WELCOME TO AFCA’S “Vacation with a Purpose” PROGRAM

“Vacation with a Purpose” (VWP) provides amazing travel opportunities with unique insights into foreign cultures while offering opportunity for participants to make positive contributions to the world in which we live. Not only will you impact a local community, working side-by-side with them, but a portion of your fees also goes to support the programs of AFCA’s partners in sub-Saharan Africa.

Our trips are open to individuals, groups, students, and families. VWP team sizes range from 8 to 30 people depending on location and typically last 14 days.

Each trip includes a work project where we work side-by-side with members of the local community. These projects vary depending on the needs of our in-country partners and the particular skills of the volunteers. They may include repair and minor construction work to homes, schools and/or clinics; teaching English; working with women’s and/or children’s groups; planting food gardens; helping with computer skills – and a myriad of other projects that improve the situation for children in that community. With each project, you will have ample time to interact with the community including working with local volunteers and workmen, playing games, community events, etc.

Each team travels with an experienced team leader (see “Team Leader Bios” section). Your team leader is responsible for building the team, planning the trip, keeping team members informed, coordinating with the local partner while in-country, administering team finances, and monitoring safety.

Our trips are not luxury vacations, and you will work hard. In exchange, you will to develop friendships and memories to last a lifetime and experience someone else’s culture while catching a glimpse into their life, all while making a difference. It’s all a part of what makes a volunteer vacation so memorable!

So take the challenge to come, see, experience, and make a difference in the lives of others!

VIEW CURRENT TEAMS

WHERE WE TRAVEL

KENYA

Kenya has long been a favorite travel destination in Africa. Revered by many anthropologists as the ‘cradle of humanity’, Kenya has magnificent wildlife parks, unsullied beaches, thriving coral reefs, memorable mountainscapes and ancient Swahili cities. But Kenya is also a country with substantial needs.

  • English lessons to community children
  • Plumbing for garden and orphanage kitchen
  • Tiling kitchen and dining room area of the orphanage
  • Fixing fencing
  • Playing with the children
  • Harvesting veggies and helping in the garden or rice paddy. Packaging produce for sale
  • Community medical clinic help, for nurses or doctors
  • Helping in the library
  • Painting the orphanage

You don’t need to be an expert at any of these topics – there will be many ways that each of us can help this community

We will be staying in the village of Miwani at the guest house belonging to Restoring Hopes Ministry. We will stay in a basic house which accommodates 12 people, with shared rooms, where bedding and mosquito nets are available. It is basic, but the good news is, we will have electricity, water, both pit latrine and western toilets in the apartment (septic tanks).

We will have most of our meals at the guest house, cooked by local women, so our meals will be authentically Kenyan. We will share a meal while looking at beautiful Lake Victoria one evening, too. Many Kenyan dishes include various vegetables, potatoes, cassava, yams and local leafy greens. For meat, we’ll likely see chicken, fish (usually fresh, but there is also a dried variety, reconstituted for stewing), beef and mutton. Main dishes are usually centered on a sauce or stew of groundnuts, beans or meat. The starch traditionally comes from ugali (maize meal). We will also enjoy white (often called “Irish”) potato, rice and chapati (a wheat flatbread).

Included in your trip are a visit Victoria Falls one evening and eating dinner close to the shore. You’ll go on a safari at the Nairobi National Park, visit the elephant orphanage and Giraffe House and Kuzuri Bead Company!

ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe is an amazing country with breath taking scenery and heart breaking poverty. The country is mainly covered by savannah, with beautiful views in all directions. Elephants, leopard, cape buffalo, lions, giraffe, and zebra are all native to Zimbabwe, as are eagles and a plethora of other wildlife. The Zimbabwean people are welcoming and warm and are happy to have visitors in their country, opening their homes to offer tea and a smile.

Projects in Zimbabwe change each year but may include:

  • Repairs and improvements to local schools
  • Building houses for AIDS orphans
  • Painting orphanages, school, clinics, or churches

Other projects might include micro-finance training, sanitary kit making, soap and cloth making, gardening, and much more.

While in Matopos, teams stay at Morning Star in Matopos (a Unesco Heritage Site). Rooms are dorm style and will be shared. Blankets and pillows are provided and can be used indoors or to sleep under the stars. The food is fantastic (western fare), water is available on site and is purified there, and while there is a pit latrine system, there are actual toilets to be used. There is no electricity, but solar panels are used. Breakfasts and dinners will be served at the guest house each morning and lunches will be packed and will be eaten at the work site. Rock climbing, volleyball, hammocks, trekking, and much more is available for the team during off hours.

