Duration: -       from 3 days to 2 weeks

Introduction to the Dzalanyama Project -Malawi is known as ‘the warm heart of Africa’, both for its stunning beauty and friendly people.  It’s also one of the most densely and poorest countries in Africa. As a result the rural schools education support often gets neglected, with the focus being directed towards more urban facilities. 

Dzalanyama is a range of steep sided hills NW - SE direction running for 70 km and forming the border, between Malawi and Mozambique. From 1911 it had been part of the Central Angoni Highlands Game Reserve. It was gazetted as a reserve in 1922 – and from 1930 it was actively forested. Brachystegias are by far the most dominant kinds of indigenous trees with 3 dominant species sometimes entirely covering large areas. Other species found are Msuku (Uapaca) and clumps of Nyowe (Eugenia Cordata). At the highest points and fringing the higher streams there are patches of montane evergreen woodland. Pine and Eucalyptus trees were introduced in 1977. This currently covers 1780 Ha.  

Land and Lake Safaris initiated the Dzalanyama School rehabilitation project in 1999, when they won the tender to operate the forest guest house in the area. The idea was to improve the facilities and resources in the school, establish a wildlife club, which would then in turn ensure the community support to protect this beautiful area. What makes Dzalanyama project especially unique is that it helps the local community at the grassroots level, thereby practising the concept of sustainable eco tourism where local impoverished communities benefit from tourism business and as a result support the efforts to protect the environment. To date girls dorm has been built, boys dorm repaired, the classrooms are repainted on an annual basis, toilets repaired, blackboards fixed, murals painted and school and sporting supplies have been donated. Each year maintenance has to be carried out and there is a desperate need for teacher’s accommodation. 

What kind of volunteers is needed?Volunteers who are able to work on their own without supervision, self starters, flexible, full of enthusiasm and like a good day’s work are needed!  If anyone has experience in any of the required areas it will be a bonus, but a make do attitude is even more useful. Whether one wants to learn new skills, enhance their CV or simply do something worthwhile, whilst staying in a beautiful forest reserve, then Dzalanyama is the place for you. 

• Maintenance / Building work: Work alongside the local community and students to repair the buildings, paint classrooms or murals or for those volunteers with more of a building background they can help with the construction of the teacher’s houses or the more technical aspects of school maintenance.
• Education: Helping the teachers with a specific task, organising the library and stores, teaching a sport skill [netball or football], working on signage or helping out the Wildlife Club to be more active.
• Community outreach:  Working with the community to enable them to diversify their income stream farming diversification [bee keeping, permaculture], developing markets for their crafts and produce.