Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with Imire in Zimbabwe?
Storm: I decided to volunteer abroad with Imire because I was originally born in Zimbabwe and spent a lot of time at Imire when I was younger. Now that I am in University doing an animal science degree I thought going back to Imire was a great opportunity to broaden my knowledge and skills in conservation and ecology. I knew that Imire has a great black Rhino conservation project and I wanted to take part in that programme.
Describe your day to day activities as a volunteer.
Storm: The day to day activates were always different, sometimes they could change last minute, whether we had to put out a fire or go do game counts to help with the Anti-poaching patrols. Most of the days were spent out in the bush close to the animals especially with the elephants and rhinos. We would take part in deliveries of feed and hay to the different areas of the ranch on a Monday, game counts, horse riding, feeding the lions, hyenas and the crocodile, walking with the elephants, white and black rhinos, snear sweeps and generally work around the ranch like fixing fences or putting up bomas.
We would wake up at 6am have a coffee and be out the door to work with the animals, then come back for breakfast at 9am have an hour to rest and then head out again to do different things until the afternoon where we would get lunch and another hour to lounge around in the sun. After that we would head out again and be back around 5pm where we would come back for tea and depending on how everyone felt we would sometimes go out and climb castle kojpe (a small rock formation) and watch the sun set. Weekends we were free to do anything we wanted whether it was spending time with the animals and their handlers or spending time in the sun around the pool and once a week we would go camping out under the stars in the bush.
Many a nights where spent around the fire talking and the weekends mainly consisted of parties with friends. The accommodation was beautiful and set in a scenic environment right next to a dam and was always clean, we had three meals a day cooked for us, our washing done and our beds made.
While I was there Imire were able to facilitate a trip to Victoria Falls where many of the other volunteers and myself take part in the adrenaline sports such as white water rafting and gorge swing, we also spend sometime in the Eastern Highlands areas of Zimbabwe in Imire’s cottage house in Nyanga where there are stunning mountainous views, numerous waterfalls where we could swim in the Gairezi river of the Nyanga National Park.
What made this experience unique and special?
Storm: The volunteer experience was unique because you are able to get so close to the real wildlife of Africa, the people you meet are kind and generous and the project itself in so close and intimate being run by the whole Travers family who own Imire. You get to know everyone from the Travers family to the handlers and farm hands as well as getting to know all the animals who each have their own personality. You will form close relationships with all the other volunteers and get to know each other really well. I miss Imire so much and it was heart breaking to leave but I would most definitely be going back next year!
How has this experience impacted your future?
Storm: This experience will impact everyone that takes part, you will feel so close to Imire and leave feeling a different person. For me, this impacted greatly on my academic career, I will able to decide on what I would like to go into once I have finished University and what I want as a career path. It is also the basis for my final year dissertation project on conservation in Sub-Saharan Africa. Personally it made me feel closer to my home. It was an overall magical experience that I will cherish forever.