Volunteering in Africa takes a special kind of person. Volunteers have to be willing to go with the flow and adapt to new situations, while living without many of their usual home luxuries.

However, Africa Ministry claims that “it really isn’t as scary as you may reckon. There are lots of myths out there, but many of them aren’t right.” With this in mind they have published a list of 10 common myths about volunteering in Africa.

These range from the sensible (“You have to be rich to volunteer. I can’t afford it”) to the slightly ridiculous (“There will be scary animals”), but provide a good counter-argument to anyone who thinks that volunteer work in Africa is not for them.

One of the most important myths to dispel is the suggestion that the problems in Africa are so great that one volunteer cannot make any difference.

The article writer responds: “But if you focus on the people you are there to help, you very much CAN make a difference. You can help someone learn a new skill so that they can pay for food and shelter for their family. You can teach a child English, Maths or Science so that they can get a job someday.”

It is important to consider all aspects of volunteer work in Africa before dismissing it on the basis of unfounded doubts.

Read the full list of Africa volunteering myths.

Find out about Inspire volunteer projects in Tanzania, Gambia and South Africa.