Volunteer in our award winning programme and pass on valuable life-skills in this unique volunteer programme set in an impoverished semi-rural community in South Africa. This project is set in semi-rural South Africa and gives you as the volunteer a unique sense of community.

This Project is the winner of the following Responsible Tourism Awards:
2008 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards
Highly Commended - Best Volunteer Organisation
2008 Imvelo Awards for Responsible Tourism
Winner -Chairman's Award
Finalist - Best Social Involvement Programme
2007 Imvelo Awards for Responsible Tourism
Joint Winner - Chairman's Award
Highly Commended - Best Practice: Economic Impact
Finalist - best Social Involvement Programme

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Pass on valuable life-skills in this unique volunteer programme set in an impoverished semi-rural community in South Africa that gives you as the volunteer a unique sense of community.

This rural community has a great need for volunteers that can impart knowledge and skills to the children, the youth and the elders in a variety of settings. The community is characterised by high level of illiteracy, unemployment and a lack of social infra-structure. Families are supported by much needed welfare, being either a pension and/or a child grant. The community lacks after school facilities and clubs to stimulate and keep the children occupied in a positive way.

Your skills, hobbies and interests are likely to benefits the community. Please get in touch with us so we can put your skills to use. A few typical areas that you may get involved in are teaching and tutoring primary and secondary children after school in a range of subjects, adult basic education and training (ABET), computer literacy, sports, art, music, drama, business skills, DIY and so much more. Health professionals are also needed in the greater community.

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

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

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.

Our specialised Travel Division, First Travel, is able to book your international flights; and arrange all your regional and local travel needs as well!