Program Reviews

I spent two weeks at Lion Encounter and it was incredible. The staff was wonderful, the guides LOVE their lions, I met the incredible people from all over the world and made new life long friends. I read a past review of someone who didn't feel safe as a woman traveling alone and I always felt very safe at Lion Encounter. I was always treated with respect and kindness. The accommodations are rustic but suitable, hot showers only last about 3 minutes, food was good, lots of down time to relax (a pool would be great!) I enjoyed some of the other great things in the area; a bungee jump, micro flight over the falls, and a traditional English Tea at the Royal Livingstone Hotel. I should have stayed longer though, at least 3 weeks. I hope that this program can continue to raise money and build larger enclosures for the lions that no longer go on walks. They have close to 50 lions at the project and many of these lions have to get out in to the wild or at least to larger areas where they can roam more freely. It takes time and I wish them nothing but the best to raise the funds they need. I'll be back!!

I joined this programme this year. To be able to get a chance to take care of the loins and to build the connection with the lions are just incredible. I also get a chance to help the local community, such as attend the book club to teach English to the primary students. Staff there are super helpful and friendly. And don't even need to mention that I got to see the spectacular Victoria Fall. This programme really worth the time and the money. You get more than you put in.

I never wanted to go to Africa. I am 59 years old with 6 children and 14 grandchildren. I always thought I could use my resources to help those in need closer to home, but my youngest daughter wanted to teach in an orphanage in Africa, so I was volunteered by my wife to go with her. I didn't realize until I got there that God was calling me to Africa. WOW!!! First of all, the African Impact staff are wonderful. We worked closely with Norman Moyo in the community project, helping and teaching in the Rose of Charity orphanage, cutting firewood at the old folks home in Chinotimba, pumping water by hand for the community gardens, teaching at the village schools. His love of the people and his commitment to helping them improve their lives was fantastic. He opened my eyes, not only to the great need, but also to the great benefits that can be provided by a volunteer like me, and how the standard of living for the people of the villages can be improved so dramatically by just a few people who really care and have the ability to channel resources to their aid. I will never forget holding the young boy Angle in my arms, and seeing his huge smile as the light of comprehension lit up his face as I taught him mathematics. Playing soccer with young teenagers like So Bright and Nigel, and wondering if a small donation from me could go toward buying soccer shoes for these young men.
I guess what I'm saying is that I found that the local people who are going out of their way to help their fellow countrymen was the greatest revelation to me. These are people I can trust, and if i choose to send donations to them after I leave Africa, I am confident they will use the resources to help the people with the greatest need.
One of my concerns before arriving was about our safety, but upon arrival I felt totally safe at all times. The drinking water in Vic Falls is safe due to a purification plant outside of town. While doing our volunteering we were always with knowledgeable staff who kept us safe, and even when we went into town on our own, the people in the city were happy and a delight to be around.
Learning about and participating in the Lion Encounter project and helping with the other research projects was just an added bonus, and I haven't even mentioned the other volunteers from all over the world. They were amazing - so passionate and dedicated. I was really impressed.
I am now dedicated to helping African Impact in any way I can. I am working to get donations, and I will be speaking at various organizations to encourage volunteerism with African Impact. As I said above, the experience has changed my life, and I will be connected to Africa for the rest of my life.

Let me first say to you, dear reader, that yes you should absolutely travel. Traveling opens your mind and informs your perspective in ways you would never expect. That's why I went to Moshi: to challenge myself, to immerse myself in a world unlike my own, and to learn, learn, learn about a place and a people that sparked my imagination. What I did not expect of my trip, however, and what I would like to express in my review, was the irrevocable bond I formed with this place, the inspired sense of community that my organization, African Impact, is cultivating there, and the beautiful beating heart of Moshi, its people.

I arrived in Tanzania around mid-March, the rainy season, just a year out of high school and gleefully nervous for what awaited me. There were only a few other volunteers at the house, and I was given responsibility and classes of my very own within the first week! (This initially frightened me, but I would soon realize how very lucky I was for it; I had an incredible amount of voice in the work that I was doing, which would make it all the more rewarding by month's end)

My day to day schedule went something like this. First thing in the morning, I'd head over to a Maasai literacy class (only after a delicious breakfast of Mendazi of course) where I instructed members of the indigenous Maasai tribe in basic Swahili phonics, reading and writing comprehension, and some useful English. These men were absolutely amazing, truly strove to learn, and will inspire me in the pursuit of my own education for the rest of my life. I taught that one myself with plenty, plenty, plenty of helpful support and guidance from my fellow volunteers and project manager. Around half past ten, I'd shoot over to nursery class, where around twenty five seven year olds were waiting for me with smiles and song every day. Here we worked on basic English vocabulary, accompanied by plenty of fun songs and learning games. I'd also see the children about the school outside of class, and I can't describe the feeling of having your name called out everywhere you go, the dances that you taught them performed right then and there, and the knowledge that even if only briefly, you occupy a space in their young minds as a respected teacher. As a student all my life, this was an especially enlightening bit of the my experience in Moshi.

