Zambia 2010
Spark Ventures has a Transformation Trip planned for Summer 2010 to visit our partner Hope Ministries in Zambia. Below are some of the details for this trip.
Trip Details
- Travel Itinerary/Lodging/Food
- 2010 Trip Schedule
- Costs/Tax Deduction
- Passport/Visa/Medical Concerns
- Trip Interest List
- Trip Application
Travel Itinerary/Lodging/Food
The trip to visit Spark’s partner, Hope Ministries, in Zambia will be approximately two weeks. This includes 4 days of travel and 10 days on the ground. You will be given a specific date when you must arrive in Zambia as well as the departure date (unless you plan to arrange for an extended stay in the country).
You will be responsible for purchasing your own travel based on the dates provided. Planning international travel can be intimidating, so we encourage you to use our preferred travel agent, Lynn Billetta at Liadis Travel (), who will be available to help you with all of your travel arrangements and will have various options based on your needs. If you choose to travel with the Spark Ventures staff, we will provide you with our airline/flight information.
Lodging will be in "guest houses" which are a cross between a bed & breakfast and a small motel. Participants may have a roommate unless requested otherwise and pay a small added fee. Each room has individual bathrooms with a shower.
The food in Zambia includes chicken, fish, rice, vegetables and nshima (their staple carbohydrate food). We will not drink tap water unless it is boiled and most foods will be fully cooked.
Schedule
The schedule is subject to change, but this is the basic itinerary for the trip.
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June 21 |
Arrive in Ndola, Zambia |
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June 21-26 |
Ndola, Zambia: Orientation and volunteer work with Hope Ministries |
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June 27 |
Lusaka, Zambia: Visit Hope Farm and other projects in capital city |
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June 28-29 |
Livingstone, Zambia & Botswana: Victoria Falls & Safari |
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June 30 |
Depart Livingstone, Zambia |
Costs/Tax Deduction
Spark requires a $2,000 contribution per trip participant and each person is responsible for purchasing flights to/from Zambia. Each participant must provide a $1,000 deposit by March 1, 2010 and the $1,000 balance by May 1, 2010. Typically, round trip flights from major U.S. cities range from $2-3,000. Spark's preferred travel agent, Lynn Billetta at Liadis Travel (), is available to help you with all of your travel arrangements. Your flight itinerary must be provided to Spark by April 15, 2010.
Once in Zambia, all ground transportation, lodging, meals, activity fees and trip necessities will be covered by Spark Ventures. Approximately 10% of the trip contribution will go directly to the work of Spark’s partner in Zambia and to support the children and projects participants will see and experience on the trip. The other funds will help cover program costs mentioned above.
This is a volunteer travel trip, so your $2,000 contribution to Spark Ventures is considered a donation and you will receive a tax deduction letter. You should check with your tax accountant to ensure the legal/maximum tax-benefit. We will ask you to complete a "Skills Worksheet" which will help us identify ways that you can contribute to the humanitarian work we will participate in on this trip. The primary purpose for this trip is volunteerism & humanitarian assistance. Any recreational activities will occur in the evenings or on the weekends and are not the primary purpose of our travel.
Individuals will be responsible for a valid passport, visa and recommended shots and malaria medication. Spark will provide information and resources to assist trip participants with these logistics. These costs can range anywhere from $150-400 and some may be qualify for tax-deduction.
Passport/Visa/Medical Concerns
Passport information can be found here.
Visa information can be found here (Spark will provide necessary information for application).
To begin to research and prepare medically for this trip please visit the CDC website,along with your physician or a travel clinic.
International travel insurance is recommended. Check with your medical insurance company to see if you are covered for this trip, or additional information will be provided for temporary medical travel insurance.
