Overview
Teach and Travel in Southern Africa for 12 Weeks

This twelve week programme combines two popular community projects and three adventure trips. Volunteers will be based in Swaziland for the first 6 weeks, and during this time you will enjoy two side trips. One is to Kruger National Park, where by day you will be looking for the Big Five and in the evenings you will be cooking on an open fire and camping under the African skies. A further week will be spent exploring the coast of Mozambique, where you will visit local markets, enjoy water sports and snorkel with whale sharks. In week 7 you will enjoy a week-long guided trip down the coast of South Africa, taking in the Wild Coast and the Garden Route before arriving in Cape Town, where you will spend the remaining 5 weeks volunteering.

In South Africa volunteers will work at Creches or child care centres helping to teach and care for vulnerable children in the Immizama Yethu township of Hout Bay, Cape Town. These provide care and education for disadvantaged children many of whom have broken families as a result of the AIDS pandemic. You may also have the choice of teaching in a local school. Similarly in Swaziland you will be assisting at small care centres run locally to assist orphans and vulnerable children. Those that wish to can teach at local primary schools instead, which are under-resourced and under funded.

View Film Footage, images, blogs, volunteer stories from the field, volunteer video diaries and more at the programs media centre

Doing volunteer work is such a great experience. You will meet the local people get to know them and you will learn a lot about their culture. Volunteer work is fun… you make a lot of people happy!

Jelle, 2007

What Difference Does This Project Make?

Education is one of the key needs of children in Swaziland and South Africa, as it is often a child’s doorway to a bright future. 60% of children in Swaziland cannot afford to go to school due to the effects of unemployment, HIV AIDS and the repercussions of severe drought. South Africa similarly suffers from high unemployment and the high HIV rates have led to the increasing numbers of orphans. By teaching and working with these children you will help to provide them with basic education and a support structure that they so desperately need.

Highlights

Working on two worthwhile projects in two different countries. Enjoying a camping safari in South Africa’s flagship national park. Exploring the coast of Mozambique and snorkelling with whale sharks. Travelling down the coast of South Africa taking in Durban, the Wild Coast, Port Elizabeth, the Garden Route. Working in Cape Town and exploring the best the city has to offer.

Location

In Swaziland volunteers will be based in Lobamba, in the Ezulwini Valley. Lobamba is located in the west of the country about 16 km from the capital, Mbabane, and is famed for its traditional ceremonies. Volunteers will be based in the Hout Bay area of Cape Town which is on the edge of Cape Town city to the west of Table Mountain between Landudno beach, and Kirstenbosch gardens.

Field Conditions

In South Africa and Swaziland volunteers will stay in lodges. You sleep in dorms, which have bunk beds and communal bathrooms. Food is provided and volunteers share the cooking duties. Internet cafes, shops and restaurants can be found in the local area.