A repeat traveler having fun with the kids
Each spring, in late May and/or early July a group of 15-20 travelers heads to Sierra Leone for the opportunity of a lifetime to experience subsistence living in a rural village.
The trip is available to all interested, however, professionals with specific technical skills are particularly welcomed. Mature high school students have traveled in the past accompanied by an adult. We are primarily in need of nurses, doctors, teachers, dentists, professionals with skills in engineering, sanitation, water quality, agricultural techniques, banking, etc. During the one week spent in the villages, travelers will have an opportunity to learn about village life in respect to their profession/expertise and then either provide direct service or build the capacity of villagers. For example, a nurse might spend the first 3 days visiting local clinics and the latter 4 days working alongside and provide advice to a local nurse to treat basic infections in the villagers.
Although travelers face some challenges, such as poor roads and heat, you will have an amazing opportunity to work alongside Sierra Leoneans as they move from extreme poverty to middle income. The trip is an amazing opportunity to utilize your expertise to benefit people who live on less than a dollar a day and gain personal satisfaction and growth. During the time in the villages you will meet and live with some of the poorest and kindest people in the world. You will come to understand what it means to live in extreme poverty, and in doing so, gain insight to “the other half of the world”.
While in the villages, travelers are placed with a host family. During your time with the family, you will have basic amenities (bed, mosquito net, wash basins, etc) which will then be left for use by the family. In this manner, travelers are able to have their needs met while in the villages and host families are rewarded with useful items. OneVillage will coordinate hotels, host family stays, group meals, and transportation.
The trip itinerary is generally as follows:
- Travel from US to Freetown, Sierra Leone via London, England
- 3 days in capital city Freetown site-seeing, learning about Sierra Leonean history and culture and the situation in the villages
- 1 day spent in travel to eastern Sierra Leone
- 7 days in the villages. Travelers will be divided amongst the 3 villages (within walking distance or a short car ride of one another)
- 1 day spent in travel back to Freetown
- 1 day spent debriefing from village experience on a coastal beach near Freetown
- Travel from Freetown to US, via London, England
Travelers are responsible for funding their own travel and depending on airline costs the trip costs approximately $2,500 – $3,000. Many previous travelers have successfully raised some of the cost from family and friends and many high school and college students have been able to secure funding from their educational institutions.
Please note that Sierra Leone is in a malaria zone and travelers are responsible for ensuring they are properly vaccinated and prepared to travel to Sierra Leone. Travelers must also have a valid passport and yellow card.
Visit the CDC site regarding traveler health in Sierra Leone.
Please visit the Resources page for links to learn more about Sierra Leonean history, people, and development.
Upon return from the trip, interested people may serve on area Committees and provide additional direction and advice to our programs in Sierra Leone.
Please contact us if you’d like additional information regarding the trip, we look forward to hearing from you! OneVillage.Partners(at)gmail.com
See a small sampling of the service learning trip from past travelers' cameras
16 Photos
