The BBC’s Fast Track program – which follows new trends in holidaying and travel – were highlighting volunteering as an increasingly popular vacation choice and we’re delighted that they chose to show two of the projects that you could become involved with!

If you’d like to see the report, click here. If you’d like to learn more about how you can help, please get in touch.

Full details are available from this free leaflet download but you could, for example, go swimming with dolphins in Zanzibar.

How about a free sunset cruise on the mighty Zambezi river above Victoria Falls? Perhaps a free Cape vineyards tour is more to your taste?

There are half a dozen fascinating free adventures depending on which project you volunteer for so download the leaflet, see which one appeals to you and get in touch.

Places are limited, so you’ll need to act quickly if you would like to join us.

Please note that these trips are in addition to your volunteer placement. We are unable to offer free volunteer placements themselves because the projects and people still need your help and support. These extra adventures are our way of thanking you for that help.

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Your help will change lives. There is perhaps nowhere in the world where your volunteering will have a more positive impact.

But what about what you get out of it?

The sense of satisfaction and personal fulfillment is difficult to describe. However, maybe this letter from one of our recent volunteers will give some insight. James was a volunteer in Cape Town and is shortly off to university as a medical student (the photos are also his):

“Dear Frances

Just to let you know, I had a FANTASTIC time in South Africa and can’t wait to return!  I have attached a picture of me and some of the children and also one of me and the nurses at the clinic I worked at. Thank you so much for all your help and kindness.

Now, university is my next adventure and I have lots to sort out!

Many thanks again, you may very well hear from me again in the coming years!”

James

I could give you a lot of “advertising-speak” to try to convince you, but what it boils down to is the personal touches. We’re a small family firm and we rely on our reputation. We do our very best to make sure your trip is even better than you expect.

It’s a particularly nice feeling when we get letters and emails from people we have helped to volunteer in Africa. Here are a couple of examples:

“Hi Frances & Paul,
I am sending you an email to let you know that our time at the Vic Falls Lion rehabilitation project was absolutely amazing.  It exceeded all our expectations.  We were looked after exceedingly well by the project team. We learnt such a lot during our stay and enjoyed some tremendous new experiences eg, surviving in the African bush, about the decline of lions and the reason that we desparetly need to support this project and about african life.

As volunteers we were treated with the utmost respect and our safety was paramount.  We enjoyed close contact with two pairs of lion cubs who were truly adorable.  We enjoyed free game drives, entry to Vic Falls, elephant rides plus more.  The project is run by a really good team always happy to help.

We would like to thank you again for you help in organising this wonderful trip for us.”
Mr & Mrs P, UK

One of our volunteers had concerns over a medical condition. Fortunately not a serious one, but if you’re volunteering in Africa it’s a long way from home and you need to be sure. Our Frances made sure she had all the facts.

“Dearest Frances,
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly! Yes, I do feel reassured. Thank you too for being so caring.”
Mrs M, USA

If you have any questions about any of our African volunteer projects, Frances is who you deal with. She knows the projects and the people in great detail so she can always give you informed advice. She’ll also help you every step of the way if you choose to volunteer with us.

Some of the African volunteering placements are offered not just by us, but by several different companies. We like to think we do a better job than our competitors, but you do usually have a choice of who you go with.

We had one email asking why our African volunteer opportunities were cheaper than everyone else. Why did we want less money than other people for the same trip?

The answer is simple. Although we have expenses like any business, we believe that as many people as possible should have to chance to volunteer in Africa. As a result, we always keep our prices as low as we can. In fact we guarantee you won’t find better prices anywhere else.

Which is all great publicity. The more people who know about the need, the more help and support they will get. Of course the real work happens largely without the gaze of the camera, so we thought it might be useful to feature our own volunteer orphanage opportunities. That way you can get a better flavor for what goes on and how you can help.

What we would like to do is actually take the focus away from volunteer orphanage placements and look at African children in general. Obviously those without parents have their own challenges, and we wouldn’t want to minimize their problems, but there are obstacles faced by all African children that you can help them overcome.

If you are looking specifically for a volunteer orphanage position there are (sadly) plenty to choose from. We say sadly because it is a shame that there are so many orphans in Africa that need your help. Fortunately the volunteer organizations are doing much to give these young people the support they need.

