VOLUNTEER
Avara is looking for people who want to do something real.
Come and be part of it.
Volunteering at Avara
Come and live with the land, the river, and a community building something that matters.
Avara welcomes volunteers who feel drawn to contribute their time, skills, and presence to a living regenerative project.
Life at Avara is shaped by the land, the river, and the rhythm of the seasons. You will wake up to birdsong on the Okavango, work alongside a small and like-minded community, and spend your days genuinely connected to the natural world around you. This is not glamping, and it is not a resort — it is simple, grounded living in one of Namibia's most wild and beautiful regions. The kind of life that slows you down in the best possible way, and reminds you what it feels like to be part of nature rather than separate from it.
You will work practically, purposefully, and with real impact. But you will also have time to absorb the culture, explore surrounding areas, cruise on the river, and experience the quiet satisfaction of contributing to something bigger than yourself. Days end simply here. And that simplicity, for most people who come, turns out to be the thing they needed most.
Volunteering at Avara is built on reciprocity. You bring your skills and presence.
In return, you gain community, hands-on learning, and a way of living that is difficult to find, and even harder to forget.
What To Know
Before You Apply
Minimum stay: 3 weeks — long enough to settle in, find your rhythm, and make a real contribution.
Maximum stay: 3 months, in line with Namibia's standard tourist visa allowance.
Accommodation: Provided on-site. Current accommodation is simple and close to the land - a tent with a comfy mattress and bedding provided. Basic essentials are taken care of: solar power, WiFi, hot water, and outdoor showers are all available. It is basic, comfortable, and entirely in keeping with the spirit of Avara. As we grow, volunteers will play a direct role in building the permanent accommodation that will replace it. So, what you arrive to and what you leave behind may look quite different.
Food: Not included. Volunteers are responsible for their own meals. A fully equipped community kitchen is available for everyone to use. Our closest town is Nkurenkuru, a 10 minute drive away, with all basic essentials available. A farm vehicle is on hand for regular supply runs. For those looking for a meal out or a more comfortable stay for visiting friends or family, there is a lodge next door offering dining and accommodation.
Travel: Volunteers cover their own travel costs to and from Avara. We are happy to help with the logistics of getting here from Windhoek and back, this can be organised once your place is confirmed.
Location: Kavango region, Namibia, on the banks of the Okavango River, in one of the country's most ecologically rich and naturally beautiful landscapes.
Skills We’re Looking For
We welcome volunteers with a wide range of backgrounds, but we are especially looking for people with experience or genuine interest in the following areas:
Carpentry & Building. Hands-on construction and infrastructure work. Avara is always building — shelters, gathering spaces, training centre, accommodation. Skilled hands make a real and lasting difference here, and the work you do will still be standing long after you leave.
Content Creation & Storytelling. Capturing and sharing the Avara story as it unfolds — through video, photography, and social media. We are looking for someone with a genuine eye for authentic storytelling, who can communicate the work and spirit of this place with honesty and warmth. Experience in videography, editing, photography, or content writing all needed.
Gardening & Land Work. Supporting the day-to-day work of the food forests, vegetable fields, and growing systems. We are especially looking for someone with a background or strong interest in organic practices — composting, natural soil building, companion planting, and growing food without chemical inputs. A deep respect for the land is the most important qualification.
Wellness, Community & Kitchen. We are looking for someone who brings both nourishment and wellbeing to the community. This role combines cooking for yourself and contributing to shared meals, with offering wellness sessions for the group — yoga, breathwork, or similar practices. If you are someone who feeds people well and holds space with care, this role is for you.
Beyond these positions, we are always open to all-rounders — people who bring a mix of skills, a genuine willingness to get stuck in, learn new things, and show up for whatever the land and community need. If you don't fit neatly into one of the roles above but feel strongly called to Avara, we want to hear from you. In your application, tell us specifically what you are good at, what you love doing, and how you think you could contribute. That is what helps us find the right fit for both of us.
What you give. What you gain.
Volunteering at Avara is a chance to live in rhythm with the wild, and help build something deeply meaningful. Here is what the exchange looks like:
You bring: Your skills, your time, your presence, and a genuine commitment to the work and the community around you.
You gain: On-site accommodation, hands-on experience with regenerative agroforestry and food systems, daily life within a working farm community, access to the Avara land and learning environment, and a deeper relationship with nature-based practice that is difficult to find anywhere else.
This is not a programme with a fixed curriculum. It is lived learning, shaped by the seasons, the projects, and the needs of the land.
If this resonates, we'd like to hear from you. Fill out the form below to apply now.
If this resonates, we'd like to hear from you. Fill out the form below to apply now.
We read every application carefully and take time to consider whether there is genuine mutual alignment before confirming a placement. Please answer each question as honestly and specifically as you can — that is what helps us most.