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Volunteer South Africa

volunteer-in-south-africaProgram summary:

Project:                                Community projects in Cape Town
Price:                                    From $1,445
Accommodation:               Host Family
Location:                             Cape Town 
Eligibility:                             New Zealand or Australian passport holder, Aged 18+
Duration:                             4-12 weeks

The Project

Highlights

Project options


Teaching English

Teach children in underprivileged suburbs and townships of Cape Town

How you can help

Why your help is needed

Many schools in underprivileged regions of South Africa do not have the resources that most in the developed world enjoy, meaning that providing pupils with high quality educational support can be extremely challenging for teachers. Volunteers on this project support school teachers and help make a real difference to the lives of South African children, providing them with the kind of educational foundations that could change their futures.

The schools that volunteers teach at are typically overcrowded and under-staffed and pupils often come from underprivileged backgrounds. Volunteers are highly valued as the support they provide means that children receive much-need attention.

Volunteers assist school teachers, prepare lesson plans, mark schoolwork and offer help and encouragement to their pupils. This will be extremely rewarding for those who love to work with children and are passionate about making a real difference in an underprivileged community.
Our teaching programme in South Africa is not only designed to help improve the lives of young South Africans, but also to promote integration between volunteers and local people.

Work in a crèche

Help children from underprivileged backgrounds to grow and develop through activities, education and play!

How you can help

Why your help is needed

While Cape Town is an exciting, vibrant city, sadly there are vast differences between the wealthy communities and the poor. Those who live in underprivileged townships survive on low incomes and a great many are forced to endure poor living conditions. However, despite living in poverty, these areas have amazing community spirit. Working in a local crèche, volunteers become part of this by working side by side with community members.

Volunteers bring bundles of enthusiasm and fresh new ideas to the crèche, and begin working with the children immediately. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in a number of initiatives that are aimed to give children from disadvantaged backgrounds the best possible start to life.

Environmental conservation

Help to sustain South Africa’s amazing habitats through manual conservation work or education initiatives

How you can help

Why your help is needed

South Africa boasts some of the world’s most spectacular landscapes, but they only remain unspoiled with the help of local, grassroots projects.

In order to protect South Africa’s amazing flora and fauna from the threats of the modern world, conservation initiatives have been developed that give local communities much-needed understandings of their natural surroundings, offer advice and education on living lifestyles that do not threaten the local environment, and preserve and maintain the county’s natural beauty through manual projects.

Our local partners work with the WWF and Cape Nature to offer volunteers an opportunity to work in some of South Africa’s most incredible but forgotten nature reserves that are currently being redeveloped. The project gives volunteers the chance to discover some of the country’s most spectacular natural areas and fascinating wildlife, so is a fantastic opportunity for anyone who loves the great outdoors!

Social care

Give educational and emotional support to children who have been abandoned or have disabilities

How you can help

Why your help is needed

Volunteers on this project offer much needed support in homes and community projects that have been developed to provide love and care for children who have been abandoned or who have disabilities.

Specific duties will vary but volunteers have plenty of opportunities to get involved wherever help is needed. What the children need most is someone to be there to listen to them, a helping hand and the affection and attention that many have sadly never had.

Arriving with bundles of enthusiasm, volunteers on this project have the opportunity to make a genuine difference to the lives of these young people and have an incredibly enriching and rewarding experience in South Africa.

HIV/AIDS Awareness

Help educate local South African communities on the risks of HIV infection

How you can help

Why your help is needed

Over 25 million people have died of AIDS since 1981 and South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV infection in the world, meaning volunteers really are needed to help raise awareness of HIV/AIDS in the country.

Volunteers will be heavily involved in supporting people living with the condition and improving understandings of HIV/AIDS in order to tackle this global problem at a local level. Educating local communities about the risks of HIV infection, volunteers make a genuinely difference to lives and futures of some of South Africa’s poorest communities.


Health care

Give much needed medical attention to South Africans living with physical, psychological or emotional difficulties

How you can help

Why your help is needed

Volunteers who have experience in nursing or medicine are desperately needed to help run health care and social work projects in underprivileged regions of South Africa.

Volunteers work with people with physical, emotional or psychological disabilities, and the medical experience that they offer is greatly valued by the health care centres. There may also be opportunities to get involved with an HIV/AIDS care so volunteers on this project really are able to help people living with a number of medical conditions.

The projects are located in underprivileged suburbs where facilities can be basic, and the help and support that volunteers offer provides an enormous amount of comfort to those attending the centres.