Make a difference this year
by combining a holiday in South Africa with helping the local community.
There are several opportunities available in the country, including helping
disadventaged and orphaned children in the colourful seaside town of Muizenberg,
learning about ocean conservation in Plettenberg Bay or working with endangered
species in KwaZulu-Natal.
Photo Muizenberg Beach Huts
by Kostas Limitsios/Flickr
Becoming a volunteer in Africa
is a memorable, educational and heart-warming experience, whether working
with animals, marine life or helping the local inhabitants. Some of the
best
experiences come from volunteering in South Africa, with projects available
all over the country. The following are examples of three of the best projects
available.
1. Volunteering on the Childcare
project in Muizenberg
Enjoy visiting the attractive
seaside town of Muizenberg, with its colourful beach huts and gorgeous
beaches. While there, get involved in the important Childcare
project, set up to assist children from broken homes and disadvantaged
backgrounds. Due to HIV/AIDS, crime and drug and alcohol abuse, many of
the children have lost their parents and are forced to stay with neighbours
or relatives who are ill-equipped to care for them.
Depending on your qualifications,
your duties in the childcare centres could include caring for the children,
teaching them or organising fun activities and games to entertain the little
ones. You could also help out in the kitchen, helping to prepare meals
for the children. As you can see from the video above, the children certainly
enjoy the experience!
2. Ocean Conservation
This volunteering option takes
you to the gorgeous
Garden Route where you can experience all the wonders of nature, the
beaches and fun adventure sports. Get involved in local community education
programmes while living and working in the lovely seaside town of Plettenberg
Bay.
As a marine eco-tourism organisation,
the Ocean Conservation project aims to protect and conserve the ocean and
its diverse marine life, which includes orca whales, Southern Right whales,
humpback whales, bottlenose dolphins and the iconic great white shark.
Working under a partnership with Cape Nature, the Ocean Conservation project
offers the chance to learn and practice the best ocean conservation techniques
from conservationists and biologists. Volunteer to go out on the water,
viewing the whales, dolphins, seals and sharks up close. You can also assist
in the community education programmes, while living in one of the most
beautiful areas of the Western Cape.
Enjoy the (even more) fun
side of the experience by trying out Bloukrans
Bungy, the highest bridge bungee jump in the world, visit snake and
elephant sanctuaries, or try out skydiving, kloofing, waterfall zip-lining,
kayaking and adventure boating. All this, while meeting experts in the
ocean conservation field and making friends with like-minded volunteers
from all over the world.
3. Volunteer with wildlife in
KwaZulu-Natal
Heading now to KwaZulu-Natal,
which is among the most bio-diverse areas of Africa. Much of the area has
been declared a World Heritage Site. Despite this, volunteers are needed
to work in five parks and reserves. Depending on your length of stay, there
is the opportunity of working in several different parks, focusing on the
conservation of endangered species, like the cheetah, African wild dog,
lion, rhino, leopard, elephant and vulture. Anyone between the ages of
18 and 65 can get involved in this valuable project, while exploring the
reserves and wildlife of Zululand.
Make your next holiday a
truly worthwhile experience by volunteering in South Africa. This is an
experience which broadens the mind and soul and warms the heart, while
visiting some of the most iconic areas of this beautiful country.
