Where
Tarrafal, Cape Verde
When
Departures every week, all year round (except closure periods)
Duration
Minimum 1 week
Accommodation
Shared or private rooms in a volunteer house with meals included
Language
English (beginner level)
Ideal for
Anyone eager to engage with young children, sharing creativity and patience, while discovering everyday life on an Atlantic island.
Project details
An educational project among the beaches and colours of Cape Verde
In Tarrafal, a small coastal town on the island of Santiago, many children grow up in families where both parents work on low incomes and rely on nurseries and childcare services during the day.
This is why community centres and kindergartens exist to welcome the youngest children, aged 2 to 6, offering a safe space to play, learn and receive their first educational care.
The project was born out of a genuine need to support these facilities, bringing fresh energy and extra attention to every child at a crucial stage of their development.
As a volunteer, you’ll step into their daily life: organising games, songs, creative activities, story time and first English lessons. You’ll bring presence, warmth and new stimuli that make a real difference for many of them.
An intense and authentic experience — one that starts with the children, but leaves a lasting impression on everyone who chooses to be there. All set against the cobalt blue of the Cape Verdean ocean.
This is why community centres and kindergartens exist to welcome the youngest children, aged 2 to 6, offering a safe space to play, learn and receive their first educational care.
The project was born out of a genuine need to support these facilities, bringing fresh energy and extra attention to every child at a crucial stage of their development.
As a volunteer, you’ll step into their daily life: organising games, songs, creative activities, story time and first English lessons. You’ll bring presence, warmth and new stimuli that make a real difference for many of them.
An intense and authentic experience — one that starts with the children, but leaves a lasting impression on everyone who chooses to be there. All set against the cobalt blue of the Cape Verdean ocean.
Play, teach and grow alongside the children
An educational project among the beaches and colours of Cape Verde
In Tarrafal, a small coastal town on the island of Santiago, many children grow up in families where both parents work on low incomes and rely on nurseries and childcare services during the day.
This is why community centres and kindergartens exist to welcome the youngest children, aged 2 to 6, offering a safe space to play, learn and receive their first educational care.
The project was born out of a genuine need to support these facilities, bringing fresh energy and extra attention to every child at a crucial stage of their development.
As a volunteer, you’ll step into their daily life: organising games, songs, creative activities, story time and first English lessons. You’ll bring presence, warmth and new stimuli that make a real difference for many of them.
An intense and authentic experience — one that starts with the children, but leaves a lasting impression on everyone who chooses to be there. All set against the cobalt blue of the Cape Verdean ocean.
This is why community centres and kindergartens exist to welcome the youngest children, aged 2 to 6, offering a safe space to play, learn and receive their first educational care.
The project was born out of a genuine need to support these facilities, bringing fresh energy and extra attention to every child at a crucial stage of their development.
As a volunteer, you’ll step into their daily life: organising games, songs, creative activities, story time and first English lessons. You’ll bring presence, warmth and new stimuli that make a real difference for many of them.
An intense and authentic experience — one that starts with the children, but leaves a lasting impression on everyone who chooses to be there. All set against the cobalt blue of the Cape Verdean ocean.
Why participate
Help children grow with confidence
You’ll work alongside local educators, encouraging children to learn English and build confidence through games, songs and creative activities.
Why participate
Help children grow with confidence
You’ll work alongside local educators, encouraging children to learn English and build confidence through games, songs and creative activities.
Discover Cape Verdean life up close
Experience the island of Tarrafal not as a tourist but as part of the community, sharing days, traditions and genuine moments with local people.
The Weekly Program
Weekdays
Monday is dedicated to orientation: a welcome session, introduction to Cape Verdean culture, a basic Kriolu lesson, a tour of local services and an afternoon at the beach to get your bearings.
From Tuesday to Friday, mornings are spent at the early childhood centres working alongside local educators with educational and play-based activities: games, songs, stories and first English lessons for children aged 2 to 6.
In the afternoons you continue with care and teaching activities, help prepare teaching materials for the following day and collaborate with the local team to improve lessons.
