Volunteer with Operation Ethiopia
Apply to Volunteer
Apply for a life-changing volunteer experience with Operation Ethiopia
Are you looking for a life-changing experience and the opportunity to help some of the people who need it most in Ethiopia? Consider applying to help us do our work in Ethiopia!
We run multiple one-week medical missions a year, with cohorts of various combinations of opthalmologists, optometrists, EMTs, and lay volunteers. Due to the ongoing war in Israel, the dates of our 2025 missions are not yet set. If you are interested in joining us on a future mission, please fill out the volunteer form below and we will be in touch.
Volunteering with Operation Ethiopia is a very hands-on experience with hard but incredibly fulfilling work. Past volunteers have found it to be a truly life-changing experience.
What You Need to Know
What are we looking for in volunteers?
Requirements:
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At least 18 years of age (no exceptions, for legal reasons)
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Fluent in both Hebrew and English
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Flexible even in uncertain conditions and situations and must have no problem with physically challenging accommodations and surroundings
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Highly motivated, takes initiative, and pitches in where needed
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Leadership experience in youth groups, army, or other settings is preferred
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Works well as part of a team
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Can 100% COMMIT to the dates of the trip — Our volunteer teams are small and carefully balanced among ages, skill set, and if people cancel after committing, it causes problems for the mission. If you are interested in a trip that is close to a family event, personal event, army enlistment, or if your workplace may not approve your leave, please do not apply
Our work is done in Gondar in northern Ethiopia and the surrounding villages, and it is the third world in every sense. The conditions of the trip are challenging. There are no public bathrooms, accommodations are on the level of a very simple youth hostel, there are times when the electricity is off, where running water is not available, WIFI and connectivity in general is never guaranteed, and we work long days in the field. Things often change at the last minute, and flexibility and resiliency are essential.
What do Operation Ethiopia volunteers do?
The main activity of our volunteer trips are running our Mobile Eyecare clinics in rural villages (watch here for an example). Laypeople are trained to operate devices that screen for glaucoma and auto-refract for vision. They also check patients in, manage medication distribution, fit patients with reading glasses, and more. It is a very hands-on experience and we all work hard together.
EMTs, in addition to participating in our Mobile Eyecare Clinics, teach first aid and CPR to medical staff in Gondar University hospital, out in the field, and also to laypeople in the Jewish community.
All volunteers are invited to help with the SSEJ feeding program for malnourished children during early mornings in the Jewish compound.
How much does it cost to join a volunteer trip?
Volunteers cover their expenses for the one-week trip to Gondar, Ethiopia. We DO have a limited number of scholarships for each mission, so if you need financial assistance, let us know. The cost of the one-week volunteer trip is currently $1500 including flights to/from Israel (the biggest expense by far), food, and lodging. Additional expenses are getting an e-visa, getting to and from the Israeli airport, and vaccinations as needed.
What are the accommodations and food like?
Lodging:
We stay at the Lammergeyer “hotel” in Gondar, which is across from the University of Gondar Hospital, and a 12-minute walk to the Jewish compound. The rooms are on the level of a very, very basic youth hostel. They have different standards for cleanliness and comfort than you might be used to. You’ll sleep under a mosquito net. There is often hot water available for showers but not always. Electricity and running water are not always available throughout the day.
Food:
We eat all of our meals at the Lammergeyer hotel and the food is quite decent. The kitchen serves both Kosher and non-Kosher food and the Kosher certification is overseen by Rabbi Menachem Waldman of Haifa, Israel, who has been the religious leader of the community for decades.
Local fare includes injerra, fish, pasta, shakshuka, eggs, and pancakes.
We recommend bringing non-refrigerated foods and snacks as well, particularly for selective eaters.
Water can only be drunk from sealed bottles that you can purchase daily at the hotel or locally.
We do not recommend eating uncooked vegetables or fruits.
What else do I need to know?
- We spend a lot of time selecting volunteers, and we carefully balance each volunteer cohort for ages, skills, and so on. If you apply to volunteer, please be CERTAIN that you are available to join for the dates of the trip you are applying for.
- Entering Ethiopia from Israel requires a Visa that needs to be applied for online and received before travel.
- All travelers need to check with their local doctor or travel clinic to find out what innoculations / immunizations you need to get. Some vaccinations need to be given well in advance.
- It is recommended to take malaria pills but check with your own doctor.
- You need to purchase travel insurance before your trip
- WiFi service is very spotty there and you cannot be guaranteed connectivity. A local SIM card offers the best connectivity but even so, the WiFi can be cut off in the country at any point and different times.
- We take photos throughout our trips and missions, and by coming with us, you consent to us using photos of you on our website, social media, emails and more.
- You would be directly helping and interacting with people who otherwise have no means or access to medical care, and it is an immensely rewarding and life-changing experience.
Hear from Past Volunteers
“I feel privileged I had the ability to visit Ethiopia and witness the country and the people who live there. I am humbled by my limited ability to help those I met. The images I witnessed will stay with me and I hope to use these images to raise awareness, and hopefully raise funds for those faces.”
“I would describe it as a uniquely special experience. Volunteering with Operation Ethiopia is a true opportunity to do good, and to learn with the exceptional group of people who make it possible.”
“The trip was a life changing experience. We always talk about helping out those in underserved communities, but rarely is there opportunity to do so. I came in not knowing much or expecting anything, but this trip completely exceeded all of my expectations and left me with memories and friends I’ll never forget.”