While in Bulawayo, teams will stay at Bultop, a house that is totally off the grid. Solar power makes everything work! Hosted by the Green family, a team will enjoy delicious meals – some prepared on site and some in restaurants in town. Flush toilets, clean running water and comfortable beds make this a great place to stay. Souvenir shopping completes the stay in the historic city of Bulawayo.

Included in your trip are a visit to Victoria Falls and a safari at Chobe National Park in Botswana.

DR Congo

The Democratic Republic of the Congo welcomes you! With its incredibly green pastures and mountains, you will be greeted by wide smiles and friendly faces. While off the beaten path, this country is home to a vast richness of language, culture, and bio-diversity.

Projects in the Democratic Republic of the Congo change each year but may include:

  • Minor construction, electrical or plumbing work
  • Painting
  • Playing with babies and children
  • Building latrine or kitchens

For this volunteer vacation, volunteers will stay and work in a city to Gemena and the village of Tandala, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Lodging in Gemena is at Elikya Center, a training center for older orphaned children. In Tandala, the team will stay at a guesthouse close to the Tandala Hospital, where AFCA started its work in Congo, in late 2007. It won’t be luxury, but we will be comfortable. We even have flushing toilets!

We will have most of our meals at the guesthouses, cooked by local Congolese women, so the food will be traditional Congolese food…yum!

JOIN A TEAM!

Ready to get started? Want more information on what it means to join a team?

LEARN MORE

CURRENT TEAMS

Opportunities to travel internationally while supporting the programs of AFCA’s partners in sub-Saharan Africa and having a fabulous cultural experience.

ZIMBABWE

Join us on a Volunteer with a Purpose trip to Matopos and Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Our work in Zimbabwe is very community oriented and we will work side by side with the local people to make our work a success.

Some of the projects for this trip might include:

  • Construction of a spray race dip for goats
  • Construction of goat homes for beneficiary families
  • Painting a girls’ boarding school
  • Setting up playground equipment
  • Sewing projects
  • Setting up a school library and literacy program
  • Teaching English
  • Building fences
  • Helping with goats

Dates of VWP Zimbabwe: June 22 – July 5, 2025

Team type: Open team (Team Giraffe)
Cost of event: $2500 plus airfare and visa
Team Capacity: 15
Last day for full payment: 45 days before the trip

Apply Offline
Apply Online
FUNDRAISE
PROJECT INFO
VIEW SCHEDULE

Dates of VWP Zimbabwe: July 6-19, 2025

Team type: Open team (Team Elephant)
Cost of event: $2500 plus airfare and visa
Team Capacity: TEAM IS FULL
Last day for full payment: 45 days before the trip

Apply Offline
Apply Online
FUNDRAISE
PROJECT INFO
VIEW SCHEDULE

Dates of VWP Zimbabwe: July 27 – August 9, 2025

Team type: Open team (Team Chemolya)
Cost of event: $2500 plus airfare and visa
Team Capacity: Team is Full
Last day for full payment: 45 days before the trip

Apply Offline
Apply Online
FUNDRAISE
PROJECT INFO
VIEW SCHEDULE

KENYA

Join us on a Volunteer with a Purpose trip to Miwani, Kenya. Our work in Kenya is very community oriented and we will work side by side with the local people to make our work a success. Some of the projects might include the items listed below. If there is something you’d really like to do, please let us know and we’ll try to accommodate as best as possible. We are not always able to do so and flexibility is key!

  • English lessons to community children
  • Plumbing for garden and orphanage kitchen
  • Tiling kitchen and dining room area of the orphanage
  • Fixing fencing
  • Playing with the children
  • Harvesting veggies and helping in the garden or rice paddy. Packaging produce for sale
  • Community medical clinic help, for nurses or doctors
  • Helping in the library
  • Painting the orphanage

Dates of VWP Kenya: August 17-30, 2025

Team type: Open team (Team Sulwe (star in Luo))
Cost of event: $2700 plus airfare
Team Capacity:  12
Last day for full payment: 45 days before the trip

Apply Offline
Apply Online
FUNDRAISE
PROJECT INFO
VIEW SCHEDULE

DR CONGO

Join us on a Volunteer with a Purpose trip to Gemena and Tandala, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Our work in Congo is very community oriented and we will work side by side with the local people to make our work a success. Some of the projects might include the items listed below. If there is something you’d really like to do, please let us know and we’ll try to accommodate as best as possible. We are not always able to do so and flexibility is key!

