Education in Tarrafal Schools

🏠 Your Home in Tarrafal

During your experience you'll be staying in Tarrafal, a coastal town on the island of Santiago known for its white-sand beaches and the relaxed pace of Cape Verdean life. The accommodation is a volunteer house managed by our local partner, located just a few minutes from the town centre and the main schools. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming: you'll share spaces, meals, and everyday moments with fellow participants from around the world.

🛏️ Rooms & Comfort

• Shared rooms (4–8 people), gender-separated
• Shared bathrooms with hot showers and Western-style facilities
• Bed linen provided (towels not included)
• Fan in each room, no air conditioning
• Lockable rooms for added privacy and security
• Wi-Fi available in common areas
• No mosquito nets or safe: we recommend bringing your own padlock

🍽️ Meals & Daily Life

• 3 meals a day on weekdays and 2 on weekends
• Cape Verdean and international cuisine: rice, fresh fish, vegetables, and simple dishes
• Water, tea and coffee always available
• Dietary requirements accommodated on request at the time of booking
• Meals are served at the accommodation and are a daily social occasion

🤝 Common Spaces & Connection

• Living area and dining room for shared meals and free time
• Small shared kitchen and refrigerator
• Wi-Fi available in common areas
• Nearby: ATMs, mini-markets and local restaurants within walking distance

🧾 Included Services

• Accommodation in shared rooms (4–8 pax, single-gender)
• 3 weekday meals / 2 weekend meals
• Drinking water and basic beverages
• Ongoing support from the local team
• Access to common areas and Wi-Fi
• Welcome orientation and 24/7 assistance

💛 More Than Just Accommodation

The volunteer house in Tarrafal is a place where cultures and people come together. Here you'll share genuine moments with the local community and discover everyday life on an island where every smile feels like a warm welcome.

🛡️ Safety & Support

Life in Tarrafal moves at a calm pace and the community warmly welcomes those who come from afar 🌍 All programmes in Cape Verde are carefully selected and supervised to ensure safe, reliable environments managed by experienced local staff.

🔹 Participant Screening

Before departure, every volunteer must provide a criminal record certificate. In , this can be requested online and without a stamp duty fee when intended for volunteering purposes. We'll provide you with all the instructions to complete the process easily: a simple but essential requirement to ensure mutual trust and safety among participants, staff and the local community.

🔹 High Safety Standards

• Accommodation and schools located in quiet, easily accessible areas
• Constant presence of a local coordinator
• Controlled access and daily monitoring of participants
• Activities organised in safe, supervised spaces

🔹 Ongoing Support

From arrival to departure, you can count on the local team 24/7 for any need. Our our staff remain in constant contact via WhatsApp to provide an additional layer of support throughout your stay.

🔹 Best Practices for a Worry-Free Experience

✔ Always keep the emergency numbers provided with you
✔ Avoid walking alone at night or in isolated areas
✔ Follow staff instructions and respect the centre's rules
✔ Always inform the team of any personal travel plans

💡 Our Goal

To give you a peaceful, safe and authentic experience — so you can focus on the heart of the journey: discovering Cape Verdean life, learning and sharing 🌴

🧭 Orientation Day

Your first Monday in Tarrafal is dedicated to orientation: a chance to learn about Cape Verdean culture, explore the area and start feeling right at home 🇨🇻

During the day you'll take part in a range of activities led by the local team:

• Welcome meeting and programme introduction
• House rules and code of conduct
• Basic Kriolu language lesson and introduction to local traditions
• Area tour: supermarkets, ATMs, shops and key landmarks
• Shared lunch break
• Guided visit to Mar de President beach and return for dinner

📌 After the Orientation

From Tuesday you'll begin your educational project activities, with all the information you need to make the most of your time in Tarrafal.

✈️ Arrival and Departure Recommendations – Tarrafal, Cape Verde

We recommend booking a flight arriving at Praia International Airport (RAI) on Sunday, between 00:05 and 02:00 on Monday. Our team's welcome service is available during these hours and will accompany you to Tarrafal (approximately 1h30 travel time).

📍 Official Meeting Point

Tarrafal Square, in front of the main church. The local coordinator will be waiting for you with a sign. We recommend you do not leave the meeting point until a member of our staff has reached you.

🚗 Transfers

• Average journey time: 1h15–1h30
• Free pick-up on Sundays (subject to confirmation of your arrival time)
• Private pick-up at other times or days available at an additional cost
• Saturday return to the airport: transfer not included, but assistance is guaranteed to help arrange a taxi or shuttle

📱 Internet Connection

We recommend purchasing a local SIM upon arrival or activating an eSIM via Airalo before departure
👉 https://airalo.pxf.io/e15b2O
Alternatively, you can purchase a SIM during the orientation session with support from local staff.

🛫 Departure

Check-out is by 12:00 on Saturday. We recommend planning your return flight for the afternoon or evening to allow enough time for the transfer to Praia. If you have an early departure or a delay, always let the local coordinator know.

💡 After Your Participation Is Confirmed

You will receive an email with the coordinators' contact details, maps, emergency numbers and all updated instructions. Following these guidelines will allow you to travel safely and stress-free.