Location
Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa and one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It has a cultural heritage spanning more than 300 years and breathtaking scenery, from the iconic Table Mountain to the glorious Cape beaches. With a comfortable Mediterranean climate, Cape Town is great place to volunteer all year round.
About the project
In a city of contrasts, Cape Town's private sector health care and provision is extensive, but it is the rural communities that suffer from an severe lack of facilities. While there are some structures in place for an effective health service, there is a lack in terms of staff and resources. This is why the volunteers' help is highly valued by the nurses and doctors we work with. This placement will give you the chance to make a positive impact on the health service in these underprivileged areas on the outskirts of Cape Town, and to make a profound difference in the lives of people living in the surrounding community. Volunteers will become part of the medical home based care teams that go out and serve the sick people’s needs at their homes.
Volunteer work and contribution
Volunteeers will spend each morning out in the community assisting our nursing staff as they attend to people at their homes.Volunteers will be involved in the following tasks:
- Be part of Home Based Care teams and provide out-patient service to sick adults and children in their homes
- Offer much needed support to families and give medical or social referrals as needed
- Work alongside qualified nurses and gain valuable insight into basic health care in South Africa
- Improve the comfort and basic resources of these ill adults and children in underprivileged townships
- Help to uplift whole communities through healthcare
- Offer advice on healthy eating and lifestyle changes
- Treat and dress wounds and monitor a patients' health
After having spent the morning in the Home Based Medical care project, volunteers will assist the local community service projects in the afternoon. Volunteers will rotate between the following community projects:
- Building and painting schools: schools in Red Hill deal with a great shortage of classrooms and facilities. They are often dilapidated and ill-equipped. Volunteers will help repair fences and windows and re-build and paint classrooms in order to provide and safer and more attractive educational environment.
- Educare Centre: Volunteers will assist teachers with after school care by playing games, reading (both one-on-one with the kids and to the group during story time), and other activities such as art, music, and dancing.
- Primary School extra-mural involvement: The school principal is very keen to get the sports' programme up and running. Wednesday afternoons are now dedicated for that purpose. Volunteers can help coach sports' activities including volleyball, netball, soccer and rugby.
- Masiphumelele Library: Masiphumelele has a library with wonderful resources and facilities. The library offers many services to the community and volunteers are often slotted into existing programs offered at the library. These include arts and crafts, puzzles, games, literacy, one on one reading, homework club and math club.
Project "Day in the life":
Please note that individual itineraries may differ from the example below, depending on volunteer's own experience and skills and the number of other volunteers participating during the placement period.
07:00 Get up, eat a breakfast of cereal, toast, tea/coffee, and start getting ready for your project
07:45 Head off on the short drive to project
08:00 Start work at Home Based Medical care project
12:30 Volunteers will be picked up from their project, and taken to volunteer house, where lunch will be waiting for volunteers
14:30 Leave for one of the afternoon community projects. Volunteers will spend the afternoon playing with the children at one of the schools or building and painting classrooms.
16.30 End of the working day. Volunteers will be picked up from projects and taken home where we evaluate the day and discuss the schedule for the next day. Or volunteers can opt to be dropped off in town to check emails.
18.30 Dinner at volunteer house. After dinner, volunteers often go for a few drinks at one of the local night spots.
Accommodation & Food
Volunteers stay in one of two fully furnished houses, just 20 meters apart, in the beautiful seaside town of Fish Hoek on the coastline of False Bay. The house is within easy walking distance of the safe and beautiful beach and a short drive from Cape Town. The houses together have 6 bedrooms, 3 full bathrooms, 2 balconies with views of the sea and mountains, large open plan living areas, kitchen and a sunny garden. All bedding, except towels, is provided and a safe to lock valuables. The project employes a cook and cleaner to assist with daily living tasks.
Volunteers are provided with two cooked meals a day. Breakfast is on a help-yourself basis and usually consists of cereal / porridge, toast, tea and coffee. During weekends ingredients are provided for self- catering.
Project Orientation
Upon arrival at the project base on the outskirts of Cape Town, all volunteers attend a comprehensive orientation programme, which is included in the volunteer fee. This is facilitated by the Project Manager and includes:
- An introduction to the city of Cape Town and surrounding Cape Peninsula, as well as the communities where volunteers will be participating in projects.
- An introduction to all of our Cape Town projects. Not only will volunteers see where they will be working, but the full range of projects where their fellow volunteers are placed.
- Volunteers will also receive our detailed "Welcome Pack", which contains detailed information for their stay with us.
Travel Highlights
During volunteer placement, volunteers can join the following excursions:
- A visit to Cape Point, situated within the Southern section of Table Mountain National Park, which is globally recognized for its extraordinarily rich, diverse and unique fauna and flora - with rugged cliffs, steep slopes and sandy flats! See the baboons and perhaps some ostrich or buck if you are lucky!
- A trip to Boulders Beach, home to a growing colony of the vulnerable African Penguin. Wooden walkways allow visitors to view the penguins in their natural habitat. This is also a safe and enjoyable spot for swimming and snorkeling.
- A visit to the summit of Table Mountain, where volunteers will find the best views of Cape Town. The Cableway takes you to the summit in under 10 minutes and the cable car's rotating floor ensures that all passengers get a 360 degree aerial view of the city.
Weekends are excellent opportunities to participate in tourist activities and to explore the surrounding area, so volunteers tend to be out-and-about during this time.
*Brand New Six Day Optional Tour *
Six day long optional tour from Cape Town to Addo Elephant National Park, along the famous Garden Route! The Cape to Addo Park Safari is a unique, safe and affordable way to experience the thrill of game driving in an authentic BIG 5 National Game Park, while touring the coastal regions of both the Western and Eastern Cape. On this tour, nothing is left out as we explore the Whale Route, Route 62, the Karoo and Garden Route all the way to Jeffrey’s Bay, Mandela Bay and Port Elizabeth. Every Cape to Addo Safari is professionally driven and guided by an experienced African tour leader and the itinerary is packed full of unique African experiences and exciting discoveries. Game driving, ski-boat cruises, beer tasting, caving, zip lining, bungy jumping, hot natural springs, horseback rides, surfing, elephant feeding and riding, river canoeing, the list goes on… and on.
Minimum Requirments
- Min age 18
- Good level of English
- Medical background (optional)
- Flexibility and open mindedness
- High level of independence and emotional strength
- Motivation to work with children
- Full travel & medical insurance
- Immunizations (please consult your doctor)