So you have the opportunity to take your family on an overseas trip. Why not make it a volunteering trip? The concept of volunteering overseas with your family is becoming ever more popular, especially in the last 5 years. Instead of sitting on a beach at a resort until the kids get bored, then sending them off to the “kids’ club”, you could all be helping to change lives. And you can still make time for the beach.
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There has always been a great deal of focus on, and information aimed at, individual overseas volunteers – brave souls heading out into the wide blue yonder to a foreign country, alone and vulnerable but ready and willing to pitch in where help is needed. Indeed, the whole process of volunteering might well appeal especially to rugged individualists, those who want to dip their toes into strange waters, immerse themselves in exotic cultures, and leave behind everything comfortable and familiar.
It takes a whole village to raise a child – this is a well-known West African (Igbo) saying, and one taken to heart by volunteers who are drawn to working with children. Children have a special place in the hearts of most people, especially if they’re poor, orphaned or disabled and in need of your love, care and affection. Generally, it’s accepted that volunteering with kids is likely to be pleasant and easy if you have an affinity with them, and there can only be positive outcomes for the children, their community and your volunteer experience.
Recently, Khaya Volunteer Projects received some feedback from a young lady named Seraina Rioult-Pedotti, who signed up for a month-long volunteering stint at the African Bush and Wildlife Experience project, and had the opportunity to get up close and personal with some of Southern Africa’s creatures great and small.
This project is located on a 27 000 hectare nature reserve in the Eastern Cape of South Africa; almost 300km from the nearest major city and tucked deep in the heart of the majestic, primeval mountains and plains of the Great Karoo. It’s breathtaking and an absolute must-see for nature and wildlife lovers worldwide.
There are hundreds of articles on the Web about the benefits of volunteering – it’s the ‘right’ thing to do, it’s a great way to travel and meet people, you’ll experience personal growth and life lessons, it looks good on your resume, and so on. But it’s not as easy to find information on what many would-be or even experienced volunteers are asking themselves: “What specific benefits will I as a volunteer provide to the communities I’m supposed to be helping?”
So you’ve decided to volunteer overseas – you’ve done your research, you’ve found some projects that intrigue you, you’ve planned what needs to be done to get over there and get busy helping out. Just one tiny little problem – at the moment, you can barely afford a bus trip across town, let alone a plane trip to another country!
Everyone is different, so there are many different reasons why people develop an interest in volunteering.
Here are just a few, I’m sure you can think of more of your own.
So you’re thinking of getting out into the wide world and volunteering overseas? It’s worth your while to take a bit of time to learn about volunteering both as an industry and as an experience. In all likelihood, there could be things that surprise you, even you’re not a ‘first timer’.
Update from PE
01-12-2014
Second update from our volunteers in Port Elizabeth to see what they have been doing!
It has been a while now, so let’s not wait any longer and tell you more about the experiences of our volunteers and colleagues in Port Elizabeth before the holiday season starts!
Over the last couple of weeks we had to say goodbye to Claire, Eva, Frederique, Nora and Tessa, thanks a lot for your help ladies!
South Africa
South Africa is a rewarding place to volunteer. It has struggled to recover from the many changes that have developed in the last 20 years and many people live on less than a dollar a day. While townships have started to improve, poverty is still widespread. If you're an international volunteer in South Africa you will have the opportunity to provide the underprivileged population access to better education and healthcare. Fight for human rights and help build a working infrastructure!
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