  • Minor construction, electrical or plumbing work
  • Painting
  • Playing with babies and children
  • Building latrine or kitchens

Keep eyes peeled for dates!

  • Food (except alcoholic drinks and personal snacks)
  • Sleeping accommodations
  • In-country transportation, to and from the airport as well as to the project worksite
  • Donation to the host partner, to be used to further their programs as well as to purchase supplies and materials for our specific project, if needed.
  • Local cultural activities
  • Administrative fees for AFCA and some team leader costs.

The trip fees do not include:

  • Airfare from your home to the host country
  • Accommodations before or after the official trip dates
  • Medical and/or emergency evacuation insurance
  • Trip cancellation insurance;
  • R&R activities beyond those indicated in the schedule, and visa and exit fees (not applicable for all destinations)
  • Incidental personal expenses

NOTE: A $300 non-refundable deposit is required to hold your spot on the team, and all fees must be paid in full 45 days prior to departure.

If you do not have the financial means to pay the whole amount of the trip fees yourself, don’t let that discourage you. Many team members raise all or a portion of their fees through donations from family and friends. If you do plan to fundraise, start as soon as possible so that you are able to meet the payment deadline.

Even if you have the financial means to pay the entire cost yourself, we strongly encourage individuals to fundraise for their trips. Any funds raised in excess of the trip fees can be designated to go to our local partners or to AFCA. Fundraising also helps raise awareness of the mission of AFCA and its partners.

TEAM LEADER BIOS

Val Tomey and Nick Cassino

Val and Nick (married) have been international team leaders for many years, having led almost 50 volunteer teams to over 25 countries around the world, including throughout Africa, Asia, South America, Central America and Eastern Europe.

As team leaders, Val and Nick strive to build teams that are diverse in age, gender, religious affiliation and cultural backgrounds. They look for fellow team members who are adventurous, flexible and find fulfillment in serving others, and who are willing to give up some of the luxuries of home for awesome experiences!

Eric Weaver

Eric is a world traveler who has led volunteer teams to Kenya, Bulgaria, Ecuador, and Portugal for Habitat for Humanity and for his own company, International Volunteer Partnerships. A gifted builder and carpenter, Eric explains work to team members in an easy to understand way and always strives to include local folks in the work project.

Eric is happiest when he is traveling and would love to be your team leader as you help children served by AFCA.

Tanya Weaver

Tanya has extensive experience as a team leader and as a host to teams. She has led or hosted teams in Ecuador, Paraguay, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Kyrgyzstan, Romania, Portugal, Northern Ireland, and Bulgaria. Tanya has lived overseas most of her life (Colombia, Afghanistan, Romania, Russia, Hungary) and is very familiar with foreign cultures.

Tanya is a multi-lingual experienced traveler who has a knack for finding off-the-beaten-track food places. As a leader, Tanya is always happy to find answers for team members who want to know more about the culture where the team is working. She’ll try to make your time overseas the most fun possible!

Jodi Winfindale

Jodi started volunteering with AFCA’s livestock in Zimbabwe, doing trainings for beneficiaries and helping with the distribution of animals. With her heart firmly in Africa, she has been back 5 times since 2012. Jodi started co-leading teams for AFCA in 2016, with her first team being to Zimbabwe. The next year, she co-led a team to Kenya. She has introduced her husband and three youngest children to the continent she loves by taking them on a Vacation with a Purpose trip in 2016 and is excited to return in 2019 with them in tow, once again.

Jodi lives in Grantville, PA with her husband of 33 years, Ed. She has 8 children, 6 grandchildren, over 60 dairy goats, chickens, whitetail deer, sheep, and her alpaca, Sylvia.

Emily Gingrich

Emily has a passion for traveling the world. She has been to over 30 countries including Kenya, Vietnam, Colombia, Malawi, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Jamaica, and Costa Rica. She has served most of her trips with Habitiat for Humanity. Emily had the pleasure of going back to one of her favorite places in the world with AFCA in 2017, Kenya. She is so excited to lead a team back and show others the amazing and beautiful place of Kenya!

Join us and promote our vacations with a purpose using images available in our ‘Campaign in a Box’

Campaign in a Box