ISV - Volunteer Projects in South Africa

A big thank you to ISV for giving me the opportunity of a life time. From two weeks of volunteer work, camping in Swaziland, immersing myself in the African bush, to an action packed, fun and fulfilling tour around South Africa, i cannot fault the program.
Making life long friends from around the world, Bungy jumping in Storms River and learning the local language Siswati, were definite stand outs of my trip however 4 weeks with the program and i would not change a thing.
I highly recommend this program and if you do decide to become a volunteer and travel with ISV i highly recommend the 2weeks volunteer work and 2 weeks tour including the optional activity package :)

Critical Feedback:

ISV's motto is 'Impact you world' and they offer students the chance to make difference in developing countries. The truth is though, if one participates in any of the ISV programs then chances are the culture that you immerse yourself in will have a greater impact on your personality than you could ever imagine. I participated in their 2013 summer season on a 4 week program in South Africa focussing on projects based on community development and it was genuinely a life changing experience.
A group of 14 volunteers worked in the township of Dunoon, approximately half an hour out of Cape Town, where our goal was to build a shade roof outside the community centre. The community centre runs a creche for the young children as well as a communal gathering area and so the shade cloth was to give them a place to shelter whenever the sun if it got too hot.
Priscilla, a local woman took it upon herself to run her own creche about 10 minutes away from the town centre and here we worked putting up a new fence to keep the kids safe instead of the patchwork of rotting wood palings, torn tarpaulin that was being held together by a countless amount of bent, rusty nails. The work was gruelling at times but we encouraged each other to keep at it and whenever you put the tools down there would always be kids that would throw themselves at you to be carried, take photos with or just to kick a ball around. By the end of our 2 weeks we had achieved all we set out to do and had a little party with the kids. Seeing their joy and knowing this was the last time you'd rub thumbs and say 'sharp! Sharp!' was bittersweet to appreciate the simple joys of life was one of the greatest lessons that the people of Dunoon could have taught me.
The next 2 weeks consisted of a tour of South Africa which saw us travel from Port Elizabeth, Cape Town and finishing in Kruger national Park. It was a whirlwind tour that saw friendships develop whilst doing a variety of activities such as kloofing (canyoning), abseiling, learning how to surf in Jeffrey's Bay and encouraging others to face their fear of heights at Bloukrans Bridge Bungy; the world's Highest bridge bungy.
Now to truly make this a South African tour we were taken on safari drives one in the evening and a full day drive in Kruger National park where we saw zebras, lions, rhinos and elephants however the leopard stayed true to its character and remained elusive as ever, which really isn't a bad thing as it gives me more incentive to go back to such a wonderfully diverse country.
From the leaders they have on project and tour to the way they shape the program what ISV ultimately does is reward students who participate with irreplaceable memories and new friendships and return home with a greater perspective on life and their impact on their world.

For more information check out the website http://www.isvolunteers.org/

Critical Feedback:

Maybe the food selection? I was happy with it but your asking me to find some thing to critique when really I loved every single part of it.

For the first two weeks of my trip, I volunteered in the remote north-eastern corner of South Africa where we gathered data to determine how well the nature reserve was coping with the number of its animal inhabitants. We enjoyed the sights and sounds of the wildlife, the unique beauty of the landscape, hospitality of the local people and explored the landscape surrounding us.
The highlights include the unparalleled natural beauty from the top of mountainous landmarks and, of course, the company of your volunteering peers.
The following two weeks were comprised of adventures that took us all over this beautiful country in high excitement and safety. From Kruger to Cape Town and everywhere in between. Highlights included kloofing, bungee-jumping, shark diving, surfing and many more.

Critical Feedback:

There isn't really much about this trip I wouldn't change, but I would definitely recommend signing up for this trip with a like-minded friend, or someone who can challenge you and make it a trip to remember.

I traveled with ISV to South Africa during July/August 2012. The volunteer portion of my trip was absolutely outstanding. I think back on my volunteer work everyday, realizing how much it had an impact on me. Everyday was different and brought on a variety of obstacles.

My volunteer project was based in a township called Langa. There, we worked with children in preschools as well as in an after school program called Happy Feet. It was very challenging but incredibly rewarding; there was a massive language barrier with the kids but they were so grateful to have us there. Happy Feet really inspired me to change courses. I immediately applied to the education faculty at school and cannot wait to become a teacher. My ISV volunteer project gave me some essential experience for my education.

Happy Feet was a community development project, but ISV offers other types of volunteer projects as well. Other groups did building/planting projects, some were placed in game reserves working hands-on with animals, doing tracking work or maintaining the game reserve itself. It all depends on what you want to do.

