Eco-Construction & Agroecology Camp
Group volunteering opportunity
Date: 25 July - 12 August 2026
- Arrival on the 24th of July
- Departure on the 13th of August
Location: Zsámbok, Hungary
Organiser: Szatyor Association in cooperation with Zsámboki Biokert
About the project
Join a 3-week international volunteering experience in the Hungarian countryside with Cargonomia! This ESC volunteering team takes place in Zsámbok, a small rural village about one hour from Budapest, where Cargonomia develops activities with an organic farm partner Zsamboki Biokert around:
- agroecology,
- permaculture,
- eco-construction,
- low-tech solutions,
- community cooking,
- and community-based sustainable living.
Participants will live together in a temporary eco-community, camping in tents, sharing daily life, community cooking, and collective organisation.
The main practical activity of the camp will focus on the renovation of an old adobe house using ecological and traditional building techniques, combined with gardening, low-tech experimentation, and rural sustainability workshops.
The Activities
Volunteers will participate in:
- eco-construction and adobe renovation,
- earth plastering and natural building techniques,
- permaculture gardening and agroecology,
- low-tech practical solutions,
- collective cooking and camp organisation,
- food processing,
- workshops and discussions on sustainability, degrowth, conviviality and solidarity,
- intercultural exchange, self-organisation, and community life.
Previous experience appreciated but not compulsory — motivation and willingness to participate are the most important!
Accommodation
- Accommodation in tents in a rural community space
- Shared outdoor infrastructure and common spaces
- Community cooking with mainly local and seasonal food
- Access to shared bicycles
- Simple and low-impact lifestyle close to nature
Participants should be ready for:
- collective living,
- outdoor summer conditions (potential heatwaves, thunder storm, sometime colder nights)
- physical practical work,
- and a simple community-based lifestyle.
About You
We are looking for motivated young people aged between 18 and 30 who are legal residents of the European Union - a total of 15 people - who are:
- interested in sustainability and ecological transition,
- curious about collective living and community projects,
- ready to learn and participate in practical manual activities,
- open to intercultural exchange and teamwork.
Practicalities
- Pocket money: You will receive 7 EUR/day as pocket money to cover daily expenses.
- Travel reimbursement: Your travel costs will be reimbursed by Szatyor Association according to the distance between your home and Etyek (up to 309 EUR, 417 EUR if choosing green travel options).
- Green travel options: To minimize the project’s carbon footprint, we invite all of you to opt for green travel options such as buses or trains, making the journey to Etyek as eco-friendly as possible. When you opt to do so, the reimbursements are more flexible.
- Hungary is part of the Schengen area, easy to enter for EU citizens with a passport or an ID. We can host only European residents in this event.
- Accommodation:We will provide 4-6 person tents within the volunteer village, but please bring your own sleeping bag! Washing machine is available.
- Bank account: You must have a European bank account with an IBAN number to allow Szatyor Association to reimburse your travel costs and pay your pocket money.
- Health insurance: Please make sure to have your valid EU Health Insurance (EHIC) card with you. Volunteers are also insured through the ESC’s Henner insurance scheme.
- Currency: The local currency is Hungarian Forint (HUF), with 1 Euro being approximately 400 HUF.
- Youthpass certificate provided
What to bring
- Tent, sleeping bag, polyform.
- EU Blue social security card (EHIC)
- comfortable, clothes/shoes that you do not mind if they get dirty in the garden, while working with mud or doing work. Best to bring sturdy boots that are safe for work on a construction.
- raincoat
- hat, sunscreen
- your own water bottle
- mosquito and tick repellents
- toiletry items
- towels
- natural soaps
- special medication, if you need them
- personal documents
About Us
Cargonomia is a community-based organisation in Budapest and Zsámbok working on:
- sustainable food systems,
- cargo-bike logistics,
- agroecology,
- eco-construction,
- low-tech solutions,
- and community education.
For more than 10 years, Cargonomia has organised workshops, camps, traineeships, and educational activities connecting urban and rural sustainability initiatives.
Szatyor Association is a community-focused association dedicated to sustainability and nature connection. We provide information, inspiration, and learning opportunities for both young people and adults through non-formal education, trainings, and participatory events. Our mission is to provide hope, tools, and space for individuals and communities to live their lives in an environmentally conscious, authentic, free, and collaborative way.
