SAVE Volunteering Humanitarian Projects

Name: SAVE Volunteering Humanitarian Projects
Brand: SAVE Volunteering
SKU: 37718
Rating: 4.83 (116 reviews)

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4.83 Rating

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Location

Multiple Locations +4

South Africa
- Cape Town
Namibia
- Windhoek
Malawi
Tanzania
- Dar es Salaam

Length

2 to 6 weeks

Project Types

Agriculture Business Childcare Street Children Community Development Building Projects Family Sports Youth Wildlife Conservation Primate Conservation Education Teaching Health Education Health +5

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Program Details

Language

English

Age Min.

Age Max

Housing

Hostel

Groups

Small Group (1-15)

Pricing

Price Details

Includes: 3 meals a day, accommodation, transport, orientation, 24 hr support and donation to the NPO

What's Included

Accommodation Meals Transportation

What's Not Included

Activities Airfare Domestic Airfare Equipment SIM cards Travel Insurance Visa Wifi

Last Updated: Jan 25, 2022

Last Reviewed: Jan 05, 2023

Wish List

75 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

SAVE Volunteering is a Non-Profit Organisation. We are NOT a booking agent: we run, manage and fund all of our Humanitarian and Wildlife Projects with the help of volunteers.
We believe in transparent and sustainable programs that impact our local community and wildlife.

The volunteer fees go towards, food, accommodation, transport, orientation and the rest of the money gets donated to the NPO for running costs such as stationary or meals for the children and meals for the Wildlife.

Join one of our amazing projects and leave with a life-changing experience!

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Consider your impact: Volunteering abroad can be a rewarding experience for both volunteers and local communities, and at Go Overseas, we believe all volunteers should have the resources to make informed decisions about the type of volunteer project they want to partake in. However, despite best intentions, some organizations offering placements in orphanages may unknowingly place children in danger. You can read about the potential dangers of orphanage volunteering here.

Video and Photos

A happy group of children and volunteers in South Africa.

SAVE Volunteer working with children in South Africa.

Program Highlights

Help us better the lives of the children on our Humanitarian projects and the Animals on our Wildlife project.
Educate children to better their future on our Humanitarian projects and build structures and homes for our animals on our Wildlife projects.
Form a relationship with our children and see the world through their eyes on our Humanitarian projects. Protect Africas Wildlife on our Wildlife projects.
Learn about conservation and Africa’s wild animals on our Wildlife projects. Learn about patience and hard work on our Humanitarian projects.
Have a close animal encounter with some of the human tolerant animals on our Wildlife projects. Spend time with children in need of your affection and attention on our Humanitarian projects.

Popular Programs

Sport & Youth Development Project

Children living in impoverished communities have a huge need for youth development projects which serve to teach them valuable life skills such as teamwork, structure, discipline and which uplifts their self-esteem through the realization of talent.

Cape Town Community Development Project

The main objective is empowering the local community and supporting them with their basic needs. We regularly distribute food hampers to the underprivileged and clothes in the winter. We engage these communities in regular education, motivation, and social upliftment programs and exciting events such as fun at the beach, various sporting activities and movie outings that are hosted throughout the year.

School and Educare Project

Volunteers are placed in pre-schools in disadvantaged communities. No experience is necessary and volunteers can have the joy of watching a child learn and helping them through the process. You will be assigned to a class and will help the teacher in their daily tasks, be it teaching, marking or sports training. After school hours volunteers will be involved in after care or after school programs in the settlements.

Adventure Club Project

This project is a great way for volunteers to gain experience working with children and groups. Learning new outdoor activities such as swimming, boxing, spike ball surfing and skateboarding – volunteers receive lessons so they can help teach the children.

Namibia Medical Project

The Clinic is based in Epukiro provides free primary health care services to more than 3,500 patients every year – through both clinic-based healthcare and personal outreach around the region. More than 40% of the patients treated there are children and more than 90% are San Bushmen. A huge focus of the work at the Clinic is to tackle the tuberculosis burden within the San population. The clinic is quite literally a lifeline for thousands of San Bushman.

Skills Development Project

This Project allows volunteers to transfer a skill they have to the local communities. Communities you will work in have low education levels and English comprehension. SAVE is always in need of volunteers with special skills that they can transfer to our communities and allow them to become self-sufficient and productive members of society. Examples are first aid, family planning, childcare, dance classes, drama workshops, business management, computer literacy, woodwork and craftsmanship.

Related Programs

Program Reviews

4.83 Rating

based on 116 reviews

Leave a Review

Rating Spread Volunteer

5 rating 87.93%
4 rating 9.48%
3 rating 0.86%
2 rating 0.86%
1 rating 0.86%

Impact 4.7
Support 4.75
Fun 4.65
Value 4.8
Safety 4.75

Good for Students, Solo Travelers, Adventure travelers

Showing 1 - 8 of 116 reviews

I've spent almost 10 weeks with the kids of the program and I had so much fun. They are so lovely and I made a good connection quickly. When I walked into the classrooms, they all jumped up to me and all wanted my attention. I was looking forward to see them everyday and they taught me a lot. Because of the conversations with the older kids, I realized how much more you can value life. Even though you can not change their lives completely, you always have an impact on their lives.
Besides the kids, I stayed with a lot of other great volunteers with who I had an amazing time discovering Cape Town. Although I was here for 10 weeks, I still hadn't seen everything. I made lots of good memories with my friends over there and I would love to come back one day!