ISV also offers adventure travel - all in all I visited five countries in five weeks. We did game drives, cliff jumping and abseiling in South Africa. We swam with dolphins and whale sharks in the Indian Ocean. We did a horse back ride along the beaches of Mozambique. We did mountain biking through the hills of Swaziland. We sat on the edge of Victoria Falls in Zambia. We saw hundreds of elephants and camped under the stars in Botswana. Sound incredible? I can tell you with 100% honesty that this trip was above and beyond expectations.

ISV will not let you down. The entire trip was an experience of a life time, I would do it over and over and over again if I could. I cannot wait to visit South Africa again!

In January 2012 I travelled with International Student Volunteer to South Africa to be involved in a 2 week conservation volunteer project followed by a 2 week adventure tour around South Africa. I've always been very passionate about animals and working with them (as I am a vet student) and ISV the perfect opportunity for this. For our project we were working and living in Lapalala Game Reserve, an environment fill with wild exotic animals such as zebra, wilder beast, giraffes, rhino, leopards and impala just to name a few. Our mission was to carry out field work in the reserve, which the reserve's scientists could then use to assess whether elephants and lions could be re-introduced into the area. Working amongst these animals and seeing them wild in their natural environment was truly amazing and an experience I will never forget. Knowing that wild rhinos walked around the camp at night and coming out of your cabin in the morning to see a family of warthogs at your door was surreal. We also had the experience to meet the critically endangered black rhinos that were to be released in the park, it was spectacular. This volunteer work left me with such a feeling of pride and accomplishment and further sparked my passion for wildlife. ISV projects were amazing as I could have confidence that the volunteer projects were sustainable and of great importance to South Africa. Not only did the experience benefit South Africa's conservation programs but also changed my life and perspective of the world. I loved this project so much that I didn't want to leave!! Then however we were off on our 2 week adventure tour of South Africa!!!! This was another truly unforgettable experience and we were lucky enough to do activities such as kloofing in the middle of the largest green canyon in the world, a night drive in Kruger National Park where we came face to face with wild lions, tree-top canopy tours in famous yellow-wood forests and dolphin and fur-seal watching. My favourite day however was when we got to abseil of Table Mountain in Cape Town!!! Crazy experience. I met the most amazing people on my trip who I will keep as lifetime friends. This was the most amazing experience of my life and it has truly changed me forever.

What an amazing experience!! ISV took me to 5 different countries in Africa which gave me a real perspective on Africa and it was amazing, beautiful, wonderful and exotic! Our two week volunteer trip was at a reserve called Lapalala where we took surveys on vegetation, mammals and birds. It was so interesting to get to know the environment of Africa because it is so different from North America. The animals there are out of this world! They fulfill every child's dream of being in the Lion King. ISV had great leaders who taught us so much about the different places in Africa and its cultures. Every Safari we took we learned something new and became familiar with all the animals. We also got to also go to Victoria falls which is a wow moment it its self. I would defiantly do this trip over again and again!

Nothing will be ever agin top this experience. From talking to community members, to playing with kids, to having them sing and dance for us, to hugging them and genuinely helping these communities in indescribable. There is nothing more beautiful and rewarding than seeing the smiles of these kids faces. It is something I think about every day and will never forget! The adventure tour after the volunteer work...wow! accomplished thinks I never eaven dreamt of doing - playing with lion cubs, abseiling down table mountain, smimming beneath waterfalls, doing the highest bridge bungee in the world, ziplining through rainforest canopys, amazing hiking, safari rides, cliff jumping...the list goes on and on and on...words cannot describe it!!!

ISV is a great way to combine tourism and volunteering in a compacted, busy and meaningful way. I saw parts of South Africa and Swaziland I would never have though of seeing with ISV and really enjoyed my experience. ISV encourages active participation in sustainable tourism and contributing to a community. I would encourage everyone and anyone to take the opportunity to experience this gorgeous country with the local ISV leaders and have a meaningful and fulfilling holiday!

Food: deliscious, lots of different kinds of meat

Safety: couldn't have been safer if I was wrapped in a bubble, the people around you [both from the program and not] educate you on what you should know about the country and stay with you all the time

People: they are some of my greatest friendships now : )

Travel: no thoughts, as in I never had to think about it; all travel arrangements from our everyday volunteering to our weekend activities were made for us.

Volunteering: I miss the kids, they were the sweetest, most adorable children who just wanted to have fun and be held. I got a work out for sure, chasing them and picking them up [sometimes 2 at a time]. I still stay in contact over there. I want to go back and see them because emails are not the same. Their backgrounds and current lives are not usually pleasant and brought tears to many of our eyes, but every day that we saw them, they had the biggest smiles on their faces.