Weekends are free: you can relax on Tarrafal’s beaches, go snorkelling, visit the Resistance Museum or simply enjoy the island’s tranquil pace of life.
07:00Breakfast and preparation for the day
08:30Activities with children at the centres: games, songs, morning routines
10:30Snack time and free play with the little ones
12:00Lunch break and rest during the hottest hours
15:00Afternoon activities, preparing teaching materials with the team
18:30Return to base, shared dinner and free time with the group
Weekend
Weekends are free from scheduled activities. You can explore the area, join day trips or simply relax with the other volunteers.
Relax on the beaches of Tarrafal
Spend the day by crystal-clear water and golden sand — perfect for swimming, relaxing or simply reading in the sun.
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FAQs
During your stay in Tarrafal you’ll live in the volunteer house — a simple but welcoming facility in the town of Tarrafal, just a short walk from the crystal-clear beaches on the northern coast of Santiago. The house has shared rooms (4–8 people), shared bathrooms and common areas for socialising and unwinding.
Private rooms are not available. The accommodation has Wi-Fi in the common areas, but it is designed to offer you an authentic experience connected to local life. If you’d like to stay connected for messages, calls and maps, we recommend using Airalo to purchase an eSIM you can activate before you leave. This way you’ll be online from the moment you arrive. You can do so easily by clicking this link.
The rooms are equipped with beds with provided linen, hot showers, fans and lockable doors. There is no air conditioning, no towels provided, no safe deposit box and no mosquito protection. Common areas are cleaned at weekends, but every volunteer is encouraged to keep the space tidy and clean.
🛏️ Included amenities:
- Shared room accommodation
- 3 meals per day on weekdays, 2 at weekends
- Drinking water available
- Ongoing support from the local team
- Lockable rooms
- A quiet, safe setting overlooking the sea
The volunteer house is also a meeting place: here you’ll live side by side with other participants from around the world, sharing experiences, meals and moments of daily life in an open and welcoming atmosphere.
Private rooms are not available. The accommodation has Wi-Fi in the common areas, but it is designed to offer you an authentic experience connected to local life. If you’d like to stay connected for messages, calls and maps, we recommend using Airalo to purchase an eSIM you can activate before you leave. This way you’ll be online from the moment you arrive. You can do so easily by clicking this link.
The rooms are equipped with beds with provided linen, hot showers, fans and lockable doors. There is no air conditioning, no towels provided, no safe deposit box and no mosquito protection. Common areas are cleaned at weekends, but every volunteer is encouraged to keep the space tidy and clean.
🛏️ Included amenities:
- Shared room accommodation
- 3 meals per day on weekdays, 2 at weekends
- Drinking water available
- Ongoing support from the local team
- Lockable rooms
- A quiet, safe setting overlooking the sea
The volunteer house is also a meeting place: here you’ll live side by side with other participants from around the world, sharing experiences, meals and moments of daily life in an open and welcoming atmosphere.
The safety of our volunteers is our absolute priority. All of our programmes are carefully selected and monitored to ensure a safe environment, both in the schools where you’ll work and in the house that will be your home during your stay.
🔹 Participant screening and protected environments
To ensure a safe experience for everyone, we require each participant to provide a criminal record check before departure. This allows us to verify the background of every volunteer and protect the minors and communities involved in the project. The process is done entirely online, and we’ll guide you through it!
🔹 High safety standards
We only work with schools and communities that offer welcoming, reliable and structured environments for hosting international volunteers. The facilities are located in safe areas, with controlled access and the constant presence of the local team. Our partners globally welcome over 2,000 travellers per year — the youngest are 14 and the most “senior” are over 70 — and they are experienced and trained in managing this diversity.
🔹 24-hour support
From the moment you arrive until the end of your experience, you can count on the ongoing assistance of our local staff, ready to help you with anything you need, even in the evenings or at weekends. Our our team is also just a WhatsApp message away for any situation!
🔹 Training and orientation
Before departure you will receive a detailed guide with all the practical information on culture, behaviour and safety. On your first day in the field you will take part in an orientation briefing, where you’ll receive useful tips for making the most of the experience.
