The Missionvale Care Centre operates in the extremely poor shack township of Missionvale in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. The centre was founded by kindhearted Sister Ethel, an expatriate Irish nun, who started offering help to this needy community under a tree between the shacks. Today, it is a centre that provides care, love and material support to the poor, with particular emphasis on and attention to those living with HIV/AIDS.
Missionvale Care Centre is a non-profit organisation committed to providing quality care and support to improve the lives of the residents through love, participation and self-development.
The help of all types of volunteers is desperately needed, but nursing and medical volunteers and anyone who doesn’t mind hard work, while coming face to face with extreme poverty, are especially welcome.
Your help is needed at:
Primary school: About 140 kids attend school here and need assistance with reading, writing, social skills and sports – as well as individual personal attention. Volunteers will also make sandwiches for the kids’ lunch, and their play time needs to be supervised.
Nutrition unit: Volunteers provide the people of Missionvale each day with half a loaf of bread and a scoop of nutritious soup powder; making it possible for them to go home and cook a meal for their families. This unit also distributes food parcels weekly to the families who are on the care centre’s adopted list.
Medical support and clinic: An optometrist visits the centre once a week and provides free eye tests and glasses where necessary. The centre is always looking for old glasses that can be recycled to use here because giving a person the ability to see again is an amazing gift.
The clinic acts as a one-stop facility where people can go for a check-up and other additional care – and it’s mainly aimed at people with tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. There are qualified nurses working at Missionvale, but not enough can be done and we call out to anybody with a medical or nursing background to volunteer here and make a difference so more patients can be helped.
Crafter unit: The women working here work very hard on various projects such as curtains, placemats, handbags, aprons, pillows and more. These items go on sale at Missionvale Care Centre as well as at weekly fairs. These women are taught the basics of sewing and gain experience, which increases their chances of being employed by businesses in the area. Volunteers can assist and give creative input.
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!
Needs
As this project is a non-profit organisation, it is very dependent on its volunteers and any extra help.
Guidance and supervision
Coordinators of the different units will guide and supervise you throughout your stay.
Prerequisites
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?
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.
See what other volunteers say about this project
You can go here to read visitors´ review about their experiences at the Missionvale Community Centre.
Accommodation
YOUR ACCOMMODATION
Superbly located in a prime spot in Port Elizabeth, close to beautiful beaches and vibrant nightlife, our Lodge accommodation is a comfortable and relaxing space that volunteers can call home. Rated as 3-star backpackers by The South African Grading Council, the lodge is a quiet sanctuary where volunteers can find relax and enjoy this time with others. It is a place where friendships are forged, and memories are made.
The Lodge is made up of various spaces, living areas, bathrooms and 3 bedrooms with other rooms optional for couples and older volunteers. The house has a nice entertainment area with barbecue (braai) facilities, a comfortable lounge with fireplace and a sparkling pool that you can happily dive into on a hot day. A great area to socialize with your fellow volunteers from all over the world. The interior of the Lodge is laid back and cosy with an African feel.
MEALS
Three meals per day are included and we work on a set menu per week, lovingly prepared by our cook with your assistance. There is free coffee, tea and drinking water available at any time.
For breakfast you will have continental buffet with a choice of bread, fruit, yoghurt, cereals and/or eggs.
For lunch, you can make your own sandwiches with cheese, marmalade, cold meat or other spreads to take with you to the project.
Dinners are a variety of hearty healthy meals such as soups, stews, pies, oven dishes and other options.
We cater for vegetarians and vegans but please inform us before arriving to prepare accordingly.
TRANSPORT
Airport transfers are included in your fee. We also include your daily transport to your project and back to the accommodation. If you would like to go out after hours and on weekends you can easily book an Uber or Bolt.
OTHER VOLUNTEERS
We host volunteers from all around the world including the USA, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, the UK and many other countries.
Fees & Dates
DURATION:
EURO
USD
GBP
1 Week
€ 330,00
$370,00
£300,00
2 Weeks
€ 590,00
$655,00
£535,00
3 Weeks
€ 840,00
$935,00
£765,00
4 Weeks
€ 1 085,00
$1 210,00
£985,00
Extra Weeks
€ 230,00
$255,00
£210,00
Long Term p/week (min 8 weeks)
€ 210,00
$235,00
£190,00
Surcharge: Single room p/week
€ 55,00
$60,00
£50,00
Included in your volunteering fee:
Information and assistance before departure
Pick up on arrival and drop off at the end of your stay
A welcome pack with an information guide, free SIM card and maps
All meals
Accommodation in our beach front volunteer house
Daily transport to and from the projects
City Tour and Introduction Programme
Direct donation to the project
Volunteer support and coordinating
Free social activities
Excluded from your volunteering fee:
Personal luxuries such as snacks, cold drinks and alcohol.
Costs for weekend trips
Flight tickets
Insurance
Starting dates
Volunteering starts on a Monday. We will pick you up on the Monday morning either from the airport or you could come a couple of days earlier but your program will start on Monday. After the first introduction of the surroundings and a City Tour you will start at the project on the Tuesday.
Participation is per full week only and the project will be closed for about three weeks over Christmas and the New Year period.
Add Ons To Your Trip
10% OFF on your Nomad Africa tour when booking through Khaya
Nomad Africa Adventure Tours offers organized tours over Africa. Whether you’re young or young at heart, adventurous or more relaxed, it doesn’t matter, you will always find a fitting tour with them.
Their tours ensure you safety and give you the chance to meet new friends along the way. They are an exciting way of travelling that allows you to explore the country and its surroundings at affordable rates and without having to worry about anything yourself!
And we can make it even better. If you book your next Nomad Tour with Khaya, you will get a 10% off the tour price! We have picked a few of our favorites to combine with this project, check them out below!
10% OFF on your BazBus tour when booking through Khaya
Hop-on Hop-off backpacker bus. Door-to-door. Meet interesting people. Safe and fun way to travel around South Africa. Great alternative to car hire.
Check out their travel options on their site, BazBus. By booking your Bazbus travel with Khaya, you will receive a 10% discount. If interested, please contact us and we’ll help you further with great pleasure.
10% or 20% OFF on your CapeXtreme Adventure when booking through Khaya
The best adventure company in Cape Town! They organize action packed activities and overland tours in Cape Town. On top of that they also do trips from Cape Town to Addo and the Port Elizabeth Area.
Surfing, cage diving, sandboarding, skydiving, everything is possible with Cape Xtreme. You can see the Garden Route or enjoy a day visiting the cape peninsula, or what do you think of a daytrip to Stellenbosch and Paarl for the most amazing wine tastings?
As a Khaya Volunteer, you can get an amazing discount of 10 or 20% depending on the adventure you book. After confirming your booking with us, you will get a voucher code that will ensure you your discount. Simply go to their website CapeXtreme , choose your tour and date, insert the voucher code, proceed to check-out, make your payment online, and enjoy the trip!
15% OFF on your Mzansi Travel when booking through Khaya
The most comfortable & affordable way to do Hop-On Hop-Off Bus Travel Tickets in South Africa. Meet fellow travelers. Fun stops along the way! Travelling on a small budget? Then Mzansi is definitely something for you.
Get a 15% discount on direct tickets, hop-on hop-off tickets and Mzansi Passes. After confirming your stay with us, you will get a voucher code sent to you that you can use on all your Mzansi bookings. Just go to their website Mzansi Travel, make your booking online use the voucher code and off you go!