Which is why we would rather focus on the needs of children. The need for education, not just to read and write but also to make them aware of HIV and AIDS, which takes so many of their parents.

If you have medical or teaching qualifications you will be more than welcome, but none are necessary. Volunteer teaching assistants and volunteer nursing assistants just need a willing pair of hands and a willingness to get involved. You can read to children, help them learn through play, through making crafts and through sports activities. If you have a few muscles you can help paint classrooms or put up new buildings!

Whatever your skills you can make a massive personal impact on the lives of these young Africans.

But please don’t get the idea that everyone you meet will be down-trodden and that this is depressing work. While it’s true that these children often live very hard lives, surrounded by tremendous poverty, they nevertheless remain bright, cheerful and receptive. The only problem you might have is face-ache from smiling too much!

So please have a look at volunteering Africa in more detail by reading through our current projects featuring volunteer orphanage work and working with African children:

Sports Coaching and Physical Education, Cape Town, South Africa
Teaching and Community Development, Cape Town, South Africa
Sports Development and Community Project, Livingstone, Zambia
Teaching Assistance and Community Upliftment, Livingstone, Zambia
Rural Pre-School Teaching and HIV/AIDS Awareness, Vilanculos, Mozambique
Pre-School and English Teaching, Vilanculos, Mozambique
Orphan Care and HIV/AIDS Awareness, St Lucia, South Africa
Pre-School Teaching and Community Assistance, Zanzibar

If you have any questions, please do get in touch. We will do our best to make sure you find the best match for your abilities. We’ll also try to ensure you have a really good time!

Obviously if you are interested in volunteer teaching in Africa, or volunteer nursing, you would expect there to be specific volunteer placements – and that’s true – but what if you’re not a teacher, doctor or nurse?

It really doesn’t matter what your skill set or abilities. If you are willing to give some of your time to help the less fortunate people of Africa then you will always be welcome. There is always a need for a willing pair of hands!

Voluntary work in Africa covers a surprisingly wide range of options. If you love animals there is important work to be done volunteering with African wildlife. Our project at Antelope Park working to re-introduce lions is world famous.

If you would rather work with people then Africa has a need for volunteers to help not just with nursing and teaching but also with infra-structure. You don’t need educational qualifications to read to children and help them learn through play and dance. If you have sporting skills there are volunteer places for you too. Everyone who wants to lend a hand can make a contribution that will change people’s lives. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what your job is at home, if you can wield a paint brush, a trowel or a shovel you are equally important!

Volunteer nursing in Africa might get the big headlines but you will be of no less value if you fix up an old building, so it can be used as a classroom, or help plant vegetables to feed people who sometimes struggle to feed themselves.

So if you’re interested in voluntary work in Africa  and you’re wondering what can you do, just have a look at our list of exciting and challenging opportunities. If you’ve got more questions then drop us a line, we offer free one-to-one advice to help you choose.

For some people the objection seems to be that insurance is a bit of a rip off. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Your investment is very little and in return you get thousands of dollars of cover. So maybe you don’t need it – let’s hope so – but what if you do?

We take care of our visitors volunteering in Africa as much as we possibly can. We pride ourselves on it. Unfortunately we can’t control the company who provides your flights. What happens if they go bust? Who gets you home? Who provides somewhere for you to sleep while alternative travel arrangements are made?

No travel insurance = no flights and no bed!

Now maybe it’s an unlikely scenario. After all, travel companies don’t go bust every week. That’s true, but it seems all too frequent that we hear of one that has. Do you really want to take the risk for the sake of a few dollars?

Of course getting to Africa and back isn’t the only thing covered. We have to be realistic. While volunteering Africa isn’t a dangerous thing to do, sometimes people are unlucky enough to stumble and break bones in their own homes. We hope it never happens to anyone who volunteers in Africa, but however remote the possibility you need to know you would be taken care of properly. It’s why we insist on a “get you home” policy when you volunteer in Africa with us.

You also need to check everything that you are covered for. Read your policy carefully. If you are taking advantage of all that volunteering in Africa has to offer, including things like bungee jumping at Victoria Falls or white water rafting down the Zambezi, you want to know that your travel insurance doesn’t have one of those clauses that says you are OK as long as you aren’t enjoying yourself .

