Volunteering on a Building project in Africa

Volunteering your time building in Africa is a wonderful way to interact with communities abroad, get your hands dirty and see physical results from your work.

There is no need to have a construction background to volunteer internationally on our projects and gain experience building houses and schools abroad. You don’t even need to speak the local language where you are volunteering. The building programme is open to all volunteers whether you are on a gap year, at university or wanting a career break.

Building in Africa – What is it Like?

Project Abroad’s Building projects in Africa are structured much like those of Habitat for Humanity’s. From building schools and renovating classrooms in the rural Akuapem Hills and the ocean side city of Cape Coast in Ghana, to constructing homes for the township community of Lavender Hill in South Africa, a variety of building and construction volunteer opportunities are available.

You may find that the way you are used to working on building projects back home is very different from the building experience in Africa. Materials used are often much more basic and there can be limited tools for construction. All of our building projects are suitable for both long and short term volunteering, and many opportunities are available to those who are interested in getting further involved with the local communities, outside of the construction sites.

"It was quite hard work, but the people I worked with, and the sense of achievement you gained from seeing the walls slowly rise up, made you forget about that."

Laura Briggs – Building in South Africa

Building Projects in:

Ghana General Building Projects
Join us in Ghana and help construct better-quality homes and classrooms for children and their families. Learn how to make bricks from mud and water, before building walls, plastering and painting.

Senegal General Building Projects
Volunteers on the Building project in Senegal contribute to the renovation and/or building of houses and school classrooms in impoverished communities to enable an improved living and learning environment.

South Africa General Building Projects
We have building projects in several township areas of Cape Town. You will help construct better-quality homes and classrooms for children and their families.

Tanzania General Building Projects
Work alongside local builders, helping with the construction of classrooms and care centres. You may be involved in mixing cement, digging foundations, plastering and painting.