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SAVE Volunteering

SAVE Volunteering

9.45 Rating
110 reviews
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Community Photos

The teachers at morning school are wonderful women with great hearts
morning class, the kids have a great spirit
My morning class
Dinner together every day with the volunteers!
Afternoon project: Skatebording
Abseiling the Table Mountain
These were the kids at the pre school I was going to: Zusahke
At Zusahke
Kids of Zusahke; Pre school
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playing soccer on the beach
play time in school
A group picture with the children, some of the volunteers and the teachers

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About

SAVE Foundation is a registered non-profit organization (NPO) that assists communities in Africa. We are NOT a booking agent, all of our community projects are run and funded by our local NPO/ Foundations on the ground. Our work involves setting up and facilitating sustainable community and conservation development projects in South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and Malawi as well as assisting non-profit organizations that are actively involved in the local communities. We now also offer several wildlife conservation projects including pre-vet, white shark and wild cats.

The fees we charge for programs only covers unavoidable costs including accommodation, transport, and a donation to SAVE to help finance the projects.

In exchange the volunteer contributes to community development, experiences African culture and makes new friends.
Every little bit helps volunteer for 2 weeks up to 2 years!

Website
www.volunteering.org.za
Founded
2006

Reviews

Default avatar
Cristina
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
SAVE Volunteering Humanitarian Projects
Apr 15, 2020

Two years ago I went in Cape Town and I did the volunteer with Save Foundation. There are to many word to describe my experience with them, but no many to describe what I felt. If I can describe it in two words I will use beauty and love.
You will fall in love with Cape Town as town, with all the beautiful place to visit and to know their history. You will see an other face of Cape Town, because if you go in the middle of the town, you will see skyscrapers, hotels. But if you go to the suburb with Save Foundation, you will fall in love with this town. The suburb has a name and it is Dunuun, it is not a save place, but the kids and the teachers that you will meet, they are gorgeous and the kids shine when they see you.

You will update your vocabulary to describe all the moment with them, they are amazing, they are like a volcano of happinesses, they always smile, they want a lot of hug, they are amazing. When you spend the time with them, you forget about your personal problems, in the moment they are your target.

You will find a family in Save Foundation, because you will live for a short moment of your life with other volunteers from all the country of the world. You will make new friendships and when the experience will end, you will stay in contact for a long a time.

I really suggest you, to do this experience with them.

Default avatar
Emily
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
SAVE Volunteering Humanitarian Projects
Apr 13, 2020

SAVE is an amazing company that really cares about their volunteers and the communities they help. I spent two weeks volunteering in Dunoon with SAVE and from the daily family dinners, car rides to placements and the placements themselves, it’s difficult to choose a favourite experience!
The other volunteers you meet will only enhance the experience, and I am still in contact with most today!
If you are looking to volunteer in South Africa, I highly recommend SAVE as you know you’ll be safe, enjoy your time and contribute meaningfully to the project.

Default avatar
Weenie
23
Australia
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
SAVE Volunteering Humanitarian Projects
Apr 9, 2020

I cannot describe the impact my experience at SAVE has had on my life. I was absolutely captivated by the school I worked at as well as by the SAVE staff and Cape Town as a whole. Ive lived in South Africa before but never in Cape Town and volunteering for SAVE was a truly special way to see the city and make an impact.

I highly recommend this program to anyone that’s ready to meaningfully contribute to a community in a new place and also see one of the most beautiful cities on the planet! It really is something that will change the way you see things- please please do it!!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice would be to embrace everything that’s thrown at you and to prepare for the best stay of your life!
Default avatar
Ylva
24
Netherlands
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
SAVE Volunteering Humanitarian Projects
Apr 6, 2020

The Surf and Adventure program consists of spending mornings at a township, spending the most amazing time helping the teachers run their little schools, helping shape the kids education and making bonds with the wonderful teachers. The afternoons are full of fun, doing sport activities (surfing, skating, swimming etc.) with teens from the same neighbourhood/township where you spend your mornings.

