Izizwe Education Project
Overview
Day to Day Activities
Teaching and guidance of high school children in English, Biology, Science, Maths and much more.
What’s Included
Airport pickup, accommodation (host family or volunteer house), all meals (host family only), coordinating, donation to the project.
What’s Excluded
Flights, visas, insurance, personal luxury items, transport and meals (volunteer house option only).
Accommodation
Host family in Walmer Township or volunteer house close to the beach.
Requirements
Love for people and children.
Working Hours
Flexible.
Nearest Town
Port Elizabeth (Eastern Cape).
Guaranteed
Working and experiencing township life where you learn some basic Xhosa, meet loads of local people and have the possibility to really contribute to the future of these children!
About
This education project is situated in the Walmer Gqebera Area in Port Elizabeth (PE), better known as Walmer Township.
Gqebera is one of few places in PE where a specific area for the black community still exists in-between neighborhoods populated by mainly whites. During the apartheid regime, the government forced non-whites to move to areas outside the city. Since the white community in the Walmer area preferred their domestic workers and gardeners living closer by, as an alternative to 30 km outside town, Gqebera kept on existing.
Ever since, Gqebera has been a small village within the city of PE and houses more than 65,000 people. Compared to other townships, Gqebera is, because of its location, a relatively calm and easily accessible area. Poverty, child neglect, alcohol abuse and a high unemployment rate are some of the many challenges you will be facing here. The only High school that offers education to the children of Walmer has great challenges in terms of staff, skills development and remedial teaching. There are several classes that do not have teachers and children are eager to learn and get information they have no access to. Therefore your help is definitely needed in whatever way you can contribute!
So even if you are no teacher, its better than nothing and your help will be gratefully accepted by the children who love to interact with international volunteers.
Check out more about the school and its activities here
Needs
There is an urgent need for volunteers, as the schools struggle for a shortage of staff, class assistants, physical health teachers (sports), help in the library and many other things that can be done to offer these youngsters a chance to a proper education.
Any possible gifts and donations provided by volunteers and their network of people are extremely appreciated. Instead of collecting goods and materials for donation, it is recommended to purchase and donate these on location. Besides that there is the need for more concrete support as in:
- Learning materials for the children
- Sporting equipment and materials for the children
- School uniforms for the children
Prof, a young, enthusiastic resident of Gqebera, who is very involved with the program, provides guidance and supervision. He lives in the area with his wife and three children and will welcome you on your first day and will introduce you to all the people involved with the program. Within the schools you will be introduced to the department heads who will look after you and take you by the hand!
You will also meet with other volunteers on a weekly basis to exchange experiences and hopefully learn from each other.
Tasks
The project consists of several programs, suitable to be combined or to adapt in order to fit your specific needs and to offer you a challenging and diverse experience. These are some of the options;
High school: Teaching of Grade 8,9 and 10 classes, often 40-50 children in a class on subjects such as general knowledge, science, maths, biology, history and anything else that interest youth. Age group 12-18 years
Home work guidance: Afterschool home work clubs where individual guidance is needed for the questions pupils have and themes that are current.
Prerequisites
It is important that volunteers of this project understand the importance of the following:
- To be enthusiastic and independent, in order to complete (with guidance) a successful term
- To show respect towards the people and culture of the local community. You might not agree with certain ways of conduct during your term here, but don’t forget you are a guest here, and you can’t try to change everything in a period of just a few weeks.
- To show flexibility towards responsibilities, tasks and activities.
- To be a Go-Getter!
Accommodation
We offer two options with regards to accommodation, depending on your preference.
Home stay
We offer a unique Home stay opportunity. You will move into the home of a local family in the Township. These families are carefully selected considering safety and sociability and have hosted volunteers before. This way you are supporting a local family with extra income whilst going through a unique experience; being part of the community. You’ll have your own room (possibly shared with one other volunteer) in a brick-built house with running water and electricity. Hot water might not always be available and there won’t be any luxury but you will be in a well-kept and (most important) safe environment.
Home stay includes basic meals and beverages (excluding luxury items e.g.: soda, candy, alcohol etc.) You will be part of the family, and are therefore expected to do your share and maybe perform domestic tasks in the house, like all the other family members.
Private accommodation
Another option is sharing a house with other students and/or volunteers. You will be responsible for your own transport to/from the project. It is advised to share private transport with others to keep the costs as low as possible. A rental car will work out up to €250/$ 270/£ 200 per month.
You obviously will be responsible for your own meals and beverages.
This option enables you to distance yourself from work after a long day, and share your (sometimes very intense) experiences with others.
Depending on availability you will either have your own room or share a room with another volunteer. These houses offer the luxury of space, a cleaning lady, easy access to nearby facilities (restaurants, pubs etc.) and in some cases a swimming pool.
Location
This project is situated in the Walmer Gqebera Area in Port Elizabeth (PE), better known as Walmer Township. The High school is easily reachable and centrally located within walking distance.
Fees & Dates
The fees for joining this project are:
1 week R 3000
2 weeks R 4400
3 weeks R 6000
4 weeks R 7600
All extra weeks will be charged R 1400 per week.
An extra booking fee of R500 is required if you need Khaya to arrange transfers, accommodation and bus tickets as well as external travel arrangements. This fee lets Khaya handle your travel arrangements completely.
Currency Converter
Your fee will be used for the costs of the use of the classroom, food for children, the organization of activities and for the direct donation of 15% of your fees to the project of course.
Costs will cover the following:
- Information and assistance before departure
- Personal collection at arrival
- Information guide and free SIM-card at arrival
- Accommodation (any of the 2 given options)
- Meals and beverages (Home stay option only)
- 15% direct donation to the project
- Guidance and supervision during your stay
- Contact point for family and friends
- Opportunity to join in planned excursions, trips and activities
- Transport to/from the projects (private accommodation option only)
- Food & beverages (private accommodation option only)
- Air tickets
- Insurance
- Expenses for excursions, trips and activities
| Accommodation costs | 40 % |
| Coordinating and pick up costs | 15 % |
| Direct donation to project | 15 % |
| Admin and Marketing costs | 20 % |
| Staff costs | 10 % |
Project Finder
Who Volunteers?
Testimonials
Rosanne (Netherlands)
Volunteering in South Africa was a life changing experience for me...
read more
Copyright © 2010 - 2012 Khaya Volunteer Projects - All rights reserved | Affiliates .::. Graphic Design by Dumisa Design & Advertising | Web Designer