Outside of those daily activities I spent plenty of time at the Wazee (an elderly community in Moshi) where we'd hear raucous and adventurous tales from the men and women who live there (and who were equally excited to hear our own stories as to tell theirs), the BCC, a center for children with disabilities, and various other project sites. Once you finished your preparatory work for the next week, weekends were yours. In my short time in Moshi, I was blessed to be able to go on a breathtaking and life altering Safari in the Serengeti, climb to the first base camp of Mount Kilimanjaro, and explore the vibrant city and gorgeous landscape of this wonderful place.

I cannot say enough about the imprint and progress African Impact has made with their work in this particular community. There are a lot of ways to do this kind of work wrong, that one can definitely feel when they enter a community such as Moshi, where people flock to help but may actually contribute to the problem more than aid in finding a sustainable solution. African Impact is in it for the long run, and has the devoted staff and hard earned experienced to do it right. I fully recommend this project to anyone interested in this kind of work and promise you that whoever you are, if you give yourself to Moshi, Moshi will give itself right back to you. There is nowhere a more beautiful gift.

It's been 7 months i'm back from Zimbabwe, looks like i still can't get over it.

Yes, people thought i was crazy to do this but when i look back i see myself extremely happy with no regrets of listening to others.
Initially i was a little nervous as i was not sure what and how it's going to be like, after i went there,.. I don't know how heaven looks or feels. But i would tell this was HEAVEN to me. Walking with the lions was a dream come true. Watching them stalk,hunt, their behavioral skills. not just lions i was lucky to work with those 4 elephants too. Shibi being my favorite. Staff extremely friendly. Food was delicious. And the people extremely friendly.

I just wish to get back as soon as possible.

If you want to get some great work experience, meet some awesome volunteers and see a beautiful city, then I'd definitely recommend the social media and marketing internship in Cape Town!

What does the internship involve?

During the first few days of the internship you'll spend some time reading about what African Impact does, who their competitors are, and what volunteers have to say about them - this is a great way to learn what African Impact is all about.

After the first few days you'll get involved in everything! You'll help to:
- Design social media posts and marketing materials in Photoshop (Don't worry if you know nothing about Photoshop, you'll become a pro in no time!)
- Research themes/events that you can post about on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
- Contact past/present volunteers and project managers to write blogs about some of the cool things they're up to
- Learn about Google analytics and SEO to promote the website and SM posts better
- Visit projects to see how our Cape Town volunteers help local communities

When you first get there Natalie (the marketing manager) will ask you what you want to get out of the internship and she'll really go the extra mile to make you feel like part of the team and get you involved in as many things as possible :)

Where will you be staying?

During your 3 months in Cape Town you'll be staying in the Volunteer House with volunteers from the childcare and veterinary projects. The house can get quite busy (with between 5 and 25 volunteers) but this makes it a lot of fun! During the week you can also get involved in the Tuesday pub quiz and the Thursday night social event, as well as watching movies and having BBQs! At the weekends the project managers are happy to organise lots of activities, like sky diving, safaris, shark cage diving, surfing, sand boarding, wine tasting...anything you want to get involved in! Cape Town really is an amazing place with beaches, mountains, shopping, restaurants etc so there's always loads to do :-)

Top tip!
- Check the weather in Cape Town before you go. It can get pretty windy there so bring some warm clothes!

This program is doing so much to help reduce and one day eliminate the decline of the African Lion. They are on the up and up with a friendly staff and an amazing mission. I wish them much success! Highly highly recommended program. Looking to go back soon!

This internship exceeded all of my expectations and having given up my job back in the UK after volunteering with African Impact for 3 weeks I could not be more happy or proud of my achievements during this internship.

On a day to day basis I managed physical and monetary donations, managed online campaigns, used social media to broadcast the amazing efforts of The Happy Africa Foundation and organised fundraising events in the volunteer house and in the local community involving the local residents of the surrounding town of St Lucia.

No day was ever the same and this meant I had so much fun during my 6 months in St Lucia and I met some amazing people along the way, some of which have become life long friends!

Going out on projects with volunteers was great as it allowed me to see exactly where the money needed to go within the communities and I was able to build relationships with community members.

Some of my proudest moments during my internship was raising enough money to complete Inkanyezi Crèche, a Focal project that I had grown very fond of having taught there as a volunteer. Over seeing a building project in my final week as the intern saw a family reunited in their home that had been badly damaged by the storms that hit rural KwaZulu-Natal. Raising the profile of the charity back home in the UK and in the local towns enabled me to gain so much more support especially from the local residents who learnt more about exactly what we do in the communities of 30,000 that surround St Lucia.

