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Hostile Environment Awareness for Field and NGO Staff

Aid workers, researchers and commercial teams increasingly operate in volatile parts of the continent where roadblocks, civil unrest and weak health systems are daily realities. This course builds personal safety awareness for staff who travel and work in higher risk environments without the support of a full protection team. It emphasises prevention, situational awareness and simple survival skills that keep field staff out of trouble in the first place.

What you will be able to do

  • Assess personal and travel risk before deploying to a higher risk environment.
  • Apply situational awareness and low profile behaviour to avoid becoming a target.
  • Navigate roadblocks, checkpoints and crowds with reduced exposure.
  • Respond to unrest, crossfire and detention using practical survival actions.
  • Manage communications, check in schedules and emergency contact protocols.
  • Apply field first aid and hygiene basics where medical support is limited.

Course outline

  1. 01Understanding hostile environments and risk
  2. 02Situational awareness and low profile conduct
  3. 03Roadblocks, checkpoints and crowd navigation
  4. 04Unrest, crossfire and detention survival
  5. 05Communications and check in protocols
  6. 06Field first aid and hygiene basics
  7. 07Journey management and emergency planning

Who should attend

Field staff, NGO and development workers, researchers, journalists and commercial travellers operating in unstable or remote parts of Africa.

Dates, venues and fees

DatesVenueDaysFeeCalendar
24 to 26 Aug 2026Mauritius3US$1,500
31 Aug to 2 Sep 2026Dubai3US$1,500
7 to 9 Sep 2026Lagos3US$1,500
14 to 16 Sep 2026Harare3US$1,500
21 to 23 Sep 2026Kampala3US$1,500
28 to 30 Sep 2026Dar es Salaam3US$1,500
5 to 7 Oct 2026Pretoria3R13,000
12 to 14 Oct 2026Cape Town3R13,000
26 to 28 Oct 2026Online3US$900
2 to 4 Nov 2026Mozambique3US$1,500
9 to 11 Nov 2026Cairo3US$1,500
16 to 18 Nov 2026Accra3US$1,500
23 to 25 Nov 2026Lusaka3US$1,500
30 Nov to 2 Dec 2026Kigali3US$1,500
7 to 9 Dec 2026Nairobi3US$1,500
14 to 16 Dec 2026Durban3R13,000
21 to 23 Dec 2026Johannesburg3R13,000

Fees are per delegate. South African venues are priced in rand; other locations and online in US dollars. Fees exclude 15% VAT where applicable. Group bookings of three or more delegates from the same organisation qualify for a reduced rate; contact us for a quotation.

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