Adventure Tour: So many beautiful sites from so many angles. We did more than anyone I know will probably ever do. It was great to not have to worry about if something or someplace was safe because it was checked into already and our leader knew the people personally. We were on the ride of our lives and the track was already set, inspected, and tested. My highlight was definitely swimming WITH a whale shark.

My experience with ISV is something that I will never forget. I worked for 2 weeks with cheetahs, wild dogs, vultures and other various animals that I could only imagine being near in my dreams. Between feeding and working with the cheetahs, I had once in a lifetime experiences on a daily basis! I learned so much about the different animals and culture in the area that it gave me a whole new appreciation for the wildlife and how people are affecting the environment, good and bad. I also helped clear the roads in the centre to make it easier to get around the grounds. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard while doing physical labor in my life! It was such a blast and each moment has a special place in my heart.
After work was always a blast as well no matter how tired I was. Whether we went to play with some lions or go on ziplines, it was never dull! I had an amazing group of people as well that all share a passion for helping the world and was able to relate and connect! I am now fortunate enough to call them some of my best friends and my family. Before I left I was nervous that I would be spending every moment with strangers but after we all spent time in the airport going to South Africa, I couldn't imagine my life without them and still talk to them constantly.
For the third and fourth weeks of my trip, we travelled around South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique. It was fast paced and absolutely fabulous to see so much! Honestly, who can say that they went on a horseback riding safari and caving in Swaziland, snorkeled with whale sharks while watching humpback whales breach and pods of dolphins swimming around our boats, surf in the Indian Ocean, ride horses on along the beach, ride quads to remote areas and interact with a beautiful culture all in Mozambique and then go through Kruger National Park and watch a lion take down a warthog along with many other fabulous animals! And there was so much more! We went kloofing and bonded around fires while the wild animals surrounded us. All packed into two weeks it was insane but the best time in the world!
ISV took care of everything and it was so planned out, I felt I was in the best hands possible. They honestly were there around the clock providing us with the best food and best accommodations. The thing that really impressed me was that ISV received one bad review on an accommodation and refused to use them again. They always makes sure that everyone is taken care of and happy. While on the trip, I lost someone very close to me at home. I had a lot of pain but my ISV family was there to keep me cheerful and support me in any way. ISV also made sure everything was ok and they put me in contact with home to make sure everything was alright.
I have had such an amazing experience traveling with ISV that I really can't imagine going anywhere without them. Everything was made so easily and they were always there when there were questions or concerns. Their organization is the best that is offered and provides life changing opportunities. I have gained so much new insight to the world and to see the true beauty that it has to offer and it is all thanks to ISV.

Volunteering with ISV in Africa was a life changing experience. After I graduated from high school, I took a year off to work and save money. I saved relentlessly despite not knowing what I was saving for. Then one day I came across a flyer on a bulletin board at the University of Victoria and immediately knew what all my hard work was going to go towards. I applied right away and was the second person that year to be accepted. After a year of working and a year of waiting to leave, I finally departed for my adventure on August 4th, 2011. Now, two months later, I still think about Africa and the people I met there every single day. I volunteered at the De Wildt cheetah reserve in South Africa with some of the most amazing and diverse people I have ever met. We spent our first two weeks feeding cheetahs and wild dogs, cleaning their dishes, and removing invasive plant species that threatened the native ecosystems there. Before I went to Africa, I didn't care much for cheetahs and was honestly more excited to see a lion or leopard; however, all of that changed the minute I was licked by a large, purring cheetah. I went cliff jumping, caving, saw lions in the wild, swam in one of the seven natural wonders of the world (Victoria Falls), and still that moment, that cheetah kiss remains the highlight. On the last day of my trip, while in Zambia, I went microlighting, which is sort of like a chair with wings, and while I soared above Victoria Falls, soaking up all the beauty of Africa, my pilot said something that meant more than any of the other famous quotes about Africa that I've heard (and trust me, there are many of them). He said, "When you go to Africa, it breaks your heart, so you have to go back to pick up the pieces." De Wildt and Scarlett the cheetah both have pieces of my heart, as do Victoria Falls in Zambia, Chobe National Park in Botswana, a small island off of Mozambique that we kayaked to, and every single amazing person we met along the way. And one day, I will revisit them all to pick up the pieces. I think this is a trip everyone needs to take at some point in their lives and find out what will steal and break their heart while there.

