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PROJECTS
Community Care Centre
Environmental Conservation
Excursions

THE PROGRAM
Volunteer information
Program outline

PROGRAM FEES & DATES
Program Dates 2009-2010
Program Fees 2009-2010

ACCOMMODATION
Where will I stay

BOOKINGS
How to book
Indemnity and Agreement

FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
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Hiking in the Transkei

Hiking in Oribi Gorge

Whale & Dolphin watching

Game viewing at Tala

Wildcoast tours


Hiking in Oribi Gorge

Waterfall in Mbotyi


Transkei hiking trail

Mbotyi Waterfall

Angels Falls

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Projects

Community Care

Our projects are currently operating out of two centres in the city of Durban, one of which is exclusively an orphanage and the other deals with orphans as well as frail and elderly pensioners in need. Both are understaffed and we have offered our help in the form of labour. We have informed the matrons at both centres we are willing to do whatever is required to maintain the centres, to help prepare the children's meals, bath the babies or simply just be there for the kids and elderly pensioners. This is an extremely rewarding experience. Most of the children we work with have no parents, some having being abandoned at, or shortly after birth, a sad consequence of the HIV epidemic sweeping across Africa.

Environmental Conservation

You will be contributing first hand to the long-term conservation of the wildlife and eco-system in the Southern Coastal Areas of the Province of Kwa-Zulu Natal with some field trips to the Eastern Cape Province. Your assistance helps us in the successful preservation of this diverse biome, by the removal and destruction of poachers animal traps, helping in the care and rehabilitation of injured wildlife, assisting in maintaining a lepidome sanctuary for the breeding of rare and endangered species of butterflies, the growing and propagation of their host plants and field trips for the collection of required specimens for these purposes. There is no conservation without the cooperation of the community and there is no conservation without education. You will be working side by side with the Kwa-Zulu Natal South Coast and Eastern Cape Locals, from varying backgrounds and beliefs. Your voluntary assistance makes an enormous contribution to the education of locals in the importance and necessity of sustainable development and protection of the environment. Your mere involvement in our efforts, without even counting your labour contribution, emphasises this aspect to them.

If there is one particular project you would like to spend the majority of your time with, we can take this into consideration. We do however pride our selves on our dedication to our projects and would like to ensure that they all benefit equally.

Wildlife Rehabilitation - Crag's View Wild Care Centre.

Crag's View Wild Care Centre is the name Craig and his wife Ina gave to their private (non-governmental) initiative to do something about the systematic destruction and injury to wildlife that is not in a protected reserve. The centre is situated on a 20ha privately owned farm which is bordered by the 3247ha Umtamvuma Nature Reserve (part of the world renowned Pondoland Centre of Endemism). The Pondoland Centre of Endemism is one of 235 declared global botanical hotspots (World Heritage Sites). This makes the location of the rehabilitation centre ideal as it is able to rehabilitate injured or orphaned animals into the nature reserve in conjunction with Ezemvelo Kwa-Zulu-Natal Wildlife, the official provincial nature conservation authority for Kwa-Zulu-Natal. The centre deals with more than 91 mammal and 416 bird species (including migratory and sea birds) that populate the coastal biomes of the South Coast of the province of Kwa-Zulu-Natal.

The daily work at the centre, besides the core purpose which is the care and treatment of mammal and bird "patients" until they can be released back into the wild, includes such farm duties as digging holes for fences, clearing alien plant species, working the vegetable garden, going out on rescue missions when the public report injured or endangered wildlife that need intervention, field trips to "sweep" for illegal poachers snares (and the destruction of them) in the surrounding countryside, education of local schoolchildren on the importance of conservation and the preservation of all living things and just about anything that needs doing on the farm. Craig and Ina have worked minor miracles in establishing, setting up and managing the centre without any form of financial or other assistance from government or the public. They have essentially devoted their life (and all their resources!) to this labour of love and are a living testament to the power an individual has in making a difference against all the odds should they have to determination to do so.

The centre is one of the most deserving in terms of required voluntary help and Focus-South Africa has made it a priority destination. One of the reasons for this is that due to the nature of it's work and current legislation in South Africa, it is prevented from earning any kind of revenue to assist it in it's goals. Even public viewing, with the exception of free educational tours for schoolchildren, is restricted by law. Volunteers will get an interesting, educational and rewarding (albeit hardworking!) experience at the centre.

Excursions

There are numerous excursions provided as adventurous entertainment for volunteers,
 both in Durban and the South Coast.

Volunteers will visit a Game Reserve, go on Dolphin and Whale watching boat trips, hike on unspoilt beaches and much much more!

Volunteers will be taken on "safari" to the stunning natural Mbotyi Forest in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa. Here they will assist in capturing butterfly specimens for the sanctuary where they conduct their volunteer work. The butterflies are captured, bred and studied for scientific purposes at the sanctuary, which conducts ongoing research into seasonal variations of different species.

Volunteers will also visit the Tala Private Game Reserve. Tala is a wildlife conservancy hidden in the hills of a quiet farming community not far from Durban in Kwa-Zulu-Natal. Tala’s mix of acacia thornveld, open grassland and sensitive wetland provides exceptional game watching and birding, setting the stage for that perfect photograph.Spanning nearly 3000 hectares and incorporating many diverse natural environments, the reserve features well over 300 bird species, with big game that includes buffalo, rhino, kudu, hippo, giraffe and the rare sable antelope. Volunteers will have a choice of a guided horseback ride along the water’s edge that gives a close proximity to the creatures, or walks along the many trails that are also an exciting way to explore the reserve. Volunteers will also be taken on a dolphin and whale watching boat trip off the coast of Durban.

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. administration@focus-southafrica.co.za