Medical Project in Tarrafal

🏠 Your home in Tarrafal

During your experience you will live in Tarrafal, a coastal town on the island of Santiago known for its white sandy 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 medical centre. The atmosphere is welcoming and sociable: you will share spaces, meals and everyday moments with other 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 the room, no air conditioning
• Lockable rooms for added privacy and security
• Wi-Fi available in common areas
• No mosquito nets or safe: a personal padlock is recommended

🍽️ Meals & Daily Life

• 3 meals a day during the week and 2 at the weekend
• Cape Verdean and international cuisine: rice, fresh fish, vegetables and simple dishes
• Water, tea and coffee always available
• Dietary requirements handled on request at the time of booking
• Meals are served in the accommodation centre and are a daily moment of socialising

🤝 Common Areas & Connection

• Living area and dining room to share meals and free time
• Small shared kitchen and refrigerator
• Wi-Fi available in common areas
• Nearby: ATM, mini-market 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
• Constant support from the local team
• Access to common areas and Wi-Fi
• Initial orientation and 24/7 assistance

💛 More than just a place to stay

The Tarrafal volunteer house is a meeting place for cultures and people. Here you will share authentic moments with the local community and discover the everyday life of an island where every smile becomes a welcome.

🛡️ Safety & Support

In Tarrafal life moves at a gentle pace and the community warmly welcomes those who come from afar 🌍 All programmes in Cape Verde are carefully selected and supervised to ensure 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 stamp duty when intended for volunteering purposes. We will provide you with all the instructions to complete the process easily: a simple but essential requirement to ensure safety and mutual trust among participants, staff and the local community.

🔹 High safety standards

• Accommodation and medical centre located in quiet, easily accessible areas
• Constant presence of the local coordinator
• Controlled access and daily monitoring of participants
• Activities organised in protected and supervised spaces

🔹 Ongoing support

From your arrival to your 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 outings

💡 Our goal

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

🧭 Orientation Day

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

During the day you will take part in several activities guided by the local team:

• Welcome meeting and programme overview
• House rules and code of conduct
• Basic Kriolu language lesson and introduction to local traditions
• Tour of the medical centre and orientation to local healthcare facilities
• Neighbourhood tour: supermarkets, ATMs, shops, key landmarks
• Shared lunch
• Guided visit to Mar de President beach and return for dinner

📌 After orientation

From Tuesday you will begin your medical project activities with all the information you need to experience your time in Tarrafal consciously and to the full.

✈️ Arrival and Departure Recommendations – Tarrafal, Cape Verde

We recommend booking your flight to arrive at Praia International Airport (RAI) on Sunday, between 00:05 and 02:00 Monday morning. During these hours our team's welcome service is active 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 with a sign. We recommend staying at the meeting point until our staff reaches you.

🚗 Transfers

• Average journey time: 1h15–1h30
• Free pick-up on Sunday (upon confirmation of arrival time)
• Private pick-up available at other times or days at an extra cost
• Return to the airport on Saturday: transfer not included but assistance guaranteed for arranging taxis or shuttles

📱 Internet Connection

We recommend purchasing a local SIM on arrival or activating an eSIM via Airalo before departure
👉 https://airalo.pxf.io/e15b2O
Alternatively, you can purchase the SIM during orientation with the support of the 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. In the event of early departures or delays, always inform the local coordinator.

💡 After confirming your participation

You will receive an email with the coordinators' contacts, maps, emergency numbers and all updated instructions. By following these guidelines you can travel safely and stress-free.