Pros

Traveling alone is no problem
Good communication
Great impact

Cons

Expensive

Volunteering with SAVE allows you to meet the best people, and the best kids.
You will learn a lot, be helpful, and you will see the difference you are making in their lives.
The program and what you will see will make you rethink the way you live everyday in your home country, and make you realize that you can help, even if you feel like it’s not much.
You will also have time to visit the beautiful city of Cape Town, and have so many new experiences with your volunteer friends.
Definitely the best experience of my life.

Stay longer than 2 weeks! This program is a great way to travel and get to know other people from around the world, while also getting the full South Africa experience. It offers you a way to volunteer during the week days but also travel and experience adventure on the weekends. You have no idea how much an impact this program can make until you do it! The children and teacher give off such positive energy and you can’t help but be happy when your with them. Great program leaders and very safe. Would highly recommend for anyone wanting to travel and volunteer!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

I never realized how much an impact working in the townships could possibly have. These kids and teachers have so much to offer and it has changed my perspective on life!

The volunteering was way more special than I thought and I had all sort of good expectations already but the experience was still able to surprise me in a good way. The support the foundation gives to us and all the love we receive from the children actually shows that when u go there u are supposed to give something to them but u are the one who gets the most beautiful feelings and memories u could ever ask for. After my short 2 weeks the only thing I know it’s that I’m so coming back! Loved every single moment!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

I would stay way more than 2 weeks! It was not enough at all💗

Me, Vincent and my children at the swimming lesson

Absolutely loved it !! Truly there is no experience quite like it, I grew so much as a person and learned so much about the world around me.

I traveled alone and had no issues at all!! Jess (one of the coordinators) was there the whole time and helped so much!! I would recommend going for as long as you can (1.5 months is a good minimum). I left in February to April and the weather was great!! I met so many people there that I love and am still friends with. The connections I made have made me into a new person, South Africa will always have a very big piece of my heart !!!

If you’re thinking about it, JUST DO IT!! You won’t regret it!!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

I would go longer honestly!! Two months is a great amount, simply because there is so much to do and so much to see!! The longer you are there the more impact you’ll feel in the community as well!!

I CANNOT STRESS HOW GREAT IT IS TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS PROGRAM. Truly life changing. I’m 22 and went by myself & had no issues at all!! Jess (one of the coordinators) really gives it her all and is there for you the whole time. I met so many fiends around the world and have trips to go and see them all!! I left in February - April of 2021 and would recommend going for at least two months & this time of year was beautiful.

If you have been dreaming of a trip like this, THIS is the one to do!!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

i would go LONGER than I did, it really is that great!!!

There is no word strong enough to explain what i was living that all time in South Africa. All the things I’ve been through, people I met , things I did .. it’s deep in your soul and your body and that changed me for the rest of my life honestly. It’s really hard to explain, you just need to try this experience and to live it 200% and do everything you can.
The organization helps you to do activities, find good opportunities , help people in need,... it’s a mix of emotions all the time. This is unbelievable, still have nostalgia of those moments and people.. I would definitely recommend to try and to go there !

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Just be yourself , be open minded ; discover as much as you can , talk , laugh , cry , share , and you are going to live one of the best experience of your life..

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.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

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

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!

View Entire Interview

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…

Amanda Lind

2013 Alum

Marc Eversdijk

Marijke Fleury

Nick van de Klundert

Tom Visser

Staff Interviews

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

What is your favorite travel memory?

Wellington has many good memories of traveling across Africa. One of his favourite memories was traveling to Paternoster with all the volunteers and staff for a weekend away. When they got there, there wasn't enough room in the tents, so he slept on the bus with his sleeping bag.

It was a really fun experience for him.

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

I feel welcome here, it's like being at home, all the people are so friendly.

I have been able to take a lot of initiative through this work and it has made me believe in myself and make me more confident and have more self-belief. Working here has opened my eyes to different cultures and walks of life.

View Entire Interview

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

There was a volunteer that always said she liked my driving and the African music I play in the car when I drive them to project and back. When she left, she also said she missed the way people drive in the township we work in. She sent a message to me that she is definitely going to come back to see me, drive around listening to music together.

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

There are so many to choose from it's very difficult to decide. If I had to choose just one, I think I would go to Sunshine.

I like Sunshine because the school is so big and the space for the children to play is also big. They can play freely, and there is also a clinic for the community in case there are any emergencies

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

When you work with Shannon, she is always there for you. Occasionally things don't go according to the plan, but even when they do, Shannon is understanding and we work together to fix the problem.

I always feel like an important part of the team and that my ideas are valued. As a team, we are able to overcome things together with Shannon leading the way.

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

If you want to make a successful company, it is important to listen to your employees. They are a part of the family and make the company run properly, without them being happy the company will not run properly. Things will start to fall apart and go wrong.

I love children; I have 7 of my own. It's important to remember why we do this - for the children. "Better to build children than repair men".

About SAVE Volunteering

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...

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Program Details

Pricing

Program Highlights

Sport & Youth Development Project 

Cape Town Community Development Project 

School and Educare Project 

Adventure Club Project 

Namibia Medical Project 

Skills Development Project 

Alumni Interviews

Martine Haugen

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

What made this volunteer abroad experience unique and special?

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

What was the best moment of the entire trip?

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

Staff Interviews

Wellington Kalonga

What is your favorite travel memory?

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

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

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

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

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

Sport & Youth Development Project

Cape Town Community Development Project

School and Educare Project

Adventure Club Project

Namibia Medical Project

Skills Development Project