Malawi

The Malawi program has been designed for students with a sense of adventure who are interested in veterinary medicine and wanting to gain valuable hands-on experience and practice veterinary skills on small and large animal species and administer veterinary care to animals in disadvantaged communities as well as experiencing daily clinic work such as helping and conducting surgeries.

Students can be already involved in Pre-Vet programmes, about to start vet school, attending any level of vet school or even in a completely different industry! There is not prior knowledge required, just a passion for animals and an eagerness to learn.
 
Safari4u's Malawi Pre-Vet Programme is run in 3 week rotations and runs from May to September. Students can stay as long as they wish (visas withstanding), but in order to incorporate the full programme, the minimum stay is 3 weeks.

Malawi is  known as the “Warm Heart of Africa” with friendly people who are asking for help, but are also faced with a poor country that lacks in resources, and veterinary care. Safari4u has partnered with the Lilongwe SPCA (LSPCA) to create a platform where students can utilise practical skills, in a guided environment

Safari4u believes that education is crucial to any meaningful change in the way animals are treated and one of the aims in our programs is to prioritise the trust between us and the community members who are actively seeking help. This means that both parties are better able to understand each other and thus care for their animals.  Whilst volunteering with the LSPCA, students will be exposed to both lectures and practical work.

The clinic setting will involve the following:

  • Sterilisations of local pets
  • Emergency care
  • Intensive care
  • Vaccination programs

Students will not only participate in but also help to organise critical aspects such as spay drive clinics, donkey welfare clinics, chicken health days, rabies vaccine drive, and farm clinics for local, small farmers.

Animals during this period that students might work with include cattle, goats, sheep, dogs, pigs,rabbits, donkeys, cats, chickens and even possibly some wild animals. The LSPCA programme has been specifically designed for those students looking to gain fundamental professional skills required upon graduation.

The last week in rotation will include community farm work and staying on the lake shore at Mufasa Eco Lodge in Monkey Bay. The work at Monkey Bay will put to practice the lessons learnt at LSPCA in a rural area with no access to veterinary care.

On completion of the 3 weeks, students will either finish their stay, return to LSPCA to continue to nurture and foster relationships with the Malawi people, or participate in an elective trip to Liwonde National Park for the additional cost of US$500 for the week.

EXAMPLE MALAWI PRE-VET 3-WEEK PROGRAMME

For the first two weeks, students will be working from the Lilongwe SPCA.  After that, the work week will be spent at Monkey bay an African Parks Game Reserve. Note that the below example may change depending on programme needs.