Village cultures and traditions can vary region upon region, so we provide you with a personal guide who is local to the community. He / she will meet you at the Work the World house on Monday and take you by local transport to the village. Travelling with locals and watching the scenery change is a great introduction to your week. Your guide will also travel back to the Work the World house with you at on Friday or Saturday.

You will work most mornings with a healthcare practitioner, but in your free time your guide will introduce you to local healers, help you learn the art of traditional cooking, involve you in local income generator schemes such as palm oil, take you to see local sights and arrange tribal dances and drumming demonstrations.

Your time in the village will be spent with a local host family who will provide you with simple living quarters and food for the duration of your stay. Although you will be living as traditionally as possible, students will be provided with a room to share, clean sheets and fresh, purified water.

The same illnesses and issues exist in rural communities but attitudes to healthcare can be very different. Living and working amongst the locals will help you appreciate limited resources, delivery and understanding of treatment in rural communities as well as provide a huge contrast to your hospital or clinic placement.

Village life is great and you will quickly become close to your surrogate family and the surrounding community. Broadening your appreciation of community healthcare is an invaluable experience, both professionally and personally, and will really stand out on C.V.

A maximum of four people go on each village experience. With limited numbers you can fully integrate yourself into village life and enjoy a very personal experience.

The village experience is available in Ghana, Arusha -Tanzania, Lake Victoria - Tanzania and Zanzibar.

We would recommend you take your village experience at the end of your placement, but we can arrange it for you at any time.