Volunteer with us

Roles we can offer you

We can use all the help available. We want to give you a meaningful experience and allow you to help us with what you find most enjoyable.

We can therefore discuss any activities together.

We surely look for people that can help us with:

  • Setting up the Mobile Caravan Event in October 2023.
  • Setting up campaigns to raise mental health awareness.
  • Building collaborations with local Universities to drive research.
  • Field research to map the needs and difficulties of patients and their families. We will visit patients in their homes.
  • Setting up an emergency helpline for mentally ill people.
  • Organising seminars on mental health.
  • Helping to write grant applications.
  • Extending our website and santementale.cm.

We also look for clinical psychologists or psychiatrists – especially those willing to come and provide consultation on the ground in Cameroon.

Please ask for more details about our projects. We would be happy to answer further questions or hear your ideas on how we can achieve our mission more effectively.

Our previous volunteers

Ana Bolaños – Ecuador / Germany
February 2023

I spend 3 Weeks at Sandrine’s Place and Association. Sandrine is a very kind and nice person, who is fighting for a good thing 🙂
in this time we worked for a campaign for educate about mental health and in a Fundraising campaign. The work she is doing is very important in Cameroon and i wish her the best for the future. I’m also very thankful for host me in this time and show me many things about Cameroon!
Thank you Sandrine 🙂

Rebecca Zavon – United States
December 2022

Working with Sandrine and living in Cameroon was one of the most unique and enriching experiences I could have asked for. I helped create a report to submit to the ministry of public health for a project had completed, and I worked with Sandrine to strategize and plan future activities for the association. They are a small association so there is opportunity to be creative and Sandrine is very open to suggestions. This was a great experience working for a small non-profit and learning about mental health in Cameroon.

Sandrine is one of the kindest people I have ever met and it is clear that she cares strongly for her cause. They treated me as part of their family, and Sandrine and her children were very eager to share their culture (and foods) and learn about mine. To anyone thinking of doing this Workaway, it would be a great opportunity!

Kat Gradek – Poland / United Kingdom
November 2022

Headline summary: truly transformative experience, inspiring host, and extremely important work

If you’re looking for a project where you can quickly make an impact whilst immersing yourself in the culture and the familiar and professional environment of your host – look no further! Supporting Sandrine and her NGO whilst staying in her family home in Yaounde was extremely educational, rewarding and in my case: life-changing . I would do it again in a heartbeat and I will continue supporting Sandrine and her work part-time and remotely.

Firstly, the placement is set up perfectly for those who want to learn about living in, and working for an NGO, in Central Africa. You have an opportunity to stay with Sandrine and her incredibly warm, welcoming and fun family. You get to ‘shadow’ and support Sandrine as she is expanding the scope and impact of her non-profit work in rural Cameroon. In my case, I stayed at Sandrine’s for two weeks and every day taught me something new and valuable. Sandrine is a perfect teacher and her positivity, enthusiasm and persistence are contagious!

Secondly, the placement is ideal if you’re looking for an opportunity to make an impact quickly. Sandrine’s organisation is still in ‘start-up’ mode and currently expanding its reach through more projects. This means there’s real room for you to make a difference, learn about all aspects of non-profit work, and contribute your skills and expertise. Sandrine is very receptive, open-minded and determined to make a success. In my case, I was able to support the organisation’s strategy, planning and organising of its major event, and even test an online donations platform.

Last but not least, this placement has real potential to influence your personal and professional decisions. In my case, it’s not an overstatement to say that the experience has transformed my life. It showed me that there are fantastic but neglected causes (mental health in Cameroon/West and Central Africa), inspiring individuals and leaders (Sandrine) and real ways of making the world a tiny bit better. In fact, I am currently undergoing a career transition from the private sector to the not-for-profit space and Sandrine and the NGO have played a really important role in this decision.

I am extremely thankful to Sandrine for her example, her welcoming, inspiring and encouraging presence, and for giving me this chance to support the project in its mission.

Anna Oladejo – Austria
November 2022

True, it was only a few days that I was able to contribute to Sandrine’s project. I will be happy to stay connected with the place, because the organization plans to do important work for the mental health of people in Cameroon.

Since the I was only available for part-time because I also had to work for my own agency, I stayed in a hotel after one night to avoid the electricity problem and to be able to concentrate well.

Thank you dear Sandrine for your openness, your care, the good conversation and the love you showed me. My greetings also to your wonderful children and your husband Patrice.

Yours Kwèn Ni

Jade Payan – France
May 2022

I spent two wonderful weeks with Sandrine and her family.

I really admire Sandrine and her initiative to raise awareness about the cause of mental illness in Cameroon. She is a joyful, sincere, strong and open-minded woman. In addition to her family and her work, she invests her energy in a project that is dear to her. Her association has all the potential to gain visibility. The subject she raises is not well known in Cameroon and working with her to concretize and implement these ideals has been a very rewarding experience. During my stay, we worked on a “mobile caravan” project for the weekend of October 10th when International Mental Illness Day will be celebrated. Together we were able to start mapping out the ideas for the project, think about the strategy for the development and write a brochure describing the organization of the weekend and the work of the organization.

Her enthusiasm and motivation are communicative! Don’t hesitate to join her to carry this project!

Besides the project, I was also welcomed in her very warm family with her children and her husband. I took part in the daily life of this family and was immersed in the heart of the life of Yaoundé. I immediately felt at ease with them and shared moments that I will remember.

Thank you for your hospitality! I look forward to following the progress!

Caitlin – United Kingdom
October 2021

I spent two wonderful weeks with Sandrine and her family.

I really admire Sandrine and her initiative to raise awareness about the cause of mental illness in Cameroon. She is a joyful, sincere, strong and open-minded woman. In addition to her family and her work, she invests her energy in a project that is dear to her. Her association has all the potential to gain visibility. The subject she raises is not well known in Cameroon and working with her to concretize and implement these ideals has been a very rewarding experience. During my stay, we worked on a “mobile caravan” project for the weekend of October 10th when International Mental Illness Day will be celebrated. Together we were able to start mapping out the ideas for the project, think about the strategy for the development and write a brochure describing the organization of the weekend and the work of the organization.

Her enthusiasm and motivation are communicative! Don’t hesitate to join her to carry this project!

Besides the project, I was also welcomed in her very warm family with her children and her husband. I took part in the daily life of this family and was immersed in the heart of the life of Yaoundé. I immediately felt at ease with them and shared moments that I will remember.

Thank you for your hospitality! I look forward to following the progress!

Sandrine Hinrich – Germany / Switzerland
February 2020

In a word: Amazing!
This workaway was exactly what I was looking for: Intense, really meaningful and the closest you can get to really experience the Cameroonian culture. You live together with Sandrine’s family in Yaoundé and take part in Sandrine’s everyday life.
If you would like to contribute to improving the world a tiny bit, working for the association will make you happy – especially if you have psychological background. It is exactly what you make out of it, not more and not less. Sandrine is very open to new input. So, if you are intrinsically motivated to bring in new ideas this workaway will be perfect for you.
You want to have an impact on the lives of mentally ill people in Cameroon while experiencing Cameroon? Then this workaway is a must do!