ISV - Volunteer Projects in South Africa

This has been the experience of a lifetime ! I recommend it to everyone - young an old ! Thank you ISV for the adventure ! 5/5 !!!!! I was on the 4 week project and adventure tour and the time flies. I was not home sick once and i have made friends for life ! The project was hard work but relly really inspiring ! I loved the children that surrounded were we worked. They would help and were so fun ! I loved the adventure tour as we did so much in only a short two weeks ! Seeing so much of Africa was AMAZING!

Volunteering at Masebe was incredible, our Field Guides were really knowledgable and friendly, as was the rest of the staff. They really made it feel like home.

It really didn't feel like work everyday we were out in the field, we had so much fun with the VCAs and Bird Point Counts thanks to our amazing Field Guides. Being in the reserve everyday was incredible and gave us ample opportunity to spot some wildlife, whether it was an elusive bird or a glimpse of a herd of Zebra, every sighting was exciting.

The scenery there is absolutely breathtaking, it's such a beautiful place, and to be surrounded by that everyday was just fantastic. The view from the top of Mt. Magagamatala made the hike up more than worth it (this coming from a girl who had never hiked a day in her life prior to the trip).

The environmental education was by far one of my favourite things that I got to do while on project. The kids were so eager to learn and just so enthusiastic--and they ran circles around us when we played games with them. They had such a positive attitude, and as much as we were there to teach them, I learned a lot from being around them.

This trip changed my life. The girl who left on the 2nd of January was not the same who returned home 4 weeks later. This trip pushed me to think more about how I impact the world (and environment) around me, it made me more confident in myself, I learned A LOT, and I really can't express enough how much I loved this experience. Would do it again in a heartbeat.

When the opportunity comes, sign up to do the bungee jump on the adventure tour! I don't care how terrifying it sounds, or how much it freaks you out, The atmosphere was electric and it was the best experience of my life. Those in my group that didn't jump have told me that they regret it, and rightfully so. Watch "Jack's Bungy Jumping Adventure" on YouTube to see what we did.

I'll never forget this experience I had with my volunteer family and tour friends. I've learnt so much from this trip and made a lot of lifetime friends which we still keep in touch even after the tour. Thanks to ISV for making this possible :)

When deciding where to volunteer abroad, I came across International Student Volunteers and was amazed at how thoroughly organized the program was. I immediately applied to volunteer and was accepted for my first choice, South Africa! They do everything for you, from the flight booking to the accommodations, to most of the meals and all of the activities you could possibly imagine doing while overseas. It was such a culturally rich experience and there was a diversity in activities during the adventure tour to please the thrill seeker and the cultural history buff at the same time.

The volunteer project that I was on in Cintsa East, South Africa, was an eye opening experience for me. We got to work side-by-side with locals in the community, we got to experience the Xhosa culture and ultimately put smiles on the faces of the children there. In fact, the entire experience made me realize that I wanted to pursue a career in Global Health which is exactly what I am doing now, two years later! I strongly suggest volunteering abroad with ISV if you have any desire to work with vulnerable populations, especially children, or if you are studying health/international development. It can definitely enrich your educational path.

It was also excellent that we had a fixed schedule day to day, waking up around 7:00am and travelling to our project. We had our lunches prepared for us and worked until between 2 and 4:00pm. In the evenings, we were free to go to the community store and to call home (which was incredibly easy from South Africa...only 1 rand a minute with a payphone). We also had our dinners prepared by our amazing house mother and got to spend quality time together all evening.

There were plenty of opportunities to learn about different African foods and cultures throughout the volunteer project and the adventure tour. We were able to participate in high adrenaline activities like caving and swimming with whale sharks, but we were also awarded cultural experiences like visiting an orphanage in Swaziland.

The ISV staff were generally very kind and helpful, with the exception of a couple incidents with our project leader, but overall we felt incredibly safe and supported the entire time.

I also went on this experience with my boyfriend and it was an excellent way to bond as a couple.

I would suggest this experience to absolutely anyone who was considering it!!

Figuring out the trip beforehand was quite a headache for me. People giving inaccurate answers, receiving emails saying I have to pay more than what was agreed on, nonsense like that. The trip itself was absolutely amazing!! Project coordinator was top notch, and tour leader was a blast. So although I had difficulty before I actually left, the trip was definitely worth every penny.

Being with people who share the same values as you makes the experience that much more life-changing. We all are there to make a difference, to impact the world, and we change each others lives in the process. I made some of the greatest friends while I was there that I still contact regularly. Each day you wake up and go out not knowing what the day will bring. We would prepare food for the cheetahs, go on feeding rounds, play with the cubs even, and learn about cheetahs. You learn so much about sustainability and conservation. This trip made me grow so much as a person. Every day we would do hard work: fixing the roads, repairing the camps for the endangered vultures and African Wild Dogs, and trimming branches. The work never even seemed like it was work. The reward for everything we did was immediate. Every new project we did helped Shingwedzi incredibly. The traveling: caving, rappelling in Blyde River Canyon, horse back riding through the mountainside of Swaziland, meeting the kids in an orphanage, etc. were all once in a lifetime things! So many memories, people, and experiences I will have for the rest of my life.

My ISV experience was pretty amazing! Not only did it give me a direct cultural understanding, but gave me a strong historical background, which drew it all together. When we first landed in Cape Town, all I could think about was sleeping and how jet lagged I was from the 16 hour flight. However, once we started driving to our hostel (Salty Crax), the reality of where I was gave me a burst of energy. The first thing that caught my eye was how beautiful South Africa is. The second thing that caught my eye was the Dunoon township right next to the highway, and how extensive it was. When you see kids (12-15 years old) walking down the road with scrap metal for their homes, it makes you open your eyes.

After a day of orientation and walking around Cape Town, we were able to start our volunteering. Our group was split into two groups. One group did community development for the first week and the other group had a building project. We then switched projects (different locations) for the second week of volunteering. My first project was working at a special needs school (Elundini) in the Dunoon township. Here I worked with kids ranging from 2-3 years of age. The highlight from my whole trip (even including the excursions) happened here. One of my students didn't seem to have much interest in socializing with the other kids (he was a little younger). After pushing him to interact, he finally gave in. I handed him and another student two toy trucks. They started talking and giggling, which slowly transformed into a friendship. After just a week, I could see a huge difference in his attitude. He went from standing around with his hands in his pockets, to actually playing and interacting. It really seemed like they formed a true friendship. It's hard to explain in words how such a simple thing can make such an impact.

I could go on an on about by trip, but I will leave this review somewhat short.

Accommodations- Salty Crax. It was rad! I shared a room with 4 guys, and we all vibed really well. They had a bar in the back yard. (enough said)

transportation- Bus for free time, coordinators to and from projects. No issues.

Volunteering- Loved it, will be going back for a longer period of time.

Overall, my experience in South Africa was absolutely amazing! I got to go shark cage diving, feed elephants, meet lifelong friends (including my current girlfriend). I'm really grateful for the experience.