voluntary work in Cameroon will prove to be both rewarding and exciting. If you are thinking about becoming a volunteer in Cameroon, we would thus like to tell you what you need to know. Read on to learn more about this country as well as the voluntary work opportunities that exist here.

In what follows, we would like to offer a comprehensive guide to anyone that is thinking about joining volunteer opportunities in Cameroon. Find out what volunteer projects are looking for your help as a volunteer and learn more about how to prepare for your African volunteer adventure. If volunteering is something that you are passionate about and you have always been intrigued by this African nation, you have come to the right place.

Volunteer opportunities in Cameroon

There are seemingly endless numbers of volunteer projects for you to choose from if you would like to become a volunteer in Cameroon. After all, there are many regards in which this African nation is still struggling. As such, this is the perfect opportunity for you to commit to charity work that matches your personal skill set.

At the different volunteer opportunities in Cameroon, you will not only get a chance to practice your French (if you speak any). Instead, this is also a great opportunity for you to contribute to a cause that you are truly passionate about. Whether you want to support women, children, or the local community as a whole, there is plenty of room for you to do just that in Cameroon. In what follows, we will tell you what fields you can volunteer in, such as:

  • healthcare
  • technology
  • business
  • community
  • education
  • environment
  • construction

Support local NGOs

If you would like to pass on your business or vocational skills to the Cameroonian population, you will prove to be a great asset as a volunteer in Cameroon. After all, there are several volunteer projects that focus on teaching the local population business skills so that they can build a better life and future for themselves and their families.

Are you particularly passionate about helping women? If so, you might like to join a project that offers microfinance opportunities to women. These kinds of programs are meant to empower women so that they are not as dependent on men. Many of the women that benefit from your work as a volunteer in Cameroon might even be widows, which is why your help could potentially provide them with a whole new outlook on life.

However, there are also plenty of other opportunities for you to become a business volunteer. For example, your marketing skills will prove to be a great asset. You will find that empowering the Cameroonian people by giving them the skills they need to start their own business will be an incredibly rewarding experience for you.

Teaching in Cameroon

Do you love to teach? Do you want to enable access to education as a basic human right? In this case, your help at education volunteer opportunities in Cameroon is very much needed. Once again, you will likely be stationed in one of Cameroon's rural areas, as this is where the need for teachers is the greatest. Since one of the official languages of Cameroon is English, you should have no problem teaching your students. Make up your own lesson plans and prepare for a career in education by becoming a volunteer in Cameroon!

Support community services

Do you consider yourself a bit of an IT expert? Do you think that you could teach others a thing or two about tech? Tech volunteers are in high demand in Cameroon. Whether you want to work with children or adults, providing tech training to the people of Cameroon will prove to be immensely rewarding. After all, you will be providing these people with skills, which will allow them to pursue careers, which they would not have had access to otherwise.

Support community services

Your help as a community and construction volunteer is very much needed. Make sure to choose your volunteer program based on your passions and your individual skill set, as this will ensure that your volunteer work is really meaningful to you. Your project’s focus can be

  • supporting women
  • working at a local youth outreach program
  • the construction of new schools and hospitals

If you love to play sports, you will also find the right volunteer opportunities in Cameroon. How about you share your passion for soccer with the local youth? While sports is one great way of bringing the local youth together, your volunteer program might use this opportunity to provide educational information about Malaria, HIV/ AIDS, drugs and the like as well.

Promote access to clean drinking water

Access to clean water continues to be a huge issue for many rural dwellers in Cameroon. Lack of access to such uncontaminated water sources is thus a contributing factor to the poor health of many Cameroonians. However, there is something you can do about this if you become an environmental volunteer in Cameroon. Your job might be to help with extending the clean water supply to more and more communities. In addition, education is crucial, too.

If you are interested, you cannot just help to put the required clean water infrastructure in place. Instead, you can teach the locals about both the importance of clean water and what they can do to conserve water. As such, you can help both the environment and the Cameroonian population by joining environmental volunteer opportunities in Cameroon.

Medical and healthcare

There are several ways in which you can support the local community as a healthcare volunteer in Cameroon. In particular, Malaria is a big problem for this country. As such, you can do your part to prevent the spread of Malaria by educating the local population about how to best protect themselves. In rural areas, Cameroon is faced with both a big health and sanitation problem, which you can help to address as a volunteer in Cameroon.

In turn, you might want to consider volunteering at a hospital or health care project to do your part to give these people a better quality of life along with a longer life expectancy. From public health education to providing healthcare to the local people, there is plenty that needs to be done. Keep in mind that you will likely be stationed in a rural setting as a healthcare volunteer in Cameroon, as this is where your help is needed the most.

From regular HIV/ AIDS screenings to administering vaccinations to the locals, passionate volunteers can really make a difference in Cameroon's healthcare sector. However, even if you do not have a background in the medical field, you can still help. Perhaps you would like to volunteer in Cameroon by becoming a nutritional trainer.

