VOLUNTEER PROJECTS Community Work HIV/AIDS Medical Work Sports Coaching Teaching & Education Wildlife Conservation Wildlife Research Expeditions Compare all projects Corporate Volunteering University Volunteering Family Volunteering Tailor-made for groups GENERAL Contact Us Book Now Read our blog Subscribe to our Newsletter Send to a Friend Sitemap   WHAT DID YOU ENJOY MOST? “I really enjoyed working in the clinics. Masiphumelele clinic was an STI/HIV clinic, and I assisted the nurses there with procedures, diagnosing, and treating patients. Oceanview clinic was also clinic nearby for all types of patients (a general clinic); there I was the only doctor working. I was really nervous at first because I had just qualified, but after seeing a few patients, my confidence began to grow. That's what I enjoyed most about my experience in Cape Town project, which will certainly help later on when I start residency.” RAJIV TEJURA, M.D. (27), United States “Home based care. Livingston Island!” Martha Truscott (23), England

HIV/AIDS Medical & Clinic Assistance and Rural Community Work, South Africa Cape Town's population is hugely affected by the struggles of HIV/AIDS, poverty and unemployment. The outskirts of Cape Town are some of the poorest areas in Africa. There are countless possibilities to impact the lives of those that are affected by these problems through this project. Community Clinics - Day-care & Rural Children - HIV/AIDS orphans - Building & Sport, Cape Town - Volunteer Project in South Africa, Cape Town Location On the outskirts of the city of Cape Town in South Africa. Your volunteer base is within walking distance of one of the local Cape Peninsula beaches. Project Length 4-6 weeks Age Limit Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health Project Fee 4 weeks @ £1195 / $2390 (Enquire for 2 or 3 week placements) 6 weeks @ £1545 / $3090 Volunteer Project Information The following links will jump you to different sections on this page, which provide all the information you will need for this Africa volunteer project: Community Clinics - Day-care & Rural Children - HIV/AIDS orphans - Building & Sport, Cape Town, South Africa. » photo gallery | » more about this project | » volunteer & travel highlights » project fee includes & excludes | » day in the life of a volunteer... » volunteer support & orientation | » accommodation & meals | » getting there Photos South Africa Photos of Community Clinics - Day-care & Rural Children - HIV/AIDS orphans - Building & Sport, Cape Town in Africa.   More about the HIV/AIDS Medical & Clinic Assistance and Rural Community Work in South Africa MEDICAL PROGRAMME 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 lack of facilities. Whilst there are some structures in place for an effective health service, there is an enormous deficit in terms of staff and resources. This is why the volunteers' help is very much appreciated by the nurses and doctors we work with. As a volunteer, you will spend each morning of the week in the Masi clinic assisting the supervisors with the many people desperate for help. There are many sick little children, whose only support and help is through these clinics. This clinic runs from 8-12.30 daily. This will give you the chance to make a positive impact on the health service in these areas on the outskirts of Cape Town, and to make a profound difference in the lives of the surrounding community. Qualified volunteers are required, whether it is a doctor, nurse, EMT or a person trained in first aid. Furthermore, volunteers would be able to offer advice to the day cares and after cares that they will be working with in the afternoon. There are many kids with special needs. COMMUNITY PROJECT After having spent the morning at one of the clinics that we are involved with, you will help out the local community in different areas in the afternoon. You will rotate between the following community projects: Build and Paint Schools/Extra mural involvement and reading programme Schools in Red Hill deal with a great shortage of classrooms and facilities, as a result of which they are limited to the amount of children they can take. As a volunteer, you will help with fixing fences and windows, rebuilding and painting. It is hard, but highly rewarding work! In addition, we refurbish and paint existing classrooms and containers. (We are also able to offer older/less physically able volunteers lighter work, so that we can accommodate for all of you!) Masakhane Educare Centre in Masiphumelele 115 kids, 7 teachers. About 15 minutes drive from Red Hill Community Volunteers will assist teachers with the afternoon after care by helping to serve meals, playing with the kids, reading both one on one and story time and with any other skills they have i.e. art, music and dancing. Volunteers with adult skills such as computer, administration, financial or training can also add huge value to the teachers lives. Masakhane was started as a Care Centre in 1992 by the Valley Development Project (VDP) operating out of a dilapidated bungalow and shipping containers in Masiphumelele, Cape Town. Against the backdrop of displaced communities, poverty, HIV/AIDS, unemployment and social decay, the VDP aims to foster healthy self-reliant and sustainable communities. Masakhane provides an oasis for local children surviving in difficult circumstances. However the Centre was severely under-resourced and struggled to provide a meaningful education. With community involvement, Masakhane has become a vibrant pre-school boasting a fully equipped school building with newly acquired furniture, classroom and office equipment, and quality educational material. We accommodate 115 happy children in five classes: two toddler classes and two pre-school classes. “Masakhane is about the community taking responsibility for their own upliftment and participating in the governing of their own lives… It is about empowering ourselves by creating good working relations between government structures, sponsors and communities for the benefit of everybody” Nelson