Work and Travel in Ivory Coast

VOLUNTEER AND PAID WORK OPPORTUNITIES IN IVORY COAST FOR TRAVELLERS

Travel in the Ivory Coast is not as common as many the other West African nations. Unless you enjoy football, the chances are you don’t know much about this country and what you can do there.

We are going to take a look at what work and travel in the Ivory Coast is like. You’re going to learn about the volunteer opportunities in the Ivory Coast and what you can expect to encounter there.

Read through our travel guide to the Ivory Coast to find out more.

1. Teach English in the Ivory Coast

For anyone who wants to work in the Ivory Coast, teaching English is a good start. The national language of the country is French, but an increasing number of people have demonstrated their desire to learn English.

You’ll usually only have to be a native English speaker to qualify, but it’s always helpful to possess the TEFL qualification.

The more qualified you are the better the institutions you can work in. Do you want to teach English in the Ivory Coast?

2. Protection and Conservation in the Ivory Coast

Anyone interested in the environment or climate change can find a range of positions as they travel in the Ivory Coast.

There are a number of organisations dedicated to protecting and conserving the natural resources of the country. These include the forests and the marine areas by the coast.

Each organisation will have different requirements but few of them require you to have any formal qualifications to secure a volunteer position.

3. Promote Community Development in the Ivory Coast

One aspect of work and travel in the Ivory Coast is about leaving the country a better place. Everybody knows that the Ivory Coast has a high level of poverty throughout the country. Communities require development if they’re going to have better futures.

Community development projects in the Ivory Coast vary immensely. It could be about providing an education in rural villages, providing the poorest in society with the tools they need to become more self-sufficient, or just helping with construction.

It all goes towards strengthening the bonds between the Ivorian community.

VOLUNTEER WORK VISA / PERMIT REQUIREMENTS FOR IVORY COAST

All nationalities require a visa to travel in the Ivory Coasthttps. The only exceptions are a number of West African countries and the Philippines.

There are only certain third-world countries that have to apply for a visa from an Ivorian embassy, though. Unlike many other countries in the region, you now have an eVisa option.

You should bear in mind that the eVisa is only valid when collected at Port Bouet Airport in the economic capital of Abidjan. If you intend on going on a big adventure throughout West Africa, you’ll need to make sure you fly in to get this 90-day visa.

Alternatively, if you insist on crossing by land you should make sure you already have a pre-arranged visa. This can be done in the countries neighbouring the Ivory Coast.

SEASONAL BACKPACKER SKILLS NEEDED IN IVORY COAST

SPRING WORK

The Ivory Coast enjoys both tropical and semiarid conditions, depending on where you are in the country. The spring season is the dry season from March until May. From June until the summer, you should expect heavy rains and extremely humid conditions.

If you want volunteering opportunities in the Ivory Coast during the spring, we recommend short-term projects in the rural areas. These typically last for six to eight weeks and will allow you to enjoy the hot, dry conditions before the rains come.

Later in the spring, you should move to the urban areas to avoid the worst of the wet season. Teaching English in schools is always a good choice from June onwards.

SUMMER JOBS

The whole of the summer is taken up by the wet season. If you intend on work in the Ivory Coast in the far north of the country, you can continue working with a wide range of outdoor projects. On the other hand, stick to indoor projects.

Teaching English in the Ivory Coast is a popular choice during summer. But you can also involve yourself within computer literacy projects, which will take you to both individuals and businesses.

If you know how to use a computer, you should have no problems finding this type of work.

AUTUMN

Until October, the rainy season continues. Refer back to the previous sections for more information on what you can do during this part of autumn.

After October, the rains cease, and you can begin to work in conservation and environmental projection. These are most popular in the coastal regions and in the tropical areas of the country.

You could be working with forests or with the marine life on the southern edge of the country. It’s warm and dry from October, so it’s the perfect time to be taking on these outdoor projects.

WINTER

The winter is also warm and dry, which is arguably the ideal time to work and travel in the Ivory Coast. We recommend taking advantage of the good weather and choosing some of the outdoor projects outlined in the previous sections.

There are no other specific seasonal skills for winter in the Ivory Coast.

ATTITUDE TO FOREIGNERS WORKING OR VOLUNTEERING IN IVORY COAST

The Ivory Coast is probably less threatening than the other countries in the region, such as areas of Nigeria and Mali. However, you should still tread carefully as you work in the Ivory Coast because this is a poor country and crime levels are reasonably high.

You’ll notice that much of the population is grateful for the help of foreigners. This is not a tourist destination, so you’re bound to experience a great deal of curiosity on the part of the locals.

Just remember that you shouldn’t take work that the locals can do themselves. They need paid employment and you want to support the local community not take away from it.

Are you intrigued by the prospect of work and travel in the Ivory Coast?