Any volunteer organization will have a preferred provider and we’re no different. World Nomads have many years experience and specialist knowledge so they’re the people we suggest to all our volunteers. Whether it’s volunteering Africa or just Disneyland, they are the people we recommend. Full details here.

So how would you fancy coming home to this at the end of a hard day? Or waking up here in the morning?

This is the new accommodation that volunteers at our Mozambique projects will be enjoying. As you can see it’s right on the beach – that’s the Indian Ocean in the photo – but if that’s just a bit too far for you there is also a pool

Each A-frame style beach villa has 3 bedrooms with en-suite toilet and shower and takes up to 6 people. Although accommodation is shared, bedrooms are not mixed. There are kitchen and dining/lounge areas with TV and DVD player. Next door there is a dive center that you may be interested in when you are not volunteering.

The place is called Aguia Negra Vilanculos and we think you’ll agree it’s rather attractive. Looks tough this volunteering in Africa, doesn’t it!

More details on our Mozambique volunteer projects are here:

Volunteer Pre-School and English Teaching

Volunteer Pre-School and HIV Awareness

The truth is that while African volunteer organizations would love to have you help them, there is so much that has to be paid for!

Whether it’s African lions or other wildlife, medical assistance for HIV sufferers or education for orphan children, supplies cost money. When they are trying to make the most of every penny, you can’t really expect it to be going to volunteers, can you?

Here’s another view. If you volunteer to help teach African children in Cape Town, for example, you will pay around 1800.00 US dollars for a whole month. It would cost you more than that to stay in a half-decent motel in Seattle, Philadelphia or Dallas – and they wouldn’t feed you!

You can do the same sums from UK sterling, Euros or Australia dollars and London, Paris or Sydney (Yes I know Canberra is the capital but everyone knows Sydney!). Whatever way you look at it, volunteering in Africa is not expensive and, quite frankly, you just cannot make a comparison.

And yes, you have flights to add to that cost – like you’ve got flights to add if you live in London and want to visit New York

The other important thing is what happens to your money. Well for a start, you get fed three meals a day. Then there’s your accommodation which, on several volunteer projects, is practically on the beach!

After that, any left over goes to those valuable supplies. Not just day-to-day necessities but long term projects that will change the futures of some of the poorest people in the world. This isn’t a question of hand-outs, it’s about building infrastructure so they can help themselves.

Unfortunately we have heard some horror stories. People left at the airport, people asked to pay for food or even building supplies. No responsible volunteer organization in Africa would ever treat you like this – you are too valubale to us as a person… and as an ambassador for what we are doing.

If you have questions, ask. If you don’t receive an answer that satisfies you the first time, or you don’t have all the detail you want, ask some more – that’s what we are here for.

We wish we could offer free volunteer work placements but we think you can see that it just isn’t practical. For most people who volunteer in Africa it’s not a money thing anyway. You could just make a donation but we would rather have you here, hands on, enjoying the experience and making a huge and very positive impact on other people’s lives. Apart from that, the memories and life-long friendships you make can’t be bought at any price.

Following the success of David Youlden’s ITV series about our lions conservation and rehabilitation at Antelope Park (Wednesday nights, 7.00pm, ITV1), our wildlife volunteers in Africa are in the news again!

This time it’s 18 year old volunteer Ivan Troev writing about his experiences in an upcoming edition of the popular travel magazine RealTravel.

Our people on the ground in Africa are already calling 2010 a “roaring success” (sorry about the pun) and such positive exposure for such an important venture can only add to the benefits for the most important characters in this story – the African lions themselves!

Obviously we can’t give you a lot of the content of the magazine, but one of Ivan’s quotes was “I came to realize that, like us, lions are intelligent, sentient creatures, capable of feeling, caring and loving others… for me, actually seeing and interacting with these amazing creatures is more than simply a volunteering experience… a world without lions simply wouldn’t be worth living in…”

We couldn’t agree more!

Current lion conservation volunteering options are Antelope Park, Victoria Falls or Livingstone. As you can imagine, recent publicity has made these exciting volunteering opportunities very popular so we suggest you get in touch soon!