Description

Would you like to get hands-on experience with injured and orphaned wild animals whilst educating local underprivileged children, perhaps giving both of them a brighter future? At Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage, this is exactly what you can do!

Every Monday Daktari welcomes a new group of 8 local under-privileged children for a week. As a volunteer your main tasks will be teaching the children and working with the animals. You will give the children the opportunity to discover, learn and become passionate about wildlife and conservation, their heritage. You will also supplement their school curriculum in very basic English, maths, sciences, geography, life skills, educational games and social issues.

The children are in the 8th grade, but they vary in age from 13 to 16 years old. Their English is very poor and most of the time they need a lot of support with maths. Personal attention is something that they are not used to. That is why they really get the chance to blossom at the project. They go home as different children and that is also because of the attention they receive from people like you.

How does a day look like at Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage:

You meet at 7:00 in the morning for coffee. From 7:30 you do a bush walk with the children and the dogs. You then feed the animals and clean their camps. At 9:00 you will have breakfast. Lessons start from 9:30 till 12:00. Then you have lunch and everyone is off till 2:00. At 2.00 the lessons start again and will go on until 4:30. At 4:30 you will feed the animals again and after that there is a game to play. Dinner is around 7:00 at night.

All volunteers work 5 days a week, from 7:00 in the morning until dinner time with a break at lunch time, when you will be able to enjoy the swimming pool. You will have time off on Friday afternoon, Saturday and Sunday and will be able to take this opportunity to visit the surroundings. A trip to town is organized every Saturday and you will enjoy meeting up with the local community.

Accommodation:

Volunteers share a rondavel (round chalet with thatch roof or have a room in the main house. The chalets are rustic but comfortable with toilets and shower (hot and cold water). There is no electricity on the farm but light is provided with solar lamps and power with a generator to charge batteries, cameras and computers. There is access to internet at a minimal fee.

The arrivals for the program are on Saturdays and the volunteers can stay for 1 week to 6 months. You will have to book a flight to Johannesburg and then an internal flight to Hoedspruit airport where you will be picked up by the Daktari team.

On arrival you will be shown your room and the facilities. On Sunday the project will have a late breakfast and a general briefing to help you in your confidence and ability to enjoy your experience.

Bring your sense of humour!

Daktari Volunteer Experience rates for bookings from the 1st of January 2012:

1 Week - 430 GBP
2 Weeks - 610 GBP
3 Weeks - 870 GBP
4 Weeks/1 Month - 1,090 GBP
6 Weeks - 1,530 GBP
8 Weeks/2 Months - 2,080 GBP
12 Weeks/3 Months - 3,070 GBP

Includes transfer from and to Hoedspruit airport.

Please note that our selling rate is in GBP and that the Euros rate is an approximative calculation which would have to be adjust if there is too much fluctuation with the exchange rate.

Highlights

Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage is a registered non profit organisation located in the Limpopo Province, near the Kruger Park in South Africa. It is set in a beautiful nature reserve with granite hills and the most stunning views. It hasn't got the Big Five, but leopard and hyena do roam around next to the general plains game like impala, kudu, wildebeest, zebra and giraffe. You will mostly work in and around the camp with the children, but if you want to and where possible, the project leaders will also take you for walks and drives in the reserve. The game tends to be shy, but the scenery in itself is more than worthwhile already. Besides, it's a great opportunity to pick one of the project leaders' brains and learn from his vast knowledge on the bush and wildlife!

It is a two way street. The children will give you back what you put in. Maybe sometimes you think it doesn't work, but at the end of the week you will see the difference.

The best advice we can give is for you to really enjoy your placement and make it into a two way learning experience. We want you to leave with the feeling that you have achieved something positive for the future of the children and the environment, but also for yourself

Whether you are away from home for the first time or are an experienced traveler, you will love the family atmosphere that is created at Daktari and their excellent food. Your help will make a huge difference in aiding conservation and animal welfare, teaching local underprivileged children and building bridges between local and international people. All in all you will be participating to a worthy cause and having a fantastic experience in one!

Qualifications

* A minimum of 18 years old, unless accompanied by a parent/carer;
* Having a passion and love for animals;
* Be able to communicate in English.

** No specific skills are required. We need your enthusiasm and dynamism.

Languages

• English

Cost in US$:

from 610 USD to 4360 USD

Cost Includes:

• Food
• Housing
• In-country orientation/Training
• In-country staff support
• Registration fees

Program Fees Include:

These costs include:

* Transfer return from the Hoedspruit Airport to the project site
* Accommodation
* 3 meals per day, tea, coffee, juice
* Laundry
* A trip to town each week
* A donation to the project
* Training and supervision

These costs do not include:

* Travel to and from Hoedspruit, South Africa
* Passport / visa
* Travel insurance, which is compulsory for all participants and a cancellation insurance
* Personal expenses such as telephone bills, Internet, souvenirs, etc.
* Any excursions undertaken by the volunteer

Experience Required

no

Volunteer Types

Typical Volunteer

A person dynamic who like teaching children, wildlife and outdoor activities.

Age Range

from 18 to 77

This Program is open to

Worldwide Participants. This Program is also open to Families, Couples and Individuals.

Typical Living Arrangements

• Group living

Participants Travel

Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work

in Groups of between 4 and 8

Application Process Involves

• Resume

Typically The Application Process Time is

2 days

Daktari Bush School & Wildlife Orphanage's Mission Statement

The mission of Daktari Bush School & Wildlife orphanage is to educate underprivileged children to care for their environment through the medium of a wildlife orphanage.

Year Founded

2005