Benefits of Volunteering in Africa! Africa is one of the greatest continents in the world that offers endless volunteer opportunities and combines in a unique way a multitude of cultures and nationalities. One way to make our continent even greater is by contributing to the good of its communities through volunteering.
Life in general could be very busy, dynamic and time consuming, so it could be difficult to find time to volunteer. However, donating your time could be rewarding and beneficial in a variety of ways. What is more, as a volunteer you could have the opportunity to do something that you really enjoy?
BENEFITS OF VOLUNTEERING IN AFRICA
While volunteer activities are usually performed with the core intention of helping others, there is a common wisdom that those who give of themselves also receive. Volunteering is not just about what people do to help others, but volunteers get a lot from the experience, as well. At Go Volunteer Africa, we believe in the idea that volunteering is rewarding for everyone involved.
Here are some different aspects of volunteering and the benefits it carries:
Volunteering makes you feel like you have more time – A study conducted from three of the most reputable universities, suggests that those who volunteer their time feel like they have more of it.
Volunteering connects you to others and helps you meet new people – Volunteering often involves working with a diverse range of people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Interaction with other people and fellow volunteers can be a rich source of learning and inspiration and an excellent way to develop strong interpersonal skills. Furthermore, volunteering with people who are as passionate about a cause, idea or organization as you are, is a great way to meet like-minded people.
Volunteering is good for your mental and physical wellbeing – Doing good for others and the community provides a natural sense of purpose and accomplishment. Volunteering gives a sense of pride and identity and the better you feel about yourself the more likely you are to have a positive view of life. The physical activities involved in certain forms of volunteering can also benefit your health. Furthermore, it has been discovered that those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional abilities and rarely suffer from stress and depression later in life.
Volunteering helps you develop new skills and enhance your CV – Many volunteering opportunities involve helping organizations in more specific areas such as; admin work, IT, social media, marketing, fundraising, to name just a few. These above could lead to gaining essential skills in areas that can often prove valuable when searching for a job. Moreover, most volunteer opportunities are a great chance to learn skills such as teamwork, communications and relationship building, which are necessities in today’s job market.
Volunteering makes you happier – the more people volunteer, the happier they are. Volunteering builds empathy strengthens social bonds and makes you smile more — all factors that increase feelings of love and happiness.
These are only a few of the many benefits of volunteering in Africa and you can truly discover even more, when you have dedicated time to a good cause.
Find out more:
If you are looking for a new opportunity, wanting to volunteer in Africa or would like to enquire about safaris and trips, please write to us: info@govolunteerafrica.org
