“Volunteering with AJESH in any of its offices worldwide is an excellent opportunity to protect biodiversity, manage natural resources (terrestrial, coastal, and marine), support communities, and improve people’s lives. AJESH volunteers have made a positive impact on local communities around protected areas, critical landscapes and seascapes.

Through the efforts and participation of volunteers in natural resource management and community well-being, parents and children have shown interest in engaging in the management of animals, planting trees, practising climate-friendly farming, preserving and protecting wildlife, and sustainably managing landscapes to reduce climate-induced disasters and risks.

The communities where AJESH has worked are always happy to have volunteers, allowing them to talk to them in their local language, build friendships, and create family links. AJESH appreciates volunteers’ generosity and willingness to help, but given the environmental constraints and limited resources, it requires volunteers with experience and tangible skills. Many of AJESH’s opportunities need volunteers to work independently, using their initiative and ideas while receiving guidance from staff. Volunteers serve in consultant-type roles and are usually not simply handed work.

The mature volunteers are responsible for participating in comprehensive
needs assessments and working closely with AJESH’s director and project
staff to develop, implement, and evaluate sustainable programs. You too
can work on a more structured program like Biodiversity Conservation and
Protected Area Management (BC-PAM), BioTrade, research on genetic
resources under the Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) scheme, Community
Livelihood Development (VLD) e.g. working with local farmer groups,
local community groups, orphans, elderly, and local school children,
among others, with more guidance if your time is short or you feel that
you would like to gain experience but don’t feel confident developing
your project. The management staff at AJESH are always available to
provide guidance and advice on all activities being undertaken by AJESH.

AJESH does not accept unaccompanied volunteers under 18 years old, and
because of the independent nature of most of our work, the ideal age is
over 21. If you are flexible, non-judgmental, tolerant, resourceful, and
inquisitive, like asking questions, learning by doing, exchanging
knowledge, and sharing skills, compassionate, hard-working, adventurous,
and willing to learn, then you are just the kind of person AJESH seeks.
Join us in implementing our activities in Cameroon, Ghana, Rwanda,
Tanzania, and other countries.