Help save our planet by contributing to this environmental project by educating local communities about the benefits of solar cooking and building simple but effective solar cookers, from every-day material, with and for the community members.

You will even cook a few meals to demonstrate that the solar cooker can actually cook a family meal! This project is set in semi-rural South Africa and gives you as the volunteer a unique sense of community.

The Solar Cooker Volunteer Project was initiated after a successful pilot project with previous volunteers Alex (Australia) and honeymoon couple Brett and Betsy from America. During their stay they built and tested a variety of different solar cookers made from cardboard boxes and aluminum foil. Alex went on to write her thesis on the design of a solar cooker for “Africa for Engineers without Borders” using her experiences as the basis for her work.

Many households in the community in which we work cannot afford the costs of electricity as the community is characterized by high unemployment rates and single bread-winners supporting extended families on a low income. Even those households that have electricity have resorted back to using wood burning fires, paraffin stoves and coal burners to cook their meals. The cost of a bundle of wood is rising and local trees will not be able to sustain the community at current rates. We have personally witnessed the cutting down of magnificent tress within the community to be used as fuel. Some of these trees that have been cut down were planted by great-grandparents when they first arrived in the community in the 1950’s.

Your time as a volunteer on this project will sensitize and educate the local community to the foreign concept and power of solar cooking. South Africa is ranked in the top 10 countries globally when it comes to sun availability for solar initiatives. You will build a simple but effective solar cooker with trained member from the community and host family using every day items that are available in the community and shops. In addition you will cook a local meal or two with your host family hereby demonstrating that solar cooking is a viable alternative.

Our project goal is to be able to roll out the education, building and supply of solar cookers to the community - thereby reducing their dependence on electricity, saving local trees, reduce the burning of coal and fossil fuels and limiting environmental damage. The overall impact will be to reduce the demand on the electricity grid which is mostly powered by environmentally unfriendly coal-burning power stations in South Africa.

Whether you are an outspoken “greenie”, a person interested in or concerned about environmental issues or wanting to contribute to a greater community need YOU can get involved at a grassroot level and make an impact. This project contributes towards the achievement of the 2001 Millennium Development Goal #7 of “Achieving Environmental Sustainability”. The focus is on Target 7A “integrating the principles of sustainable development into policies and programmes; reversing loss of environmental resources”; and Target 7B by “reducing biodiversity loss achieving a reduction in the rate of consumption of ozone-depleting substances."

Background

This is our most popular volunteer project because volunteers want to meet, live with and share their time with people on the ground in South Africa. You can stay either in the community in one of the local homes or be accommodated in a traditional Ndebele village in their Lodge – the choice is yours! During your stay you will come to terms with much of the hardships and realities of rural life in South Africa. It may take a while coming from an urbanised city to get used to the way of life and realities on the ground, however, the riches you gather are well worth it.

This rural community has been historically marginalised, as it fell under the “independent homeland” of Bophutatswana under the old Apartheid regime. The lack of infrastructure and economic development are still evident to this day even under the new South Africa as rural development takes a back seat to urbanisation and upgrading of major townships like Soweto. Mapoch Ndebele Village also finds itself in the same marginalised position as the Ndebele were forcibly removed under the Group Areas Act of the Apartheid government to their present site.

Accommodation

Our Home-stay option gives our volunteers the opportunity to interact at a grass root level. The benefits that your homestay provides economically cannot be under-estimated. Many of the households are impoverished and your fees will provide much welcome income to the homes we have identified. Regular meals are supplemented by the volunteer’s fees and are enjoyed with the family. Voluntours has personally visited each home that is selected and met with the people you will be staying with. We have identified a few homes in the community that have sufficient infra-structure and facilities for our volunteers to stay in. All our homeowners are well briefed on the volunteer programme and are pleased to be able to accommodate you. We have provided education and information to them in preparation for your stay. However, no amount of preparation can hide their initial nervousness and desire to “spoil” you.

On the other hand, if you prefer more creature comforts, then the Lodge in the nearby Ndebele village is more suited to your needs. The Lodge has comfortable twin bed rooms, TV, flush toilets and a shower. YOU may enjoy your meal either in the small conference centre / restaurant or share it with a family in the village. The village inhabitants still live in a traditional manner and practice their time-old customs, despite the influence of modernisation. The village is relatively un-commercialised and you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself and experience life from a unique perspective. The houses and enclosures are painted with the colourful geometric patterns for which the Ndebele are famous. Our volunteers are welcome to see and experience their traditional customs should they coincide with your stay

General

The “Project Contribution” included in your overall fee will contribute to the long-term sustainability of the project during your actual volunteer stay on the ground. On your return home you may continue to support the project financially with donations via TravelPledge, a UK-based charity, or via our separate Donations Account. Please enquire with our office for further information.

Your Voluntouring experience is not complete without taking in some key heritage and tourist sites during your off-periods. To find out more about South Africa and some of the fantastic sights and activities that await you see the “Sightseeing SA” tab on our home page for more information.