🔹 Good practices for a worry-free experience
Cape Verde is a warm and welcoming country, but as in any context it’s important to keep a few simple things in mind:
✔ Avoid displaying valuables openly and carry only what you need when going out
✔ Respect local traditions, dress modestly when away from the beach and ask before photographing people
✔ Always move around with a travel companion in the evenings and follow the local team’s advice on which places to visit
💡 Our goal is to provide you with a safe, supported and welcoming environment where you can focus on what truly matters: living a transformative, meaningful experience.
🔹 Participant screening and protected environments
To ensure a safe experience for everyone, we require each participant to provide a criminal record check before departure. This allows us to verify the background of every volunteer and protect the minors and communities involved in the project. The process is done entirely online, and we’ll guide you through it!
🔹 High safety standards
We only work with schools and communities that offer welcoming, reliable and structured environments for hosting international volunteers. The facilities are located in safe areas, with controlled access and the constant presence of the local team. Our partners globally welcome over 2,000 travellers per year — the youngest are 14 and the most “senior” are over 70 — and they are experienced and trained in managing this diversity.
🔹 24-hour support
From the moment you arrive until the end of your experience, you can count on the ongoing assistance of our local staff, ready to help you with anything you need, even in the evenings or at weekends. Our our team is also just a WhatsApp message away for any situation!
🔹 Training and orientation
Before departure you will receive a detailed guide with all the practical information on culture, behaviour and safety. On your first day in the field you will take part in an orientation briefing, where you’ll receive useful tips for making the most of the experience.
🔹 Good practices for a worry-free experience
Cape Verde is a warm and welcoming country, but as in any context it’s important to keep a few simple things in mind:
✔ Avoid displaying valuables openly and carry only what you need when going out
✔ Respect local traditions, dress modestly when away from the beach and ask before photographing people
✔ Always move around with a travel companion in the evenings and follow the local team’s advice on which places to visit
💡 Our goal is to provide you with a safe, supported and welcoming environment where you can focus on what truly matters: living a transformative, meaningful experience.
🧭 Orientation day
Your journey in Cape Verde begins with a full day dedicated to orientation, designed to help you settle in, understand the local context and start the experience with confidence and awareness.
During your first Monday, you will take part in a series of activities led by the local team:
- Welcome meeting, introduction to the programme and house rules
- Practical advice on health, safety and cultural behaviour
- Introduction to Cape Verdean culture, a few words in Kriolu and local curiosities
- Tour of the area, with useful information on supermarkets, transport and local SIMs. If you’d prefer to arrive with an active eSIM — without having to track one down on arrival — you can purchase one before departure through Airalo, our affiliated partner.
👉 You can do so using this link
- Visit to Tarrafal town to pick up any essential items
Orientation is also a chance to start bonding with the other volunteers, share your reasons for coming and be guided by people who know the area inside out.
📌 After this introductory day, you’ll begin activities in the educational project from Tuesday. But from day one, you’ll already feel part of a community.
Your journey in Cape Verde begins with a full day dedicated to orientation, designed to help you settle in, understand the local context and start the experience with confidence and awareness.
During your first Monday, you will take part in a series of activities led by the local team:
- Welcome meeting, introduction to the programme and house rules
- Practical advice on health, safety and cultural behaviour
- Introduction to Cape Verdean culture, a few words in Kriolu and local curiosities
- Tour of the area, with useful information on supermarkets, transport and local SIMs. If you’d prefer to arrive with an active eSIM — without having to track one down on arrival — you can purchase one before departure through Airalo, our affiliated partner.
👉 You can do so using this link
- Visit to Tarrafal town to pick up any essential items
Orientation is also a chance to start bonding with the other volunteers, share your reasons for coming and be guided by people who know the area inside out.
📌 After this introductory day, you’ll begin activities in the educational project from Tuesday. But from day one, you’ll already feel part of a community.
To start your experience on the right foot, we recommend booking a flight arriving at Praia International Airport (RAI) in Praia, ideally on a Sunday between 00:05 and 02:00. Our welcome and transfer service to Tarrafal operates during this time slot.