Having experience as a teacher or being good at surfing etc. is not a requirement (trust me, after three months on a surfing board I still could not do it), the only thing you need is a positive attitude and motivation to make something of your day, because you are there for the kids!

The organisation SAVE has staff that love their work and it shows, they put a lot of effort to shape the program (when the kids have holiday weeks they arranged for us to take them into capetown and see museums for example!) and are also there for you on a personal level (when missing family or feeling sick).

I would recommed SAVE because they offer a very rewarding program and I would go back any day if i could.

PS. on a more personal note, the way you spend a lot of the activities together with other volunteers and live together, you make the most amazing friendships that last a long time after everybody is back home!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Be prepared! Look up on facebook what are good educational games and activities for little kids with limited supplies, it feels good to propose something and it being received well!
And spend your weekends exploring the beautiful surroundings. South Africa has a lot to offer ( I know you might be tired but you will regret it if you go to the beach instead of climb table mountain :) )

The number one comment people made was 'I wish I would have booked more weeks...'
My morning class
morning class, the kids have a great spirit
The teachers at morning school are wonderful women with great hearts
Default avatar
Jolijn
23
Netherlands
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program
Program:
SAVE Volunteering Humanitarian Projects
Apr 5, 2020

Just two months ago I was a volunteer for SAVE and I had the best time of my life!

In the mornings we were helping the teachers at the pre schools, and in the afternoon we were playing sports with kids from a primary school. It is amazing to see the smile on the faces of these kids when you are playing with them. It really brightens my day!

What is so special about SAVE is that the staff and the volunteers are so passionate about the work they do. With the work they do, they can make small but also big changes in the lives of these kids. And how special is it, that with even little actions, you already can make a big difference in the lifes of these kids. All i want to say is Thank you to SAVE, for giving me an amazing time in Africa ❤️

To everyone who wants a life changing experience and wants to do something good for others, SAVE is the place for you!😊

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
So, I only could stay at this project for 3 weeks, so if i could do this all over again, I would stay much longer! I had such an amazing time and i feel like you can mean so much more for the kids when you stay longer. I also can't wait to return to South-Africa and to SAVE to experience it all over again!
These were the kids at the pre school I was going to: Zusahke
Abseiling the Table Mountain
Afternoon project: Skatebording
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Programs

Displaying 1 - 3 of 3

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Martine Haugen

Program
SAVE Volunteering Humanitarian Projects
Martine Haugen is from Oslo, Norway and studies law at the University of Oslo. She works at a youth center run by The Norwegian Red Cross every Tuesday, and loves every part of it. She enjoys traveling, partying, and watching her favorite soccer team, Manchester United!
Swimming lessons in the pool by our house!

Why did you decide to volunteer abroad with SAVE in South Africa?

I was getting quite tired of studying law at home in Norway, and wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue.

I decided to take a break from my studies and do something I had wanted to do for a long time--travel!

I’m working at a youth center run by the Norwegian Red Cross in Oslo, and I wanted to bring my experiences from that into a completely different place. And SAVE was perfect.

What made this volunteer abroad experience unique and special?

Everything! It’s not an underestimation when I say that I had the time of my life! I made friends from all over the world, and the friendship we developed was something really special.

We worked together, ate together, partied together, spent our free time together, we really did everything together! And of course, seeing the kids react so thankfully for the work we do.

It is a wakeup call for all of us coming from rich countries where people are taking all the material goods for granted!

Tell me about one person you met. [It could be a local, a fellow program participant or a member of the SAVE staff]

It’s pretty hard to choose one from all of the amazing people I met. My best friends down there – Mike, Frederik, Marc, Sofie and Kristina – made my stay ten times better than I ever expected, and I’m so happy that I have kept in contact with them.

But I think the one that made the greatest impression on me was Nikki. She runs the project in Skandaalkamp. Even though I wasn't in her group, she made me realize what a true hero she is.