Day to day was the same yet so different. It was june so it was winter over in South Africa. The children had a 3 week holiday. We ran a holiday camp in the morning for them from 8-2. We did things like arts and crafts and playing games. We also had some local athletes come and teach soccer and rugby camps. We really got raw interaction with these kids and developed close relationships with them. The non-profit organizer is names Toni and she was amazing. She told us the stories of the kids and made us cry and laugh and really dug into our emotions and for me personally how I see a lot of things now. In the afternoons we usually did some sort of manual labor like painting or digging out trenches or planting a garden. We also helped build a primary school on a settlement (township) and while there we got to interact with those children too. The highlights of my trips was definitely the kids, so happy and worry free, yet with so much darkness in their lives. The difficulty that I encountered was leaving. I couldn't bear the fact that I was helping these children, these beautiful children and then I had to leave.

My volunteering experience in South Africa has been the most rewarding and enjoyable experience I have ever had. For the first two weeks, I lived in the Eastern Cape of South Africa in a town called Chintsa and we were helping with the construction of a classroom in a nearby township.
I was in a group of ten and we lived in a house provided by the host organisation Volunteer Africa 32degrees South. Almost every day we went to the school, interacted with the children and helped build an additional classroom. I really felt like I was making a difference to the township and especially the education.
Both the VA32 and ISV were available to support you at ANY point from the lead up to the trip, whilst you were there and even after the trip.
The second two weeks were spent travelling across South Africa, Swaziland and Mozambique completely immersing ourselves in the local culture and participating in so many activities. ISV certainly aims to push you out of your comfort zone, but it is so rewarding and fun and you get to meet some absolutely amazing people along the way.
Before I went on the trip, I did think the costs were a little high, but having been there and seeing where the money was going, I think I actually got a great deal! From swimming with a whale shark to kloofing down a canyon, from caving to riding an elephant and seeing the big 5 or even just interacting with the kids in the township, I certainly gained a lot from my trip and I plan on going back again. I would also recommend this trip to EVERYONE.

Volunteering through ISV has changed my life completely. After arriving in Johannesburg, doing conservation work in the Lapalala wilderness reserve, and trekking through Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, and briefly to Zimbabwe, I realized that the world we live in such a beautiful, unique, friendly, and amazing place.

During our time volunteering we went on game drives and counted populations of zebra, impala, kudu, wildebeast, giraffe, hippo, and more. We watched the sunrise while doing 6 am bird counts. We hiked through african bush and were scratched from head to toe by the impenetrable thorn bushes. We were taught about the plight of wild rhino populations suffering from poachers, and we discovered that the stars in an unpolluted African night sky are unbelievably brilliant. The meals we shared were basic but hearty. The bungalows we stayed in became home. And the people we worked with became good friends.

On the adventure tour we swam with whale sharks, jumped off of cliffs, and sang songs around camp fires. In a beautiful open air craft market traded a tee shirt for a handmade bag. In Kruger National Park I was 5 feet away from a pride of Lions. In Mozambique we learned to surf on one of the most beautiful beaches I have ever seen. We ate delicious seafood, warthog, crocodile, ostrich, eland, and impala. In Botswana elephants trumpeted around our camp. In the cities we were stunned by the sadness of the children living in poverty. We haggled with fishermen, rode in a tuk tuk, and saw traditional african dances. The local people were incredibly friendly and welcoming. Nights at local backpackers made me feel more like family than a tourist. Listening to someone speak Afrikaans is a magical thing. I spent a month with new friends who shared every sleep, every meal, every hike, every early morning, and every late night with me. They are now friends for life.

ISV made international travel safe and fun. The tour leaders were very responsible, knowledgable, and exciting. I chose to go to South Africa because I had always been drawn there, and I knew the trip would change me, but I wasn't prepared for just how profound that impact would be. ISV has inspired me to plan future trips abroad, and to volunteer more. I feel like I have made a difference in this world. It was worth it in every way. A trip with ISV will change you. You will learn about a new place, meet new people, eat new food, try new things, and ultimately see this world with a new perspective. If you have the money do it. If you don't have the money; fundraise, hit up your parents, search through the couch cushions, sell your stuff and go!

I have recommended volunteering with ISV to everyone who will listen. The only thing I would have done differently would be to have cancelled my flight home. I discovered a wide open world and have the International Student Volunteers to thank. I will cherish the time I got to spend in South Africa and the lifelong friends I made while I was there. It was an epic adventure!

It was such an incredible experience! We were facilitating health/life skills education seminars for at-risk youth at a school in Hout Bay (just outside of Cape Town). During the day, we were at the school teaching and playing games with the kids! We had evenings and weekends free so we got to experience the many crazy experiences of Hout Bay and Cape Town! We went cage diving with great white sharks, rappelled down Table Mountain, and toured Robben Island! This is just a sample of the fun we had! The only difficulties I had were transportation costs which added up. ISV has a number of volunteer programs in South Africa, all of which are can't-miss opportunities! I would do it again in a heartbeat!