Mandela 14 October 1998 » back to top HIV/AIDS Medical & Clinic Assistance and Rural Community Work, Cape Town - Highlights This volunteer project in Africa includes: Community Clinics - Day-care & Rural Children - HIV/AIDS orphans - Building & Sport, Cape Town · Assist and observe in community clinic · Assist in various rural pre-schools and day-care centres through our afternoon community work · Reading and crafts with children · Working with HIV/AIDS orphans and vulnerable children · Help uplift a community through education, health, building and sport · Immerse yourself in local Capetonian culture · Make friends for life South Africa Travel Highlights These are not included in your volunteering fee, but our coordinators are able to assist you with making the necessary booking arrangements. Guideline prices for the most popular activities: · Aquila Private game reserve – a Big 5 reserve 2hrs out of Cape Town – R850pp including buffet breakfast and lunch at the reserve and 3hr game drive. Also possible opportunities to pet cheetahs! · City hop on-hop off double-decker bus · Garden Route weekend! » back to top Project Fee Includes · Project Fee: this entails financing that goes directly back into the project that you are involved with. This fee facilitates funding for items such medical supplies, building materials, equipment, etc. Project fees are also used to buy vehicles/equipment and for developing new housing for volunteers to provide for the expansion of the project. · All airport transfers from Cape Town International Airport upon your arrival and departure · Orientation program · All daily transfers to and from your projects during your stay · Full board and lodging which includes 3 meals a day at our volunteer house · Weekly laundry service during your stay · Assistance in your projects by various African Impact staff and project managers. · Outings to Cape Point, the most South-Western tip of Africa, Boulder beach to see the African Penguin colony and Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27yrs. Project Fee Excludes · Personal travel insurance for the duration of your placement, which must include cover for repatriation · All transport by air or bus to Cape Town · All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other) · Email/Internet and telephone calls · Soft drinks, wines and spirits · All visas for border crossings · Any excursions over and above your planned itinerary in Cape Town i.e. Garden Route, Shark diving etc (your Volunteer coordinators can help plan this for you) » back to top Day in the life... This is a typical day in the life of a volunteer working on the HIV/AIDS Medical & Clinic Assistance and Rural Community Work project: A typical day in the life of a Cape Town Medical and Community Volunteer… Please note that your itineraries may differ from this, depending on your own experience and the number of other volunteers on the placement at the same time, and this is simply to give an example: · 07:00 Get up, eat breakfast of cereals, toast, tea/coffee, and start getting ready for your project · 07:40 Head off on the short drive to the community clinic for that day · 08:00-12.30 Assist in local community clinic · 12:30 You will be picked up from your project, and taken to your volunteer house, where lunch is waiting for you. · 13.30 Leave for one of the community projects. You will spend the afternoon playing with the children at the schools, assisting with Masakhane, or building and painting classrooms. · 16.30 End of the working day. You will be picked up from your project and taken home where we evaluate the day and discuss the schedule for the next day, or you can opt to be dropped off in town to check emails. · 18.30 Dinner at your volunteer house. After dinner, volunteers often go for a few drinks at one of the local night spots. » back to top Volunteer Support Throughout your stay in Cape Town you will have the support and guidance of our experienced project managers. They are part of our greater African Impact support team, which will provide you with competent 24-hour field support and assistance. Volunteer Orientation Upon arrival at our project base on the outskirts of Cape Town all volunteers are involved in a comprehensive orientation programme, which is included in your fee. This is facilitated by your project manager and entails: · An introduction to the town of Cape Town and surrounding Cape Peninsula and the communities you will be working in · An introduction to all our projects. Not only will you see where you will be working, you will also see where your fellow volunteers will be spending their days · At the orientation, volunteers will also receive our detailed ‘welcome pack’, which will contain further useful information for your time with us. » back to top Accommodation Volunteers will stay in a fully furnished house in the seaside town of Fish Hoek, within easy walking distance of the safe and beautiful Fish Hoek Beach and a 40 minute drive from Cape Town City. Fish Hoek is a delightful little town on False Bay and the house is comfortable, and staffed with a cook and laundry/cleaning lady. The houses all have a large living/dining area, several bathrooms, a garden, a safe for your valuables, etc. All bedding is provided. Meals You will be provided with three meals a day. Breakfast is on a help-yourself basis and usually consists of cereals/porridge, toast, tea and coffee. Lunch and dinner are full meals, and will be cooked or prepared for you by one of our cooks at your volunteer house. » back to top Getting There On the outskirts of the city of Cape Town in South Africa. Your volunteer base is within walking distance of one of the local Cape Peninsula beaches.. Our destination manager will assist you with the procedures and we will meet you at the airport in Cape Town. » back to top Make an Enquiry Volunteer Project in South Africa - Community Clinics - Day-care & Rural Children - HIV/AIDS orphans - Building & Sport, Cape Town     print this page | bookmark this page (CTRL-D) | send to a friend back to top