She was always concerned about getting enough food for her babies in Skandaal, but she always found a way to figure it out! She made t-shirts with the handprints of the kids and sold them to the volunteers.

She also made bracelets and did everything she could think of. She is a person that thinks more about the kids than herself, and thanks to her, the kids in skandaalkamp can get food and education!

What was the best moment of the entire trip?

This is not an easy question either, haha! My entire trip was awesome, and it’s difficult to pick one moment. But one day we had swimming lessons with the kids where we were trying to teach them how to float.

One of the girls was holding onto me really hard, begging me not to let go of her. I asked her to relax, and said I would be right there. I held her back under the water while she laid flat, and after a while, I removed my hands from her.

She was floating on her own, and I have never ever seen a smile that big! She was hugging me, saying thank you, and wanted to float around in the pool all day!

The christmas party afterwards at Elundini was also perfect! All of the kids got a gift, and they were running around with big smiles the whole day!

How has this experience impacted your future? (Personally, professionally, etc)

Well… I decided to continue with my law studies when I got back to Oslo. But, I was more motivated than before I left.

Now I’m sure that I want to use my law degree to work for human rights and children’s welfare! Personally, the trip made me a lot stronger.

Traveling alone to a completely unfamiliar country was a good experience.

Even though I was terrified when I left Oslo, I came home with hundreds of impressions, and felt like I could never ever complain about my life in Oslo again.

I still think about all the kids I got to know in Cape Town, and I miss them more and more.

Before I left to South Africa, all the poverty was just something I had seen on television. Now, I relate the poverty to faces. The faces of the kids that I was so lucky to work with every day…

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Shannon

Program
SAVE Volunteering Wildlife Projects
Job Title
Cape Town Supervisor
Shannon is a local South African with a passion for people. Not only does she love spending time at the projects whenever she gets the chance, but she also enjoys meeting new people from around the world and facilitating their volunteering.

What is your favorite travel memory?

My favourite travel memory would be a toss-up between seeing Piccadilly Circus and arriving in London.

After my flight from Cape Town, I had to catch an overland train into the city. We were running late for the train and made it just as the doors were closing. Once I was on board, I turned to see my friend still on the platform and the train pulling away. She had both our tickets and neither of us had working phones. Needless to say, it was a very stressful half-hour waiting on the next platform to see if she had boarded the next train with my ticket. I can laugh about it now, and I'm very proud of dealing with that situation as a 19-year-old first-time traveler.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

Working for SAVE has definitely improved my self-confidence. It's taught me to be comfortable speaking to large groups of people and a lot about different cultures and languages. I love that I can now work with people from all over the world and know how their culture will affect their work and adaptation to South African life.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

I don't really have a best story, but I do have favourite moments. Many of these include making life long friendships that are still as strong even from halfway across the world. Even better are the memories of those friends coming back to the work and family they have here in South Africa some of them as many as 4 or 5 times returning.

If you could go on any program that your company offers, which one would you choose and why?

If I could go to any of the programs we offer, it would probably be one of the programs outside of South Africa.

I have always wanted to see more of this beautiful continent and meet more of the amazing people that dedicate their lives to uplifting and improving their communities. I know how blessed we are here in SA, and I also know African's are so resourceful, I would love to see how their cultures and communities work without the resources most of us in South Africa take for granted.

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

I think the proudest I have ever been of our team has been in a time of dire crisis. Sadly, our company (staff and volunteers) were exposed to the ugliness of drinking and driving - a huge problem in this country - but the way our team pulled together and took care of each other, the victims and volunteers were incredible. A true testimony to what a family we really are.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

I think being a successful company is all about communication, observation, and teamwork. Communication, to me, is not only conveying information but HOW you convey information and listen to information conveyed to you.

Communication goes hand in hand with observation - observing the way people deal with and react to situations is vital to knowing your team and navigating roles and responsibilities.

Lastly, teamwork - teamwork is obviously working together, but also helping each other, stepping out of your role and filling in a gap.