Conservation Education With Rural Disadvantaged Children Detail

The highlights

• Work with and enrich the lives of children in need
• Be involved with four local schools through outreach programmes and experience class lectures, day trips and camps. Find out how the ‘Elephant became a Rain Animal’, learn about the mystery of ‘Towerwater’ or Magic Water High in the Kouga Mountains.
• Get aquainted with the incredible biodiversity and intrigue of the Baviaanskloof Mega-reserve – a World Heritage Site and the third largest protected area in South Africa (500 000Ha)
• Experience various social development projects such as Troubled Teens, Street Kids, Creche and Greening Projects
• Work with disadvantaged and vulnerable children
• Get up close and personal with Stone Age sites and unique Kouga Rock Art – compliments of the San People and see the birthplace of Sara Baartman and the home of the 2000 year old Kouga Mummy.
• Immerse yourself in the local culture
• Make friends for life

Optional activities and excursions

Opportunity to indulge in some of the many special activities and points of interest in our region are diverse. Some things you might like to consider:

• Guided visit to Addo Elephant National Park (Big Six includes whales), and Tsitsikamma National Park (world class marine reserve) and Natures Valley
• Guided overnight trip through the Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve
• Guided overnight trip into the desert world of the legendary Karoo.
• Guided overnight Kayaking/Wilderness adventure on the Kouga Dam
• Surf lessons and access to surfing equipment at world famous Jeffreys Bay Supertubes
• Outride for a day in the Kouga on horseback or a Beach horse ride.
• Worlds Highest Bungee (Bloukrans)
• Canopy Tour in the Forest (Tsitsikamma) and visit Knysnas Elephant Park ride Elephants.
• World Class hunting and fishing opportunity!
• Visits to Cango Caves and Crocodile and Cheetah Park in Oudtshoorn hope of Ostrich industry
• Great Golfing opportunities at very special courses (Links Fancourt/Goose Valley etc)
• Helicopter trip over Baviaanskloof or Tsitsikamma and coast with picnic
• Our partners Wildthing Adventures could take you on a trip down the Orange River into the Richtersveld 3 days/2 nights

Where will I sleep?

Volunteers stay in classic 1920’s stone cottage on a large property in the village of Twee Riviere. The cottage is situated within easy walking distance to a small supermarket and has two separate bedrooms, a large fireplace, lounge and garden. There is also a shower, toilet and wash basin with adjoining open plan kitchen. You could be sharing a room with one other volunteer and all bedding is provided so you will not need to bring a sleeping bag with you, although sometimes it is useful in the colder months (June – September). The house is cleaned twice a week and your laundry can be done for you for a small charge.

And meals?
You will be provided with three meals a day. Breakfast is on a help-yourself basis and usually consists of fruit, cereals/porridge, toast, tea and coffee. Lunch will either be a light meal, sandwiches or even a picnic lunch which you could eat on the run! If you are going to be out over lunch, a variety of foods for will be available for you to make “packed lunches”. Dinner in the evenings is our main meal. This usually consists of casseroles, pasta dishes and on occasion fish and chips and of course a real South African “braai”. We do cater for vegetarians.

How do I get there and travel around?

Fly into Johannesburg International Airport and connect to Port Elizabeth or George Airport. Options for this internal flight include www.flightsite.co.za and www.flysaa.com. One of our project representatives will meet you at Port Elizabeth/George Airport and transfer you to your volunteer accommodation.

What does the cost include?

• Project Fee: this entails financing that goes directly back into the project that you are involved with. This fee facilitates funding school class lectures, day trips and 6 day camps.
• All airport transfers from Port Elizabeth/George 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
• Assistance in your projects from our African Impact co-ordinators

• Personal travel insurance for the duration of your placement, which must include cover for repatriation
• All transport by air to Port Elizabeth/George
• All items of a personal nature, such as curios, gifts, clothing (work and other)
• Email/Internet and telephone calls
• Soft drinks, wines and spirits
• Any excursions over and above your planned itinerary

Do I need experience, is there orientation?

The first week orientation is exciting, insightful and very practical – a crash course in Baviaanskloof an unforgettable experience!

You will receive an overview of geography, history, biodiversity, culture as well as the potential and spirtituality of the region with hands on touch, smell, see, hear, taste and sixth sense adventure!

Your new understanding will give you a junior guide status and a head start for future activities and this also allows project staff the opportunity to assess specific interests and talents of volunteers.

And support?
Throughout your stay you will have the support and guidance of our experienced project managers. They are part of our support team, which will provide you with competent 24-hour field support and assistance.

A day in the life

A varied range of activities could make up a typical day – we emphasize trying to guide our volunteers in a direction they are interested (activities may also vary depending on season).

Some typical examples of projects:

• Create a tourist/specialist oriented brochure for a very special Rock Art Site. We would introduce you to the site and give you our own interpretation. Furthermore give you very good reference and reading. With our assistance and support you would spend a two week period developing a template, which would entail more site visits, photographs, working on MS Word or MS Publisher and finally printing a draft document.
• Removing exotic fish from a stream below a waterfall that threaten survival of a very special recently discovered fish Galaxias sp. (awaiting its new name). The process will certainly be interesting and the surroundings are breathtaking and very interesting. The general ecology of this Gondwanoid Salmonid (original trout or salmon) is most interesting and its context and threats. The volunteer could be involved as deep as he or she likes, even to the extent of drawing up and negotiating with landowners and local authority a conservation plan. A night expedition to the same venue will most likely reveal a new dwarf chameleon Bradypodium sp., lending further importance to any lobby for protection in a sustainable way.
• Guiding a group of children on a day trip to the farm Xkagodisan and introducing them to the wonders and capturing their imagination in the San story of “how the elephant became a rain-animal”. This would need some preparations surrounding logistics and would be followed up with a school visit and possibly a quiz evaluation with small prizes. We would expect the volunteer/s involved to draw up a report and recommendations post the finality