Dannah Al-Rashoud, 31, England – February 2015

I originally came to the wildlife centre for 4 weeks but after my time was up I didn’t feel ready to leave so I extended my trip! It has been a great experience and I would recommend it to anyone who is considering volunteering for many reasons. First of all, you get a wide variety of experience in all things animal! My stay was in the middle of orphan season, so there were a lot of baby Vervet and Blue monkeys that needed looking after and nursing back to health, which was great fun and extremely rewarding. Not only that, but I have had the opportunity to get involved in integrations, enrichment, animal care and animal observations, as well as helping the vet out in the clinic. There are also outreach opportunities, where you will be able to go into the local communities. All the staff are very welcoming and always happy to help out, and are very informative. It is so easy to quickly feel at home here. I had no problem settling in, and I would consider the centre a home from home now, having met some lifelong friends and some amazing people, who are all passionate about animals. On top of all this, Malawi is a beautiful country with friendly people and some amazing sights. If you are in any doubt as to whether you should volunteer at Lilongwe, just go for it. You won’t regret it and you’ll find that it is a life changing and unforgettable experience.