Volunteering Projects in South Africa

Mapoch Village

Help the rural community of Mapoch to gain access to cheap, effective and environmentally friendly cooking. On this project you will live and work with community members in their own homes.

Mapoch Ndebele Village is very rural with few local jobs. The village lodge and nearby conference centre were built with grant-aid, but local people lack the management and marketing skills to make good use of these potential money-earners.

There are many aspects of life in this very rural and traditional Ndebele community where volunteer input will be valued – in the preschool or with adult literacy; small-business training and development; construction … and more.

Project type:
GAP (solar cookers)
Business and Admin
Practical skills
Community development
Childcare
Education development

Bokamoso Bicycle Project

Started by volunteer Nigel, in 2007, this project is already increasing employment and enabling local people to travel further from their rural villages of Mapoch - help build on his work.

Project type:
Business and Admin
Practical skills

Emmanuel Community Care Programme

As the pandemic of HIV and AIDS is being addressed on all levels within South African society, a large burden of care is shifted to the (often poor) communities themselves.

This community organisation in Port Elizabeth provides healthcare, advice, nutrition and education to some over a thousand vulnerable children and adults through, advice centres, community and pre-school care and feeding programmes.

The Emmanuel Advice and Care Centre needs  volunteers to help the staff and local volunteers in:

• the pre-school
• capacity building for community carers who support HIV sufferers
• child care for orphans and vulnerable children
• the feeding programme

You will live with a local family or stay in a local guesthouse or both the choice is yours.

Project type:
Childcare
Community development
Health and social care
Education
Business and admin

Soweto Grassroots Project/Sizanani Home-Based Care

This grassroots community-based project in Soweto provides holistic support to children and their families through a range of programmes, including health care, basic education and life skills - and fun for the kids!

This community-based project provides holistic grassroots support to children and families, affected and infected with HIV and AIDS, in the most populous urban township of Soweto.

You will stay in the famous Lebos Soweto backpackers – more than just a back packers! Lebo's is the first and only black owner backpackers in South Africa; the only backpackers in Soweto; a 2007 Tourism Investment Award winner and is one of only 50 properties in South Africa that is Fair Trade in Tourism accredited! Lebo also runs guided bicycle tours in the surrounding community and "his"cyclists are well known in the community

Project type:
Childcare
Community development
Health and social care

Nomathamsanga village

Although close to the popular tourist site of Addo Elephant Park, the town of Nomathamsanqa is one of the country's most deprived communities. The local school is at its heart, providing essential education despite minimal resources.

Project type:
Education development

Eastern Cape schools support

Volunteers are needed to work in township primary schools - supporting local educators in teaching English, IT, arts and crafts. The schools are located around Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape.

This programme supports hard-pressed teachers in township schools of Nelson Mandela Bay, Eastern Cape. Though desperately under-resourced, these teachers are working in schools where the pupil to staff ratio is in excess of 50:1.

You will live with a local family or stay in a local guesthouse or both the choice is yours.

Project type:
Childcare
Education development