How to Help

‘We need to be the change we want to see in the world’ – Mahatma Ghandi There is no denying that the work of non-profit or non-governmental organisations (NGO’s) and their partnership with the private sector both in South Africa and internationally is crucial in assisting the South African government to redress critical social issues and deal with the immediate crisis effects of unemployment, poverty and HIV/AIDS. Our company commitment is to work closely with various aid organisations to devise opportunities for local and international corporates to invest both financial and human resources toward humanitarian support in South Africa. We encourage donor companies to take a holistic approach to their support by way of both funding a particular project financially and allowing a team of their staff members to actually travel to South Africa to execute the change and visibly make a difference. The following opportunities are examples of the type of work that volunteers can get involved in by way of financial and physical support. Whilst we recognise that you may value certain things in life over others, most of our projects involve meeting the basic needs of people and assisting them to become fully-functional and fulfilled members of society. There are therefore, no projects that are more important than others and all projects will make a significant difference to their beneficiaries no matter how insignificant or unimportant that they may seem to you.

Please remember that new opportunities arise almost on a monthly basis and may not necessarily appear here. In addition, we are able to assist you to tailor-make a volunteer programme according to both your budget and staff availability. It is also important to remember that our programmes are specifically designed taking into account the variable age groups and abilities of the general population. Where necessary, technical support is provided as part of the package so no prior experience or special skills are required - only passion, fun and the dedication to make a change!

Read more about the South African Challenge and why the programmes outlined below are so important

Build a house

The orphan crisis in South Africa (read the South African Challenge) caused by the HIV/AIDs pandemic has resulted in a desperate need to provide literally thousands of children and their caregivers with secure, safe and clean shelter based in the community that they have always lived in. We have teamed up with Habitat for Humanity in KwaZulu-Natal (the region hardest hit by HIV/AIDS) to assist them with the logistical arrangements of running short-term volunteer programmes in this area.

Since its foundation in 1976, HFH has built more than 200,000 houses in over 100 countries around the globe. Its aim is to eliminate poverty housing and homelessness worldwide, by working with volunteers and homeowners from all backgrounds, races and religions. HFH has enabled more than 1 million people in over 3,000 communities to build themselves a simple, decent home. Habitat for Humanity South Africa (HFHSA) is a South African Section 21 NGO, providing a sustainable approach to the housing needs of the poor in South Africa. It was founded in 1987. Habitat South Africa has now built over 1000 houses in 16 different communities.

Building a home for a child is a unique experience that opens your eyes to the plight of those who do not have the basics, that most of us take for granted - a decent home, clean water and electricity. It is both a physical and emotional experience, and volunteers often come away from their experience with a greater understanding of poverty housing and the affect it has on family life. Most of all, they begin to have a greater understanding of themselves and their value system, than they did beforehand.

Essential tasks that you could be involved with include digging foundations, mixing concrete, moving and laying blocks for walls, roofing, plastering and painting. No previous experience is necessary. Partaking in the building of a home for another person remains singularly the most satisfying and valuable way of contributing toward this programme.

Your group will be asked to raise the funds necessary to purchase the raw materials of the home that you are building as well as either personally or through the company you work for, take care of your personal travelling expenses. You will find that not only are the costs incurred relatively small in comparison to the pure leisure vacation that you may have planned elsewhere in the world, but that the non-tangible personal benefits are far greater too.

Click here to contact us for more information on the programme and associated costs.



Build or renovate a school

Whilst huge strides have been made in terms of turning around the education system in South Africa, the capacity of many regions in the country to meet the needs of the poor is not always satisfactory. Many children still learn under unsuitable and unsafe conditions and often need to overcome massive logistical hurdles just to get to school. Schools and child-care facilities are confronted with enormous challenges of not only limited infrastructure but social issues as well.

Schools, particularly in rural areas, are not equipped to deal with the numbers of children in attendance. In addition they are largely under-equipped in terms of basic teaching resources that are required to provide for the holistic mental and physical development of children. It is not uncommon to find crèches that house up to 50 children of varying ages in a single room, without toilet facilities or a dedicated dining area nor with the facilities for them to engage in physical activities of any sort.

Teachers are challenged, not only by the lack of resources, but also by the social issues that arise as a result of unemployment and poverty. Some parents cannot pay school fees, an important source of income for most schools, and are also hard pressed to provide more than one meal a day for their child. Children frequently attend school on an empty stomach, resulting in poor levels of both energy and concentration during the time when these are critical for mental stimulation and learning.

A number of opportunities relating to school support exist for volunteers. You may be involved in starting or continuing with the construction of an entire crèche or painting or building bathroom and kitchen facilities for an existing school. Or you may participate in the clearing and fencing off of land and creating a safe playground area for the children to use. There is a huge opportunity in this particular programme for pre-planned or post-programme efforts to provide for school lunches and teaching equipment as well, which we would be happy to assist with.

Click here to contact us for more information on the programme and associated costs.

Start a community garden

Malnutrition and hunger as results of poverty and unemployment are rife in South Africa. The immune systems of both adults and children with poor nutrition are significantly weakened making them more susceptible to injury and infections and less capable of resisting diseases such as HIV/AIDS. Illnesses that are not commonly life-threatening in more affluent sectors of the population are increasingly becoming causes of death in more marginalised communities. Poor nutrition also challenges the ability of a person to break the cycle of poverty and unemployment as their mental and physical capacity is compromised.

Through community garden initiatives, NGO’s in South Africa are attempting to give families access to fresh and healthy food and equip individuals with skills that may assist them in seeking employment. The establishment of vegetable gardens in impoverished communities is on-going work and volunteers would be involved in clearing the site, removing bushes, weeds and stones and levelling the area. The erection of strong fencing is critical to prevent crops from being damaged by free-ranging livestock such as cows, goats and sheep. Volunteers would also be involved in soil enrichment with compost and fertilisers and the planting of a basic start-up crop.

Click here to contact us for more information on the programme and associated costs.

Decorating of orphanages/community-care facilities

The financial and human resources of charity or non-profit organisations are constantly under pressure to provide for the basic needs of recipient individuals or communities with little left over to take care of relatively less essential requirements. Orphanages and community-care centres are prime examples of facilities that provide excellent services for the people in their care in restrictive conditions. A number of opportunities exist for volunteers to assist with basic decorating and refurbishment of infrastructure that would enhance the quality of life of the residents and care-givers alike. This could be combined with our ‘care for the carers’ campaign which aims to better the work environments of aid workers and assist in motivating and rejuvenating them through the transformation of their work environments. These are the people that are at the coalface of change and work in difficult and emotionally challenging conditions.