Cost of living

The suggested daily budget for living in Cameroon is between US$ 0.74 and US$ 8.06. This is an estimate made considering the average price of some of the services you might need and things you might want to buy. It gives you a general overview of how much things cost in this country, so you can be prepared and save the money you will need.

Additional costs you should consider will be:

An exemplary overview of living costs for Cameroon (in US $, for one person) can be found here.

Things to know before you volunteer in Cameroon

As this will likely be your first time visiting Cameroon, there are some precautions that you should keep in mind. Since we want your time in Cameroon to be as much of a pleasant experience as possible, we thus ask you to read on. Learn more about what you can do to stay safe during your time as a volunteer abroad and find out how to prepare for your Cameroonian adventure.

Safety & Precautions

As a volunteer in Cameroon, you will likely stick out a bit, simply given the color of your skin. Since the locals will thus be able to tell that you are a foreigner, you should keep the following tips in mind for your own safety:

  • Do not walk around at night
  • Avoid going to the more isolated/ poor areas of town unless you are going there with your volunteer program
  • Always lock your car doors when driving
  • Do not wear expensive jewelry
  • Only take small amounts of cash/ valuables with you
  • Avoid traveling through rural areas at night
  • Be careful at soccer matches - fights can break out easily
  • Please be sure to avoid political demonstrations altogether

Health advice

Ideally, you should visit your doctor 4 to 6 weeks before you leave for Cameroon. After all, you will need to make sure that you have gotten all of the routine vaccines, which include the following:

  • MMR
  • Diphtheria/ Tetanus/ Pertussis
  • Chickenpox
  • Polio
  • Flu (optional)

Since Yellow Fever is a risk in this African nation, you should also consider getting the Yellow Fever shot. In addition, the following vaccinations/ medications are recommended as well:

  • Hepatitis A
  • Hepatitis B
  • Malaria
  • Typhoid
  • Meningitis
  • Rabies

However, you will want to speak to your doctor to find out which of these vaccinations/ medications you really need based on your previous health record.

Culture and Religion

About 70 percent of all people in Cameroon are Christian. Islam is the second biggest religion in this Central African nation with about 20 percent of the population being Muslim. Other religious groups tend to follow traditional African religions. Moreover, you will even find a few Orthodox Jews in Cameroon as well. In turn, the country's religious diversity should make it easy for you to find your place in Cameroonian society.

Who can volunteer in Cameroon?

As you will have noticed by now, there are many different projects that expect different skills and abilities from their volunteers. While you can find out the specific requirements for each project on their program page, here are some general requirements that apply to most projects in Cameroon:

  • You need to be at least 18 years old for most of the volunteer projects. When in doubt, we advise you to get in contact with the local project manager, as in some projects you can also volunteer when you're 16 years old.
  • You need to have basic English skills to join a volunteer project in Cameroon. Please note that some teaching projects might ask for more advanced skills though.
  • Depending on the project you're interested in, you might need to provide a criminal background check and a health declaration before volunteering.

Visa regulations to volunteer in Cameroon

You have made it to the last section of this guide, which is another really important aspect while planning your trip: getting your volunteer visa for Cameroon.

Please consider that the following information is based on a best practice approach, which has been made according to the best of our knowledge and in cooperation with several volunteer organisations. That’s why you should please make sure to discuss your visa requirements with your contact person on Volunteer World. If in doubt, we also recommend getting in touch with the Cameroonian embassy or consulate in your country.

General immigration information

There are some general requirements volunteers should comply upon their arrival in Cameroon:

  • Please check the current validity of your passport. The passport should be valid at least 6 months after your expected return home date.
  • Make sure your passport has at least two blank Visa pages. Cameroon requires that you have adequate unused pages in your passport, allowing for any necessary stamps upon arrival and departure.
  • Please check if a transit visa is required for any connections.
  • Make sure to be in possession of a valid return ticket for your travel home.
  • A valid International Vaccination card showing proof of protection against yellow fever.

Best practice for short-term volunteers

The following information refers primarily to citizens of Australia, Switzerland, the USA and the majority of the member states of the EU.

If you want to travel to Cameroon for up to 30 days, you can enter the country with a tourist visa. For this you will need the following documents:

  • A document duly signed by a Travel Agency or Tourist Operator if such is the organizer of the trip;
  • A hotel Reservation duly signed by an authority of the hotel or a Lodging Certificate legalized by the Community Office of the locality to be visited,
  • Proof of guarantee of repatriation (Attestation of Insurance company or other authorized agency);
  • Proof of Financial sufficiency (Current bank attestation);
  • A fee of 100€ (3-day processing time) or 110€ (Expedited Visa).

Best practice for long-term volunteers

If you are planning to volunteer in Cameroon for up to 3 months, you have to get a so-called Temporary Visa. This can be obtained at your closest Cameroonian embassy or consulate. In addition to the above-mentioned documents, you will need a justification for the visit. Please make sure to have all details clarified at the embassy.