Participate in Namibia
Would you like to volunteer and take action to help disadvantaged children in Namibia?
On site in our education centres in Okakarara, Gobabis or Rehoboth, you will work with our helpers and employees to give children and young people access to education. You will help with catering, organise games and sports activities, help with homework and play an active role in shaping everyday life. You lend a hand - with your hands, your commitment and, if necessary, your expertise.
We offer various opportunities for cooperation:
An FSJ with the weltwärts programme from Volunta gGmbH
A year in Africa with the weltwärts programme
We are a partner organisation of Volunta gGmbH, a company of the German Red Cross in Hesse. Volunta is a recognised sending organisation of the weltwärts programme of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), the Organisation of the development volunteer service. By applying for the weltwärts programme at Volunta, volunteers can work for a year in our education centres in Okakarara, Gobabis or Rehoboth.
For application deadlines and further information, please go directly to the Volunta website and apply there:
3-6 months voluntary service at our locations
Get involved with your heart, hands and expertise - and actively help shape educational opportunities in Namibia.
Would you like to get involved in our education centres? We are looking for motivated volunteers aged 18 and over - ideally with previous experience in education, sport, tutoring, IT, horticulture, crafts, nutrition, guest services or building services - to work in Okakarara, Gobabis or Rehoboth for at least 3 months.
Important:
- Please send your application documents (German & English) with a letter of motivation, CV and certificates 5-6 months before the start date to mitarbeit@stepsforchildren.de
- Apply for an eVisa in good time (at least 3 months before departure) at https://eservices.mhaiss.gov.na/workvisa-services
- You are responsible for your own travel and accommodation costs (from €15/night)
- Please make sure to come outside the Namibian school holidays if you want to help out in the education centres. would like.
We will coordinate your assignment together with the centre coordinators. We look forward to seeing you!
Felizia in Namibia says hello!
Felizia was a volunteer at steps in Gobabis together with Anna. Read her interview during her stay at steps for children here.
Namibia with a sense of purpose
Volunteer at our locations in Namibia, support local children and young people with time, knowledge and attention - and return with the unforgettable experience of real encounters.
Immerse yourself in real encounters and support our locations at the same time: stay overnight in lovingly run guesthouses in the heart of Namibia or combine your time out with a social holiday on site. This will make your stay an unforgettable experience - for you and the children you accompany on site.
Enjoy a peaceful night's sleep in sustainable accommodation units that are perfect for a few nights away from popular, bustling tourist centres. When you visit us in Okakarara or Gobabis, you can see our work for yourself and meet the children and staff on site. The guest house is not only a place to sleep, but also a place for cultural encounters just a few minutes' walk away.
By renting our guest houses, you support our locations and therefore our concept -
Income for education.
Okakarara
Experience Okakarara up close: Our cosy double rooms with private bathroom and shared kitchen offer comfort and independence. Single travellers and couples are very welcome!
Accompany us to the educational projects on site and gain exclusive insights into the sewing workshop and vegetable growing - real help for self-help to experience first-hand.
Gobabis
A cosy, feel-good atmosphere awaits you in the lovingly designed Gobabis guest house. The cosy rooms with their own bathroom and small desk offer space to relax and reflect. In the large, communal kitchen with adjoining dining room, you can easily cater for yourself and socialise with other guests.
On request, we can take you on a personal tour of our facilities in Gobabis. This will give you exclusive insights into our educational work and allow you to experience first-hand how help for self-help is implemented in practice.
Social leave
With a few nights in our guest houses, you can work with our staff and volunteers in the preschool during the day, support the afternoon classes or help in the soup kitchen.
Experience the real-life practice of a social education centre that cares for the poorest children and young people in Namibia and experience daily challenges that are guaranteed to be different from your own at home. Your donation arrives - you can see for yourself. You can also book a guided tour of the town so that you don't miss out on the most interesting corners and regional cuisine during your stay.
Social holiday in Okakarara
Help in the soup kitchen
in the preparation and serving of meals
Maintenance
the school buildings, guest houses and greenhouses
Afternoon care
in the subjects English and maths
Assistance with sports games
Assistance with art projects
Kindergarten and preschool
Assistance with games
Morning reading session
Please bear this in mind when planning your stay:
Working with children and young people is not only about professional input, but also about the relationship with each other. The longer your stay, the greater the chance of passing on valuable knowledge to the steps children in the long term.
Social holiday in Gobabis
Help with the guest house
Guest house marketing
Guest house organisation and management
Assistance at school*
Dance and sports lessons
Co-organisation of the afternoon lessons
Planning holiday activities especially for steps homes and guardian angel children
Assistance with computer lessons for the afternoon children**
*Good knowledge of English and solid pedagogical knowledge absolutely necessary
**Technical knowledge required
School holidays in Namibia
Please note that although the steps guesthouses are open for overnight stays throughout the year, guided tours of the steps facilities are only offered outside the Namibian school holidays and during the week (Monday to Friday).
Holidays
Period
Christmas holidays
Good Friday
Easter
Spring holidays
Day of the African Child
Summer holidays
Day of the Namibian Child
International Teachers' Day
Christmas holidays
07 Dec. 2025 - 12 Jan. 2026
03 April 2026
06 April 2026
29 April - 29 May 2026
16 June 2026
21 Aug - 06 Sep 2026
28 Sep 2026
05 Oct. 2026
05 Dec. 2026 - 10 Jan. 2027
steps travel - Adventure and social encounters in Namibia
Experience Namibia not just as a travel destination - but as an affair of the heart.
Breathtaking landscapes such as the dunes of Sossusvlei and the impressive wildlife of Etosha National Park await you on your journey. But the speciality lies in the deeper experience:
You will meet the children and staff of the steps for children education centres, sing together with them, learn your first words in a local language and feel the bond that develops across cultures.
Marvel at a fertile garden in the middle of the desert and visit a Herero, Damara or San family in their home - real encounters that touch you.
Your Namibia trip is organised by external tour operators. On site, you will be accompanied by experienced guides who will convey the history, geology, fauna and flora of the country with heart and expertise. steps enables you to have special encounters at the locations. You will be accommodated in comfortable lodges - with the feeling of being deeply immersed and having a lasting effect.
Experience that takes root
Many dedicated retired professionals want to pass on their knowledge - and provide support where their experience makes a difference. Children, young people and employees at our locations in Namibia also benefit from this valuable expertise. Whether in pedagogical work, in technical areas or in organisational development - the exchange at eye level strengthens our teams in the long term.
If you are an expert in a field and are interested in a meaningful stay abroad, we look forward to hearing from you.
The World of Feelings
The German psychologist and psychotherapist Ernst Diebels, who came to Okakarara through the Senior Expert Service (SES), developed a curriculum that uses role plays, exercises and short stories to introduce people to the world of their own feelings and moods and helps them to understand these inner processes in other people too.
Insights from social supporters
Take a look at how our local helpers support children in Namibia in their everyday lives.