Volunteers will help people in need in the impoverished township of Missionvale in Port Elizabeth, South Africa with education, childcare, healthcare and skills development.
| Minimum Duration: | 1 week |
| Cost: | From 210 Euro per week |
| Minimum Age: | 18 years |
Missionvale Care Centre is a community centre that serves the very poor township of Missionvale. From humble beginnings under a tree in 1988, this project has developed into community centre that runs like a well oiled machine. The project serves the community in various ways; food distribution, health care through their clinic, education through their school, clothing, gardening and other skills development programs.
This project employs a number of staff from the community it serves. Most of these staff members have become legends in the hearts of our volunteers. Their enthusiasm is unmatched and volunteers are always welcomed with open arms.
This project needs volunteers who enjoy working in a team and is ready for a challenge!
Your help is needed at:
Primary school:
Provide assistance to 140 kids with literacy, sports and social skills.
Nutrition unit:
Provide food parcels to families in the community.
Medical support and clinic:
Volunteers with a nursing or medical background would be highly appreciated in this unit.
Crafter unit:
Assist with the creation of curtains, placemats, handbags, aprons, pillows and more. Volunteers who want to use their crafting skills will make a big difference in this unit.
Child support and development:
An afternoon program is available to make sure the children stay off the streets and are able to play safely. They get a meal, computer lessons, listen to stories, learn how to play the drums and take part in cultural dances and play sports outside. Volunteers must be energetic and patient!
Clothing warehouse:
Clothing donations are cleaned and sorted so that anyone in need of clothing can be assigned a parcel with clothes that fit and are clean. Give us a hand!
Community gardens:
The residents can plant and grow their own fruit and vegetables and donate some of their harvest to the soup kitchen. Volunteers with a green thumb can apply it here!
Guidance and supervision
Coordinators of the different units will guide and supervise you throughout your stay.
Conditions
Please keep the following in mind:
- You need to respect the vision and mission of the project.
- Have an independent attitude and be willing to get very busy.
- Be flexible in the tasks and activities and changes that will happen.
- Be open minded and mentally strong, and have the will to make a difference.
Why Volunteer at this Project?
Participating in this project is both challenging and diverse. You will get acquainted with circumstances in which 70% of South Africans live today. By volunteering here, you get to experience their lifestyle and Xhosa culture. We need volunteers who are independent and mature as they will be facing misery and poverty every day.
Accommodation
The volunteer house in Port Elizabeth is a gorgeous home with loads of space. Whether you prefer to unwind in the garden, at the pool or in the lounge; this home has a special place for everyone.
The home was built in grand old architectural style and is decorated with modern touches. A pool for summer and a fireplace for winter, what more do you need?
The property is well secured and superbly located within walking distance of the beach, restaurants, laundry & shops.
Meals
We include three basic meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
Transport
Airport transfers and daily transport to and from your project is included in your fees. Keep in mind that daily transfers to projects are planned between projects and your host.
The Fun Stuff
Volunteering with Khaya also means there is time for fun things and to share your time with all the other volunteers the best way possible.
There is so much to do in the area and we love organizing weekend tours and day trips (additional costs may apply). We however provide a free activity weekly during our Friday Social.
As we finish early on Fridays we use the afternoon to do fun activities together like visiting the Penguin Rehabilitation Centre, visiting Animal Welfare to walk their dogs, go for a hike along the beaches, play games on the beach or start the weekend with a beer at one of the beachfront bars.
What is Included?
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- Information and assistance before departure
- Pick up on arrival and drop off at the end of your stay (Monday to Friday)
- Basic family style meals during your stay Breakfast, lunch and dinner.
- Shared dorm style accommodation with our host. Single and double/twin rooms are available upon request at extra cost.
- Daily transport to and from the project
- Direct donation to the project
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What is Excluded?
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- Personal luxuries such as snacks, cold drinks and alcohol
- Costs for weekend trips
- Flight tickets
- Insurance
- Laundry service
- Arrival/departure transfers on Saturday/Sunday
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Starting dates
Our volunteers arrive on Mondays and start at the project on Tuesdays. We can pick you up from the airport or from any accommodation in Port Elizabet/Gqeberha.
Arrivals and departure transfers from Monday to Friday are included in the fees. If you need an arrival or departure transfer over the weekend (Saturday to Sunday), we ask for a local cash payment of ZAR 250 per transfer.
Participation is in full weeks (7 nights) only. Please also keep in mind that projects close for 2-3 weeks over December/January each year.
Port Elizabeth, South Africa
The team at Khaya loves Port Elizabeth (PE to the locals). Our head office is based in Port Elizabeth, so we know what we are talking about!
Here we enjoy beautiful beaches, scenic hiking trails, the Big 5 is on our door step, amazing restaurants, whale watching, sand boarding, canoeing, diving, international sports events and much more!
East of PE you will find the Wild coast (former Transkei and Ciskei). Here you can experience the unspoiled rolling hills & rural villages in wide open spaces between larger towns like Grahamstown, East London & Port Alfred. Along the Wild coast there are numerous coastal towns where many locals go to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
To the North you will find the great Karoo; a semi desert area with wide open spaces, large nature areas and long open roads with historical places such as Graaff Reinet, the Baviaanskloof Wilderness and much more.
To the West towards Cape Town, you will be amazed by the Tsitsikamma National Park, holiday villages such as Plettenberg Bay, Knysna and Nature’s Valley or the surf mecca of Jeffreys Bay.
This gives you plenty to see and visit while you are here, and we believe even provides you more diversity than staying in Cape Town to volunteer. You can always visit Cape Town or any other city or area on weekends or after your stay with us.
