Location
The Negev is a desert region that covers the southern half of Israel. The least populated area in Israel, it is a home to (among others) the nomadic desert people known as the Bedouin and unique African wildlife. The Negev offers some spectacular scenery and is home to captivating sites and places.
About the project
In this holiday resort made out of mud, volunteers be able to feel the desert, earth, and stars, and enjoy this special part of Israel like they never have before.
This is a unique opportunity to introduce families to life in the desert. Volunteers will get to know the mysterious surroundings to the eco-lodge, eat bread made from a mud oven, learn about earth building and sculpturing, and even tour the local farm and help out in Ronit's Vegetable Garden. Volunteers will have the amazing opportunity to ride camels through the desert, take a jeep ride in Wadi "Ashosh" and walk through breathtaking desert canyons. Experience authentic music and bellydancing, and practice shooting with a bow and arrow, while watching the powerful red sun meet the sandy horizon.
Volunteer work and contribution
Working with your hands and getting dirty is always a lot of fun, especially for children. Using the earth as a building material is an extremely durable way to construct buildings and other projects. Families will be building eco huts, constructed from straw bales and earth. This method has a number of advantages: the walls isolate heat and cold, the building materials are biodegradable and the final result looks quite beautiful. Volunteers and staff will use earth found in the surrounding area.
This project will give families a chance to learn all about the construction of mud bricks, sustainable living in the desert, and using recycled and reclaimed objects to construct beautiful buildings.
Accommodation
Each straw bale and mud hut for families can sleep up to a family of 6 and includes a sleeping area, a sitting room, a private bathroom, a coffee corner, a private yard and even an own fire place for the sometimes chilly desert nights!
Volunteers and their families will also have access to a large shared kitchen with a gorgeous sitting area and a swimming pool (open Apr - Nov).
Travel Highlights
After work hours, volunteers can enjoy this unique desert region, relax by the new eco pool (open Apr - Nov), and just chill out under the stars. Volunteers will receive 1/2 day desert walk. There are beautiful hiking canyons within a 10-40 minute drive of the project as well as an antelope farm and a crocodile farm that families are sure to enjoy!
Minimum Requirement
- Min age 0 - Max age 80
- Basic English or Hebrew
- Good physical fitness
- Motivation to work in practical ecology
- Able to work in harsh desert climate
- Full travel & medical insurance
- Immunizations (please consult your doctor)