There were some tough days where having to deal with the reality of the HIV epidemic was hard to swallow but doing this internship has changed my life completely. I have a new found passion for charity work and especially The Happy Africa Foundation and African Impact, their dedication and drive to succeed and produce sustainable living for thousands of people all over Africa is second to none.

'Educate, Enrich, Empower'

I could not recommend this internship enough, if you have always thought of doing something like this then go for it, you will not regret it!!

Where do I start...the lion rehabilitation programme was amazing and I had the time of my life. I am now officially hooked and am looking forward to arragning my next trip. Being so close to these magnificent creatures is incredible, and you really have to pinch yourself every time. To watch them grow and develop their hunting skills is an honour. And on top of that the staff that work there are incredible - they are friendly, supportive and know their lion facts inside out. Of course the reason that you are there is because of the plight of these king of beasts, not just to stroke and walk them. You are constantly reminded of this and this can only be a good thing, because the more people that know how endangered the lion is, hopefully the more can be done. I dont know what else to say apart from if you want to get involved in a project of great importance, where you get up close to lions and walk in the african bush then go...dont hesitate! I am absolutely sure you will love it.

I loved my volunteering experience with African Impact, i only wish i had volunteered for longer than just 2 short weeks! It's left me wanting more and i'm already hoping to return.

If you are looking for a volunteer experience that is legitimate, sustainable and enjoyable all whilst making a truly valuable impact then look no further, African Impact is the largest on the ground facilitator of volunteer opportunities in Africa! So where you want to be and what you want to do is totally up to you, and trust me, you will be in safe hands!

So i chose to volunteer in sunny Cape Town with the teaching projects out there. I spent half my time supporting teaching at a pre-school in a local township and the other half with GAPA (Grandmothers Against Poverty & Aids) - a truly incredible project that supports grandmothers to provide after-school care, fun and food to children within the largest township community, Khayelitsha.

I learnt more than I could have imagined, not just about the culture and lifestyles of the communities, but also about the nature of volunteering itself. It's about offering support whilst remaining completely sustainable, less about the hand outs and more about enabling and empowering others. This means that your impact is truly lasting and unforgettable.
At Luntu you will meet some very special children who will fall in love with you as soon as you walk in through the front door! Their squeals of joy and the songs they will teach you will buzz around your head forever. I spent most mornings reading stories, teaching English and supporting their play.

GAPA volunteers help to support grandmothers in providing a safe place where children can simply enjoy being children. Grandmothers often become parents again to their grandchildren as the middle generation are affected by HIV/aids, the project enables them to get together, offering care, love and attention to the communities children and also gives them an opportunity to start earning a small living again, making and selling unique hand-made toys, jewellery and accessories which make fantastic keep-sakes and souvenirs! You will have fun organising games and singing songs, playing cards or painting pictures in the dusty yard. As a Primary School teacher back in the UK, I was amazed at what you can do with little resources! The children are strong, happy, motivated and independent. They will fight for your attention and obsess over your hair, they will love you just for being there.

You will have plenty of fun at the volunteer house, making friends from all around the world. Theme nights, pub quizzes, coffee shop crawls! You will be pretty well looked after too by the wonderful Shecky and Jane! The cooking is traditional, delicious and dinner is always on the table when you come home from project! They’ll even do your washing for you so that you can concentrate on the important things, like enjoying yourself, sorting resources or planning for more fun!
You will never be on your own, fellow volunteers will become your family out there and with constant support from African Impact project co-coordinators and Interns you will work together to plan fun and engaging activities and not forgetting the incredible local project leaders who are always on hand for a quick Xhosa lesson or two!

Cape Town is so vibrant and colourful, it’s constantly buzzing! There is so much to see and do that you will be spoilt for choice! We spent our weekends and free time exploring Obs (the volunteer house local town) where there is an eclectic mix of late night coffee shops, pubs, clubs and live music! We clambered up Table Mountain and abseiled down again, sampled tasty treats at the Biscuit Mill markets. We then joined the Cape to Addo tour at the end of our volunteer adventure, where we bungee-jumped, braved black-water tubing and bare-back Ostrich riding! We sunned ourselves at a citrus farm and spotted elephants on Safari – a perfect way to round off an epic South African adventure. There are plenty more opportunities from shark-cage diving to sky diving, the possibilities are endless and your volunteering experience will be unforgettable.

So here's a few tips:
- Bring a jumper (it gets cold indoors!)
- Be open minded (if your friends want to stop off to try sheep’s head on the way to project – do it! Try the local treats, they will leave you wanting more no matter how strange they seem!)
- Learn some Xhosa – the go go’s will appreciate a ‘molo!’
- Why not pack a few extra resources in your back-pack – kids love to play cards and parachute games!

Volunteering provides a broader perspective on all aspects of life, it deepens understanding and ignites intrigue. To volunteer is to learn, to enjoy, to experience. To be excited, exhilarated and to explore a sense of awe and wonder. If it does all this for you, just imagine what you can do for others.

Volunteer with African Impact Cape Town City Projects - You know you want to!