If you land on a Saturday, please note that you will need to book an extra night at our facility (with a supplement).
If you arrive after 02:00, pick-up is still possible, but with a small additional charge for the out-of-hours transfer.
Arriving too early or too late? No problem: you can make your own way to us or arrange a personalised transfer (also with a small surcharge). In any case, we ask you to share your flight details as soon as you book, so we can help you as best we can.
On arrival you will find a member of our team waiting for you at a clearly marked meeting point outside the terminal, holding a sign with your name or the name of our local partner. All practical information will be sent to you by email after your participation is confirmed.
📱 A handy tip: if you want internet access from the moment you arrive, you can activate an eSIM before departure with Airalo, our partner. Use this link
The journey from the airport to the volunteer house takes around 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by car, and you may share the ride with other participants arriving at similar times.
If for any reason you can’t find our staff at the meeting point straight away, stay there — we’ll find you! Emergency contacts will be provided after booking, along with all the detailed instructions.
🚖 Recommendations for departure and return flight
At the end of the project, check-out from the volunteer house is by 12:00 on Saturday. The return transfer to the airport or other destinations is not included in the programme, as there are usually many people departing at different times and only a small number of coordinators.
In any case, our team will be happy to help you arrange a taxi or private transfer service, which you can share with your fellow volunteers!
We recommend booking your return flight for Saturday afternoon or evening, so you can leave the facility at a relaxed pace in the morning and reach the airport without rushing (approximately 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by car).
🗓️ If you plan to continue your journey elsewhere, let us know in advance so we can give you useful advice for organising your departure as smoothly as possible.
💡 After your participation is confirmed, we’ll send you a detailed document by email with all the updated practical information and emergency contact details.
If you land on a Saturday, please note that you will need to book an extra night at our facility (with a supplement).
If you arrive after 02:00, pick-up is still possible, but with a small additional charge for the out-of-hours transfer.
Arriving too early or too late? No problem: you can make your own way to us or arrange a personalised transfer (also with a small surcharge). In any case, we ask you to share your flight details as soon as you book, so we can help you as best we can.
On arrival you will find a member of our team waiting for you at a clearly marked meeting point outside the terminal, holding a sign with your name or the name of our local partner. All practical information will be sent to you by email after your participation is confirmed.
📱 A handy tip: if you want internet access from the moment you arrive, you can activate an eSIM before departure with Airalo, our partner. Use this link
The journey from the airport to the volunteer house takes around 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by car, and you may share the ride with other participants arriving at similar times.
If for any reason you can’t find our staff at the meeting point straight away, stay there — we’ll find you! Emergency contacts will be provided after booking, along with all the detailed instructions.
🚖 Recommendations for departure and return flight
At the end of the project, check-out from the volunteer house is by 12:00 on Saturday. The return transfer to the airport or other destinations is not included in the programme, as there are usually many people departing at different times and only a small number of coordinators.
In any case, our team will be happy to help you arrange a taxi or private transfer service, which you can share with your fellow volunteers!
We recommend booking your return flight for Saturday afternoon or evening, so you can leave the facility at a relaxed pace in the morning and reach the airport without rushing (approximately 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes by car).
🗓️ If you plan to continue your journey elsewhere, let us know in advance so we can give you useful advice for organising your departure as smoothly as possible.
💡 After your participation is confirmed, we’ll send you a detailed document by email with all the updated practical information and emergency contact details.
Book your spot
1
Send your application (free!)
Choose the project that inspires you most and indicate the period you would like to travel. No commitment: the application is free and non-binding.
2
Meet your coordinator
After your application, we will put you in touch with your dedicated coordinator. They will explain everything in detail and answer all your questions.
3
Confirm your spot
When you're ready, pay the deposit to lock in your spot. You'll get everything you need: local contacts, a visa guide and your pre-trip pack.
4
Set off on your adventure!
Pack your bags and go! On arrival you will find other volunteers like you, a welcoming local team and an experience you will hardly forget.
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