Medical volunteering in the Amazon: how it works

Zoé expeditions are multidisciplinary. They take doctors, nurses, dentists, physiotherapists, psychologists, pharmacists, nutritionists and social workers — and also students and volunteers from other fields, who help with logistics, running the clinic and communications.

In the field, care covers general medicine, pediatrics, dentistry, ophthalmology and gynecology, among other specialties. Beyond consultations, the team runs exams, performs minor surgeries, distributes medications and glasses, and does health education with the community.

Every volunteer goes through a selection and preparation process before travelling — including those who have joined us before.

Expeditions typically last 7 to 14 days. Volunteers travel to the region and are accompanied by the Zoé team from the first day to the last.

Zoé works in riverine and indigenous communities of the Brazilian Amazon, focusing on the states of Amazonas and Pará. Our area of operation spans over 350,000 km² and reaches communities that are days of travel from the nearest cities: the Mapuera village, for instance, can only be reached by river, three days by boat from Oriximiná.

On expedition days everything happens at once: one consultation after another, surgeries scheduled on the spot, glasses handed over the same afternoon. A local clinic or hospital becomes the team's base for the stay.

During the expedition, Zoé provides guidance, meals and accommodation.

Any other costs, including getting to the meeting point, change from expedition to expedition — we discuss costs in the interview.