What inspired you to work for Phezulu Pre-Vet?
My parents started this program as they have a passion for working with animals and passing on this information to students willing to learn. Seeing this passion for teaching and seeing the confidence that students gained from going through this program inspired me to join them and come together to add a new unique dimension to the program. This program inspires students not only to pursue there veterinary dreams but also exposes them to different veterinary fields and opens their eyes to something they might not have thought the would be interested in or have a passion for. And seeing this inspires me everyday to help more students realize their dream.
This is me showing students how I examine a dog.
Describe a typical day at work.
There are no typical days at work, that is what is so nice I think. We get to see something different everyday! But we will either be going out to farms and working on cattle, sheep or goats (injecting/dosing/dipping/pregnancy testing/fertility testing/tailing/castrating) or we will be going with our wildlife vet to learn about the chemical immobilisation of wildlife and have to safely dart and work on wild animals (general health checks/blood draws/rehoming) and lastly we would be working on small animals at a veterinary clinic (vaccinations/spays/castration/stitching). Students will also spend two days with me where we evaluate and treat horses and dogs (maintenance of sporting animal, post op rehab, neuro rehab).
Why do you do what you do?
I do what I do because I love to see animals recover from their injuries and to see them doing well and back to their normal happy selves! And I also want to pass this on and show other students this as well. Working together with vets and making a team that are all working together and fighting for the one animal makes ti the best job in the world.
What advice would you give your pre-travel self?
When I was 19 I also travelled abroad so I know this daunting feeling of having to travel to a far away country and into the unknown. But you have to make the leap and get out of your comfort zone. So the advice I would tell my pre-travel self... Just do it! Get on that plane! The experiences you will have, the people you will meet and the things you will learn will stay with you for a lifetime and make you grown as a person. It'll open your eyes and make you a better person.
Guiding students on how to perform a massage technique.
What makes Phezulu Pre-Vet special?
We are a family run business and every student that comes to us becomes a part of our family. Students stay in our actual home and we take care of them. We provide 3 homes cooked South African meals for students. As well as attending activities in the program itself we also have rest days which we then take students on a little tour so that they can experience everything that our beautiful province has to offer and buy some little keeps sakes to take home or presents for friends and family.
Why should someone choose Phezulu Pre-Vet over competitors?
We feel our program is unique and sets us apart from the rest of the programs in South Africa in that we not only have a wildlife component but equally included in our program is the domestic large and small animal components, working together with veterinarians and farmers alike. Added to that is my work of veterinary physiotherapy to create an absolutely special program. Altogether we feel that this exposes our students to a broad range of the veterinary field.
What hopes do you have for the future of your organization?
Our hopes and dreams are to get as many students as possible to show them the best that South African has to offer in a veterinary setting. And in doing this expand our operation to include more diverse fields to really get great exposure for our students. This will ensure that students are well informed and have the practical experience to decided what they want to do at vet school.
What makes Phezulu Pre-Vet easy to market to potential participants?
I think what makes our organisation easy to market to potential participants and what sets apart from the other programs in South Africa is the fact that we have a big range of the veterinary field. We aren't just doing one thing, like for example a course just in wildlife medicine, or a program just in conservation, or a game capture. We include domestic animals and wild life and I really feel this sets us apart and makes it easy to get that message across.
Showing students how to properly stretch a horse.
What is your organization's mission, and how do you continue to work toward it?
Our mission and aim is to provide students with rich, high quality theoretical and practical experiences in working with different types of animals (large, small and wild) in a variety of settings, in order to pursue studies pertaining to veterinary practice, animal husbandry, conservation or game and livestock farming. We work hard to give students opportunities to get involved and to physically themselves get a feel for what goes into all these professions.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
I hope that participants walk away from our program with great confidence in their skills, a renewed passion for their profession and gives them a better idea of what field of veterinary medicine they would maybe like to specialise in. We hope that our program broadens their horizons and makes them more aware of what their options are when it comes to vet medicine.
How do you help support participants?
Participants get our support right from the get go! We welcome as many Zoom meetings as the students want when deciding if they want to attend our program, we can do Zoom meetings with parents as well. Once groups have been finalised and flights booked we create WhatsApp groups so that we can always be in contact with students while they make the journey. Once safely in our arms we have another WhatsApp group where pictures of the activities done that day get posted so students can send those home. We are here to help the students in anyway with whatever they need.
This is me giving students a lecture on the introduction to anatomy.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
Travelling abroad and experiencing new cultures is a great way to expand your social circle and meet people that you never would have gotten to know otherwise. You may be exposed to people from different walks of life, find a kindred spirit, or in fact both at the same time. It opens your eyes to what is happening in the world outside of your comfort zone and makes you grow and earn new things.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
Don't be afraid! Do your homework, research the programs you are thinking of attending. Keep in constant contact with the people of the program, whether that be Zoom meetings, emails or WhatsApp. It'll make you feel more comfortable getting to know the people you are going to. Ask as many questions as you like, there are no stupid questions, everyone at the program is there to help you make the right decision.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
Meaningful travel is when you want travel to change you in ways you never imagined. It should make you want to learn, grow and discover the world and yourself completely. Meaningful travel should change you in ways you never imagined and make you learn new things. It should broaden your horizons and make you more aware of what is going on in the world and make you become your own person.
What does ethical global engagement mean to you?
This is a huge and in-depth subject but I feel effective and ethical engagement recognizes the diversity of communities, and learns from the communities themselves how they are defined and conceptualized, what the community means to its various members, and what the community as a whole considers important topics for health research.
