Volunteer Programs in Durban, South Africa

This reserve is home to Africa's infamous Big 5 including the lion, leopard, elephant, cape buffalo, rhino and many other key animals as well as over 400 species of birds. Staying on the reserve gives volunteers opportunities to be involved in a variety of research initiatives on endangered and other wildlife species. You will contribute to research and conservation work during your stay and play a part in vital conservation activities. A majority of the volunteer work includes going on jeep safaris to observe the animals and collect data.

Experience Durban, the heart of Kwa-Zulu Natal province in South Africa. Child Family Health International is proud to have operated this excellent program in collaboration with many health care providers and public health projects in the Durban area since January of 2006. The Durban program highlights the challenges faced by the post-apartheid public health care system taking into consideration the threats of HIV/AIDS, environmental health issues, and other underlying causes of poor health in the region. The program will focus on health issues addressed through clinical interventions and community development projects in health. This program combines service-learning opportunities in public health and clinical settings. This site will focus on learning about public health issues in the region in a mostly observational manner and participating, in a limited way in the provision of health care at clinical facilities.

Volunteer at an accredited primate rescue, sanctuary, and rehabilitation center in the lush province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. This project is available all year round, but extra hands are needed to surrogate baby monkeys in the breeding season, from mid-October to early March. During this period, there will be plenty of baby vervet monkeys to care for, orphaned, and then rescued by the project, the public, or authorities. Rescues take place all year round on an almost daily basis, and the sanctuary monkeys also need care. Although not endangered, vervet monkeys often face a lot of threats – illegal hunting, run over by cars, hunted and killed by dogs, killed for the bushmeat trade, or pure animal cruelty. This is why many young vervets are left without parents. As a volunteer, assist with surrogate duties during the first three months and throughout their rehabilitation when they bond as a troop in larger enclosures. Eventually, they will be released as a social troop in a safe, natural setting.