Volunteer in Malawi and use your sports knowledge to coach the young people of Mzuzu in tennis and table tennis.
| Minimum Duration: | 1 week |
| Cost: | From 265 USD per week |
| Minimum Age: | 18 years |
As a volunteer at this project you will use tennis and table tennis to educate and empower youth and children.
These are the projects core principles:
- To create an environment of table tennis and tennis to develop both positive physical health standards but also life skills, social skills and personal development.
- To improve the standard of table tennis and tennis in the northern region to compete with the best on a local, regional and international level.
- To make table tennis and lawn tennis the most widely played sport at grass root level in Mzuzu.
The mission of Tennis Kids is to provide necessary skills in table tennis and lawn tennis in a sustainable, structure, progressive and professional manner.
Programs Offered
The organization is involved in many activities that improve the general health of children and develop the skills of Lawn tennis and Table tennis as a life sport.
Training and coaching
One of the main activities of Tennis Kids and where volunteers can be involved is the actual playing and coaching of table tennis and/or lawn tennis. The daily coaching sessions will show how big the interest is from the local youth to be actively involved and these sports are not the most obvious ones in Malawi. Training sessions are focused at different age groups and levels of experience and any volunteer with basic skills can contribute hugely by offering the extra help.
Coaching courses
To offer the best quality of training and to have a sustainable long term focus there is an ongoing need for coaches who are dedicated and know how to coach and improve the skills of the children and young adults. Tennis Kids conducts coaching courses at the beginning of every year to provide more advanced coaching skills to already trained coaches, any new coaches coming from different youth organizations and teachers from different primary and secondary schools.
Schools league tournament
SBB organizes a schools league tournament which involves players of different schools competing against each other. Currently there is a total of 11 schools taking part in the league. The Tennis Kids coaches are usually assigned to visit the schools once a week to train any interested children and to identify talent.
HIV/AIDS tournaments
The tournament activities are part of the national response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic threatening the general population of Malawi. As the youth is especially vulnerable and within a high-risk age group, Tennis Kids believes that through sport the message of the risks of HIV/AIDS can be positively carried out.
The tournaments offer, next to playing sports, a variety of activities that can influence the youth to make use of testing and knowing their status as well as counselling for those infected. It is intended to influence positive change in sexual behaviours and to decrease the risks of HIV/AIDS among young people.
Championship competitions
Tennis Kids organizes regional tournaments with funding from different sponsors and stakeholders, but is also involved in National championships by entering some of their top players. These tournaments, as well as end-of-term tournaments, provide the youth different opportunities to test their skills against each other and socialise with players from other parts of the region or country.
Project Needs
The biggest need for Tennis Kids is to have enthusiastic and knowledgeable coaches to offer the best training and coaching they can. Volunteers with some experience and a love for either one of these sports will be highly appreciated and welcome to form part of the team.
There always is an ongoing challenge for financial support and materials. If any volunteers can contribute with any of the following items, this would be highly appreciated;
- Tennis rackets and balls
- Sports uniforms and tennis shoes
- Table tennis bats and balls
- Sports clothing
Please take note that part of your fees includes a donation to support them with their ongoing running costs and additional donations are not expected but highly appreciated.
Other volunteers
You most likely won’t be alone when volunteering and meet both local as international volunteers. We get volunteers from all over the world, from the USA, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the UK and many other countries.
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Accommodation
You will be staying with one of our selected host families within walking distance of Chideso making it very easy to come to work and get back home. Your hosts offers a comfortable family home with 2 bedrooms with 2 beds. There is a private bathroom for volunteers to use with a western toilet and shower with warm water.
Depending on how busy it is you will share a room with other volunteers and male and female volunteers will have separate rooms. We take couples and older volunteers in account and if possible provide them with a private room, so please let us know if you have any questions regarding the accommodation.
Meals
Malawian meals are different from western meals and we encourage you to eat what is prepared for you, otherwise you are free to buy and cook your own food. There are 3 meals a day prepared for you which will be local food mostly made up of rice, pastas, ‘nsima’ (porridge of maize meal), fish, vegetables and meats.
Breakfast is usually porridge or bread with coffee or tea. Lunch and dinner are cooked meals.
We encourage you to assist with cooking and cleaning up and make some of your personal favourite dishes.
Transport
Your host family is within walking distance from the centre making it very easy to walk to and from work.
To reach any facilities such as the main street with banks, internet café, shopping centre with a modern supermarket it is only a 10-15-minute walk away, but we encourage you to use the local bicycle taxis that will transport you anywhere you need to go for a small fee.
At night we discourage you to walk alone to be as safe as possible and we will make sure you have a variety of numbers for local taxis who will offer door to door services for very reasonable rates.
What is Included?
- Information and assistance before departure
- City Tour and Introduction
- Direct donation to the project
- Accommodation and all meals (7 days a week)
What is Excluded?
- Personal luxuries such as snacks, cold drinks and alcohol.
- Airport transfer from Lilongwe at 150 USD (local payment) per vehicle one way (4-5 hour drive one way)
- Costs for weekend trips
- Flight tickets
- Insurances
Starting Dates
Dates are flexible for volunteers and you can start at any time throughout the year. Please keep in mind that this project is closed during school holidays in Malawi.
Bookings are done per full weeks with a minimum of 1 week.
Mzuzu, Malawi
Despite being the third biggest city in Malawi and being central to the north of the country, Mzuzu has a very laid back and village feel to it. The city is stretched out and links to rural farming communities in the immediate area. Mzuzu has a central location connecting to Lake Malawi at Nkhata Bay, which is only 50 km away and travel routes up north to Tanzania and beyond.
The location of Mzuzu makes it its temperatures and climate more enjoyable than at the lake, where it can be very hot and humid. It is easily reachable from Lilongwe in the south and is a great place to travel to some of the highlights of Malawi, such as Nkhata Bay and Kande Beach at Lake Malawi, Livingstonia further to the north, Nyika Plateau to the west and Viphya Forest to the south.
