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GENERAL INFORMATION
PROJECTS
THE PROGRAM
PROGRAM FEES & DATES
ACCOMMODATION
FAQ
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General Information All Community and Environmental Volunteer Projects have been chosen on the basis of their specific needs and degree of help required. They are designed to give volunteers a balanced volunteer work experience in Africa that enables them to assist in fields of humanity and wildlife. The programs are flexible and volunteers get to choose, wherever possible, the projects they work at. No volunteer is required to work on any project that does not appeal to them.
Periods of less than four weeks, with a minimum of one week, can be accommodated upon enquiry. Volunteers who, for example, are travelling in Africa and wish to volunteer for a week or two can be accommodated if there are vacant posts at the time of their application. The fee structure for this will obviously differ and will be communicated to the applicant at the time of their application. This will always be subject to available posts. Obviously, any volunteer who wants to cancel or shorten their stay, for whatever reason, may also do so. Unfortunately however, because the volunteer’s program fee is used to pay program expenses in advance, no refunds of any part of the program fee can be made. The programs are structured in a way that enables volunteers to work at the projects from Monday to Friday, leaving weekends free for volunteers to relax, explore and enjoy the adventure and fun activities that form part of this package. The projects, activities and places you will visit/work at, enable the volunteer to tour the province of the Zulu (Kwa-Zulu- Natal), interact with local (and diverse) South African Culture and see our wildlife in its natural habitat. Medical Information Volunteers do not require any vaccinations as the projects are not situated in areas requiring this. Neither is any malaria medication required, however, should you intend travelling in other parts of Africa before or after participation in our program, you may require both vaccinations and malaria medication. Please check with your local travel agent. It is nevertheless recommended that volunteers have a general medical examination in their country before departure for general good health and travel fitness reasons. Although the program has recommended medical doctors available for volunteers and primary health care clinics and pharmacies are readily available in South Africa, it is, for the sake of convenience, recommended that volunteers bring prescription medication that they may require with them. Language and Culture
Clothes and Other Requirements The Province of Kwa-Zulu Natal is fortunate in that it does not experience any harsh extremes of climate. Peak winter is in June and peak summer is in December. Temperatures seldom drop below 10 degrees Celsius in winter or rise above 38 degrees Celsius in summer. The City of Durban, and to a lesser degree the South Coast of Kwa-Zulu Natal, both areas where the projects are situated, does get very humid in the summer months. Summer is also the rainfall season and, typically, hot humid days end with a summer shower of rain. Depending on the time of year they book for, volunteers should therefore have at least one clothing item for warmth in winter and one clothing item for rain in summer. For the rest, normal casual clothing (jeans, t-shirts) are adequate. Volunteers must bring/purchase their own toiletries and should also bring their own bathing towel. Bathing costumes, sunglasses, sunblock/suntan lotion and a torch are recommended. Sandals (open shoes), a pair of closed shoes and at least one comfortable and strong pair of walking shoes or sneakers must be brought with since one of the excursions volunteers are taken on is a “safari” in an indigenous forest and a 5 hour beach hike of an unspoilt coastal stretch on the “Wild Coast” in the Eastern Cape. Anyone who does not wish or is unable for medical or other reasons to take part in any of these excursions will have alternative arrangements made for them. Orientation Both the Durban and South Coast projects have a program manager that will give will give volunteers a detailed orientation on the day of arrival. This will cover the following aspects:
1. Discuss and explain the program and
projects. Volunteer Support Volunteers are supported by the program manger who is on 24 hour call for any assistance. Volunteers are driven to and from their projects by the program manager who also takes them on the excursions that are part of the package. Any form of assistance that is required by a volunteer can be directed to the program manager. Enquiries Should you have any queries regarding the program, projects, excursions or activities please do not hesitate to contact us and we will be happy answer them. adminstration@focus-southafrica.co.za |
South Africa has eleven official languages and Kwa-Zulu Natal is the
province of the Zulu. All cultures and languages are, however, represented
in this province but the most common culture and language is that of the
Zulu. English is the predominant language of common communication in this
province and volunteers should have, at the very least, a basic
understanding of English. Communication will always be in English at all
projects.