Misleading, Unorganized and Did not feel my time was a Valuable Experience

I volunteered through Volunteer HQ who placed me in South Africa with the SASTS organization Jan-March 2011. Although I was told I would be doing a surfing outreach after-school program, a week before departure I was informed this program no longer existed and could choose between a teaching program or to work at an orphanage. I chose to do orphanage work and didn't find out the details of my program until I arrived in South Africa. I was placed at a daycare where the children spoke no English and the teachers were annoyed by my presence. I asked to switch to the community school where I had a much better experience due to a lovely teacher, however I was not really needed and felt they were doing me a favor rather than actually contributing in any constructive way. The SASTS office did not seem to care/nor aware that I had not been placed at an orphanage and I wanted to switch programs and did nothing to try to assist a change in program. I also found out that my host family only received a very small portion of my costs to stay with them, and think its ridiculous that SASTS makes so much profit from "organization". Their job is to place volunteers in a program that they want to do and feel is valuable and that is the service they failed to provide. Fortunately I was placed with a great group with other volunteers and decided to make the best of the experience, however I do not credit SASTS with this.

Please note that I am not simply an angry participant, I have volunteered with many programs overseas and have taken a masters in International Development, I am very aware of what I am talking about and the complex issues of volunteer work. Although good intentions may be there, this company does not provide what it says it does. However it is much cheaper (or was) than many other programs and perhaps you get what you pay for. I would recommend staying at a hostel (even the SASTS hostel which is great) and trying to contact a program yourself that you would like to work at. Its not as hard as you might think.