African Impact

“I felt more than safe my entire stay and that this should be overly enthused to future volunteers.
I loved every single project and the amount of time I spent on each one. The kids at the pre-school were amazing. I can’t explain how much I miss them. Also, just the overall rural living experience was amazing. Camp is an awesome place as well as the town. The people are extremely welcoming and I couldn’t imagine a better place to work. Also, the project managers and volunteers were some of the most amazing people I’ve ever met and can’t wait to go back to see them.
I didn’t have one bad experience. I made the best of everything and can’t come up with one bad experience.
Living in Africa has had a major impact on my life. Up until I made the decision to do this volunteer work, I had never been to Africa and known what a difference I could make. I have everything I could ever need in the country I live in, and I hadn’t used those resources to help others until this experience.
I love this program in every way. Its goals, stages, success, and aims are so in line with what needs to be done that I cannot criticize it in any way. I’ve really, finally learned how blessed I am with everything I have. Now, I can begin to understand maybe why I have all that I have and how I can use it to my advantage to help out others who do not have anything at all. Whether it be spending my time over in Africa to help in every which way that I can, or earning as much money as possible so that I can send the majority of it back to re-build a promising, self-sufficient country out of Mozambique.”
- Colin Aldridge, USA

Volunteer in Africa - Veronica Montemerano and her daughter Taylor recently joined us from the United States at our Zanzibar Rural Teaching and Community Project off the East African Coast of Tanzania.

The group I was in was filled with such great people! I feel we made lifelong friends and being right on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world was really incredible. - Veronica

Each time I drag myself to come home from a volunteer experience with African Impact, I always have the same feeling. I come home feeling as though I haven’t finished what I started; that there is still so much to be done, and that by returning home I’m not doing anything worthwhile, whereas I could be on the most beautiful island in the world changing someone’s life for the better. I think African Impact has really found exactly what needs to be done, and jumps right on it. The littlest things done, can make such a huge impact. I feel as though African Impact has great goals, and never stops until they achieve them. I returned back to Africa after a previous experience in Mozambique with African Impact and both trips were life changing. They have caused me to view the world in a whole new way. I have realized that there’s so much in the world that needs to be done, and that the little things that I can contribute, help out and really do have a big impact. - Taylor

We are very pleased to report that we were recently listed on the About.com's popular Africa Travel website as one of the top volunteer organisations for short-term volunteer opportunities in Africa.

The article includes some handy advice for choosing a volunteer organisation, as well details on what to expect when volunteering in Africa.

Read the full article here - http://goafrica.about.com/od/workinafrica/a/summervolunteer.htm.

Or view the full list of volunteer opportunities in Africa offered by African Impact.

There are 20 fantastic volunteer projects to choose from!

Annie Rose joined us in Mozambique earlier in 2008, and has just finished up her placement on Zanzibar Island off the coast of Tanzania. Annie Rose was assiting with rural pre-school teaching and community development...

I loved spending time with the kids at the school and establishing connections with them individually. I also loved getting to know my fellow volunteers. Just being in such a beautiful area was a highlight everyday, and my weekend (on the north coast) in Nungwi was amazing.

What were your overall impressions of our Volunteer in Africa organisation?
Well I must like it somewhat if I chose to come back again!
But seriously I do think this program has a wonderful aim and is doing wonderful things to help Africa. Even though the organisation is only 5 years old it has already done significant work to better the entire country. Each time I come here I seem to fall more and more in love with the organization. I really had a wonderful time on this trip and I’m very sad to be leaving. I hope to return to Zanzibar or work with another African Impact project very soon.

Regina Huynh recently joined us to Volunteer in Kenya...

Did you have any concerns before traveling to Africa?
Yes I was concerned with the safety and security here in Kenya after the political turmoil and wanted to make sure I would be accountable for at all times. I expressed this concern and was put at ease by the volunteer coordinators who assured our compound was gated with security guards and that we would be accompanied by someone at all times.

What were your overall impressions of the program?
I really like what this program is doing...its more than most volunteer programs offer, by aiming at long term, sustainable changes.

This program was great and exceeded all of my expectations. It took me forever to pick an organization to go to Africa with and this was exactly what I was looking for. I love that we work very personally and hands on with the neediest of Kenya. I love that the projects are flexible and that there is room for volunteers to make changes and implement things.

Nathan Webb and Leigh-Ann Marnoch, our Hwange project managers, report back on some of last weeks excitements...

