Zambia
Qualified candidates will have an expressed interest in working in the health sector and one or more of the following criteria:
• Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Science degree in any field
Qualified applicants will have a bachelor’s degree in any discipline
Please Note: A bachelor’s degree is required for all candidates for the Zambian work permits.
Additional skills that may make you a more competitive candidate:
Prior experience or interest in working in the areas of:
- Maternal and Child Health
- HIV/AIDS Treatment and Care
- Nutrition
- BA/BS in Nutrition, Health, Nursing or Dietetics
- MA/MS in Public Health (MPH)
- Certified Physician's Assistant with interest in public/community health
- RN, LPN, LVN Nursing Degree or Diploma, or other post-grad health/medical degree with interest in community health
- Volunteer or work experience in a health-related field, i.e. HIV/AIDS outreach; COVID-19 response; TB education and treatment
Serving as a Volunteer in Zambia requires commitment to working in rural areas that may be mentally and physically challenging. Volunteers typically live in villages in traditional houses made of local materials, such as mud bricks, tinned roof, cement floor, without plumbing or electricity. Water will be collected from a nearby bore hole, well or stream, which is then filtered through a Peace Corps-issued water filter. Volunteers typically live on a large housing compound, with an independent living structure, cooking area, private bathing area, and latrine. Volunteers may choose to share meals with their resource families and neighbors or cook for themselves.
Clinics where Volunteers work are usually nearby within the 5 kilometers of their houses. However, Volunteers are expected to work at outreach posts with community clinic’s catchment area, which has a radius of about 20 kilometers or more. Bicycles will be provided, and you will receive comprehensive training on both riding and maintenance techniques to ensure a safe and reliable cycling experience.
Transportation from your community to the provincial capital may take one or two days and will generally be by crowded and dusty forms of public transportation. After transiting at the Provincial Resource Center, it usually takes one day to reach the capital city, Lusaka, and transportation is normally more comfortable, with better roads and commercial vehicles such as buses.
In some provinces where Volunteers serve, Peace Corps Zambia operates a Provincial Resource Center, which is staffed year-round and is used for work collaboration and training. These Centers allow for more comprehensive and timely support for Volunteers’ programming, administrative, and health and safety needs, aligning with Peace Corps’ top priorities.
Cell phone coverage for making calls may not be completely reliable in all communities, but all Volunteers report having enough coverage for text messaging. Many Volunteers choose to bring a laptop, as internet is available at the Provincial Resource Centers and through cell phone providers. Upon arrival, all Volunteers are offered brick phones (not a smartphone) and tablets to support their personal and professional needs in their community.
Zambians regard dress and appearance as demonstrating respect for one another. Volunteers are expected to dress appropriately, whether they are in training, traveling, or on the job. CHEP Volunteers spend much of their time in the field, so it is advisable to bring clothing that is comfortable and modest. Footwear appropriate for considerable standing, walking, and biking is also a necessity.
For women, dresses and skirts should fall below the knee and spaghetti straps are not appropriate unless covered with a sleeved shirt, coat, or jacket. Skintight sports shorts or leggings/yoga pants worn alone are also inappropriate, but may be worn under a skirt or dress, especially when riding bicycles. Men and women should wear shorts only at home, when exercising, or when doing work where Zambian counterparts are also wearing them.
Hair should be clean and combed, and beards should be neatly trimmed. Long hair for men, tattoos, and some piercings may not be culturally accepted and may impede community integration, especially during your first few months in the community. Facial piercings are considered inappropriate and should not be worn during Volunteer service. Large tattoos should be covered with clothing as much as possible.
Food availability and variety will depend on your community location. The staple food in Zambia is nshima (shee-muh), which is made from maize meal and cooked into soft lumps that are eaten with cooked vegetables, fish, meat, beans, or chicken, typically by hand. Vegetarians should have little trouble maintaining a healthy diet, though vegetarianism is relatively uncommon. A few words of polite explanation usually suffice to be excused from eating meat.
None
While English is the official language of Zambia, Volunteers cannot effectively integrate without the ability to hold basic conversations in the local Zambian language. Some community members may have intermediate or advanced levels of English, however most will not. Therefore, Volunteers are required to learn a local Zambian language.
Trainees are offered a comprehensive language immersion program during their 10-week Pre-Service Training (PST), consisting of roughly 80-85 hours of language training. Trainees will learn from native speakers in the predominant language spoken in their community in which they will be placed. They will be required to attain an intermediate level score and will receive a language survival kit. Trainees are expected to practice during breaks, evenings, and or weekends, as necessary, to meet basic language qualifications.
Once in their community, Volunteers are encouraged to continue to engage in language skill acquisition through the services of a language tutor (paid for by Peace Corps).
Health
Yes
Peace Corps Zambia welcomes couples serving together during service. For any couples to be considered, your partner must qualify for and be invited to serve as a Health (CHEP), Education (RED), or Environment (LIFE) Volunteer.
The Pre-Service Training communities for Environment, Health and Education Volunteers are in the same location. Cross-sector couples will be living together during the 10 weeks of Pre-Service Training. Couples also need to be aware that additional but compulsory trainings such as in-service training and mid-service training can be held at different times. However, they will live together at their permanent community.
There are no pre-requisite language requirements for this position. Please take a moment to explore the Language Comments section below to find out more on how local language(s) will be utilized during service.
Zambia
24
Yes
PCV
No
No
As the preeminent international service organization of the United States, the Peace Corps sends Americans with a passion for service abroad to work with communities and create lasting change. Volunteers develop sustainable solutions to address challenges in Education, Health, Economic Development, Agriculture, Environment and Youth Development. Through their Peace Corps experiences, Volunteers gain a unique cultural understanding and a lifelong commitment to service that positions them to succeed in today's global economy. Since President John F. Kennedy established the Peace Corps in 1961, more than 240,000 Americans of all ages have served in 142 countries worldwide.
