The Association Companions for International Volunteering (ACVI) is a non-profit association created by a group of young people from Ouarzazate, Morocco. It organizes workcamps, environmental activities, language camps, cultural exchange and solidarity trips.

You must be 18 years of age or more, speak at least French or English to communicate with the other volunteers, and be motivated to work together with the whole group to achieve the goals of the workcamp.

From 5 days to one month.

Work is done in the morning from Monday to Friday, four hours a day. In the afternoons, evenings and weekends, activities are planned for the volunteers.

Activities with kids, environment-related activities with kids, painting, and teaching English, French and Spanish.

In Ouarzazate, in schools and other public establishments frequented by the local population.

Registering means committing to be present on the first day, to stay for the whole period of the camp and to respect the programme. If you have to arrive late or leave early, please tell us beforehand.

In the activities-with-kids workcamp, volunteers work with 54 children in three groups of 18. Each group has six volunteers: five foreigners and one member of the association. A technical manager appointed by the association provides the materials and supports the volunteers.

Volunteers are housed in a boarding school (or, depending on availability, a camping centre) in the city centre or, for some sessions, in a nearby village, in separate dormitories for young men and young women, fully equipped with mattresses and blankets. Meals are prepared by a cook hired by the association, and volunteers help with serving, washing the dishes and cleaning the tables.

The price depends on the programme and its length. Please contact us to get it.

Depending on the programme, the price includes: accommodation; the transfer from the airport to the accommodation on arrival; all meals of the day, water included; the excursion to the desert and gorges (transport, hotel, camel ride and meals); cultural activities; entrance fees to historic monuments; and the material needed for the projects. It does not include: personal expenses, insurance, visa fees, the plane ticket, and drinks during excursions and visits.

For more information about cancellation, please contact us by email or WhatsApp. If a workcamp is cancelled because of force majeure, the association commits to refund the volunteers.

You must bring proof of valid insurance covering the whole duration of the workcamp. Insurance, visa fees and the plane ticket are not included in the price. Visa requirements depend on your nationality, so please check them before booking your flight.

Yes. The transfer from the airport to the accommodation is included, on arrival only.

The workcamps take place in a very safe environment, with permanent daily follow-up by the local authorities. They are supervised from start to finish, including trips, tours and outings, by a team with more than 10 years of experience in organising international camps. The city is a tourist destination and people are used to foreigners and the way they dress; we advise avoiding provocative clothing. Getting around is not a problem: you can travel safely, and when you arrive we give you all the necessary information.

In winter, bring a sleeping bag and warm clothes. The association provides everything else. In summer, please note that there is no air conditioning at the accommodation and no washing machine.

Volunteers must respect other cultures and must not behave with contempt, racism or a sense of superiority towards the organisers or the other volunteers.

A camp for teenagers and adults with four hours of classical Arabic a day, presentations about Moroccan culture, guided visits and excursions. It is open to individuals and groups of students.

A yearly project that creates a cultural exchange between a group of international students and their peers from Ouarzazate.

Everyone. The trips are run by members of the association and are open to anyone within the number of seats available. Each trip has its own programme, which you can get by email.

Trips are scheduled to the desert and the canyons: the Merzouga desert, or the Chegaga desert at M’hamid El Ghizlane, and the gorges: the Dades Gorges and the Todgha Gorges.

Contact us with the WhatsApp button on this website, by email at acvi.org.ouarzazate@gmail.com, or through the contact page.