Friday 11th July 2008
A early start to the day with a small carnivore spoor transect. This was Joyces (our current volunteer) first one and she found it very interesting. During the transect we came across a very big male lion as well as leopard spoor. When Leigh placed her hand next to the lion spoor, it was the same size. It was nearly 13cm, which is not the biggest but its still big enough. We later came across female herd of elephants and one of the calves came walking down the road towards us. He was only about a year old but he still insisted on giving us a dominance display which we thought was funny. We then followed up the lion spoor hoping to find it but we came across something even better. We spotted some eyes in the distance and when we got closer we were surprised to see a male leopard lying in the grass. We watched him for a bit and after a few minutes a female leopard appeared from the bush next to him. These two must have been a courting pair as the male growled at the female every time she tried to rub up against him, which is a sure sign that they were mating. That was a unique experience for everyone especially Joyce.
It doesn’t end there, on our way back to the lodge we saw a side striped jackal on the side of the road which again is rare! We are getting luckier each time...

Hi Everyone

I just wanted to give you our latest update from Zimbabwe and how the situation is affecting our lion rehabilitation projects at Antelope Park and the Victoria Falls, as well as our Elephant and Conservation project in Hwange National Park:

June 27th came and went in Zimbabwe quite uneventfully and our projects continue to run as usual. Below is a more in-depth update on the Victoria Falls/Hwange National Park region as sent out by the official bureau of ‘gotovictoriafalls.com’

In tourist destinations such as the Victoria Falls, the airlines continue to fly in daily and unload guests from a myriad of countries and points of origin to this Hub of regional tourism. We recognise of course that certain agents, operators and travellers have concerns about visiting Zimbabwe as a result of travel advisories issued by some countries. On this topic, an industry delegation from JATA (Japanese Association of Travel Agents) visited Victoria Falls last weekend on a specific “look see” experience and have gone back determined to encourage their government to keep Victoria Falls in particular on the lowest possible level of travel advisory. In a similar vein, we hope to be able to influence local embassies and high commissions so that Victoria Falls is not included in increased travel warnings for the country at large. We once again reiterate that Victoria Falls remains one of the safest, calmest and most peaceful destinations on the planet. There is no sound reason not to visit, and indeed many good reasons why one should visit. GotoVictoriaFalls.com and all its members have always been, and will always be honest, frank and professional in our communications about the status and facts on the ground in Victoria Falls. We will always seek to be the first to advise, should it ever be necessary, against travel to Victoria Falls. We look forward to your continued support and remain sincerely appreciative of all your efforts on our behalf. Yours sincerely Ross Kennedy

With regards to our Antelope Park projects, all volunteers who arrived during the run-up to the elections faced no difficulties en route to their placement, and our projects continue to run in a manner of which we can all be proud, given the current economic situation that our country is faced with. We are immensely proud to be part of a nation of people of which the large majority hold their heads up in times of crisis, and welcome any queries that you might have.

For daily updates from one of our current Antelope Park lion rehabilitation project volunteers, read Kelly Swift's blog http://kellyswiftinafrica.blogspot.com/
"Today I had my first sunrise lion pride walk. Watching the sunrise over the African Bush was spectacular. The lions are quite talkative in the mornings. As we approach their enclose they begin to make what sounds like a combination of a continuous, subtle roar and a moan. You can’t help but want to try and mimic the sound back. They are happy to see the arrival of their human pride and begin rubbing up against the cage practically begging for our hands to touch them. We do. Once the gate is open, they cheerful come out to explore. The morning session began with the older cubs, 19 months......"

For any queries relating to our Zimbabwe projects please feel free to email Lesley Bredenkamp, our Destination Manager for Zimbabwe, on lesley@africanencounter.org

Sarah Graham
AFRICAN IMPACT

"Clearing the space behind Red Hill, building the fence, and installing the gate is something I will NEVER forget. The volunteers who were involved with that project and I are very proud of it. Teaching at Ukhanyo was also a highlight. Being able to connect with the student and really make and impact in their lives. It is an experience that I will be telling my kids about. Truly an enlightening experience. I also enjoyed teaching the adults at Masi how to use a computer. I only got to do this for two weeks at the beginning, but even to this day when I see the teachers they thank me for the lessons. Reading at the Library and Sports were also activities I enjoyed. Aside from project I enjoyed getting to know my fellow volunteers and the AI staff. They are a huge part of this experience" Justin Kreamer, Age 26, USA.

Inguun Saxrud from Norway takes time to tell us about her experience at African Imapct - Volunteer Work with Big Cats