The project is based at West Riding, a primary school in Parklands, a suburb of Cape Town. The school is close to Blouberg Beach which is famous for its classic postcard view of Table Mountain and the area is also home to a penguin rehabilitation area. It is only a five minute drive from the school to the volunteer house at Table View.
The school caters for around 300 children from 5 - 13 years of age. The children come from a variety of African countries including South Africa, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola and the Congo. Almost 100 of these children come to school each day without food as their parents are unable to afford even this basic need. Currently help is given to the children most in need but with further support it is hoped to be able to feed all the children who unfortunately find themselves in this position. Volunteers will spend the mornings helping to prepare a simple nutritious meal - hearty soups, curries and stews - and this will be served to the children at about 10.30 am - the time of their first break. For many children this will be the first meal of their day. After the meal has been served it will be time to clear up, take stock of what is available and peel and chop vegetables for the next day. There will be shopping to do and volunteers may also get involved in collecting food donations from local supermarkets which is of great help in making sure that there is enough food to go round. Volunteers will also spend some afternoons helping out with classes in the school library where they will interact with the children, joining in with activities, listening to their reading and perhaps telling stories. This project is open to all volunteers aged 18 years or older on arrival and no experience is necessary - just a desire to help meet the project aim of "One nutritious meal - per child - per day". Volunteers may perhaps wish to spend a week helping out at this project in conjunction with other projects they may be supporting in Cape Town.
Daily Routine
The first day at the school will normally be on Monday. The day will begin at around 8.30 am when volunteers will be transported to the school, returning to Table View after lunch or early afternoon depending on the needs of the day. All volunteers will have a personal time-table and will know in advance which days they will be working at the school. On average they will be busy for 4-5 days per week with all evenings and weekends free for other activities.
The excellent volunteer house at Table View provides a safe and secure home-from-home and is near the main bus route. A really good value taxi service is available giving easy access to the centre of Cape Town and the Western Cape. In Table View there is a wide range of shops and restaurants and some great beaches with scenic views of Table Mountain and Cape Town across the bay.
The house is well furnished and has separate male and female dormitories with plenty of toilets and showers. There is a lounge with comfortable chairs and settees, hi-fi, satellite tv and dvd and a telephone for incoming calls. The house is a Wi-Fi hotspot and a computer is available for volunteers to access the internet. The house is cleaned daily (Monday - Friday) and there is a inexpensive laundry service available each week. The project manager is available from 8.00 am - 5.00 pm each weekday and is on-hand for emergencies if required. She is able to offer help and advice particularly when planning trips and excursions in spare time.
The kitchen is extremely well equipped with facilities for preparing and storing food. A selection of cereals, fruit, yoghurts, milk, bread, margarine, tea, coffee, sugar etc is provided for breakfast each day. All other meals are self catering. Each volunteer will have a locakable cupboard for their luggage, valuables and groceries. Fridges and freezers are also available.
There is a nice garden with tables, a built in braai (a South African style bbq) and a large pool.
South Africa
Why visit South Africa?
Every country in the world displays some diversity, but South Africa, stretching from the hippos in the Limpopo River to the penguins waddling on the Cape, takes some beating. There’s the deserted Kalahari, Namakwa’s springtime symphony of wildflowers, iconic Table Mountain and Cape Point, Africa’s biggest game reserve - Kruger National Park - boasting the most mammal species of any game reserve, and the magnificent peaks and plunging valleys of the escarpment of Drakensberg.
Cape Town is widely described as one of the world's most beautiful cities. Some of its more famous landmarks include Table Mountain, Robben Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for decades), Cape Point, Chapman’s Peak, Kirstenbosch Gardens and the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. A combination of historical coastal charm and urbane sophistication, Cape Town has some of the finest beaches and is also the gateway to the lush Cape Winelands, famous for world-renowned wines. From here, it is an easy journey to the Whale Route, where Southern Right whales can be seen (June - November) and humpback whales, Bryde's whales, Minke whales and bottlenose dolpins can be viewed year round.
The Garden Route is renowned for its beaches, indigenous forests, nature reserves, lakes, mountain ranges, adventure opportunities and hiking trails. Plettenberg Bay is a relaxed beach paradise with spectacular walks and hikes where one can watch dolphins and whales on eco-marine cruises. With some of the world's finest beaches, the Eastern Cape's untouched and pristine coastline also has a rich social, cultural and political history. Port Elizabeth is the gateway to the Eastern Cape, and the perfect complement to the Garden Route. Cape St Francis is situated on the Indian Ocean coastline, in and around Africa's largest man made web of canals and waterways, and is renowned for its long, sandy beaches, surfing, rock fishing and tranquil lifestyle.
Kruger National Park is the flagship of South Africa's game reserves, offering an unrivalled wildlife experience over two million-hectares. Private concessions operating within and alongside Kruger National Park feature luxurious, exclusive game lodges with many exciting safari activities. Some of these lodges are unfenced, allowing for the free movement of wildlife. Madikwe Game Reserve, in the North West province, is one of South Africa's largest private Big Five game reserves and features numerous lodges and camps. The Waterberg area in the northwest is also malaria-free and is aptly named for its strong streams that flow even in dry seasons, making for excellent game viewing. Both reserves are great for those seeking an accessible malaria-free wilderness experience.
Durban is a sub-tropical city and the gateway to KwaZulu-Natal. It offers a unique mix of Zulu, Indian and colonial cultures. Visit the Anglo-Zulu battlefields, take a fascinating glimpse into Zulu culture, hike in the beautiful Drakensberg Mountains, dive the reefs, marine and coastal reserves of Maputaland, as well as experience Big Five game reserves. The Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve is renowned for saving the white rhino from the brink of extinction, and Phinda Private Game Reserve is well known for its award-winning lodges and conservation initiatives.
Johannesburg meaning "Place of Gold", is South Africa's economic powerhouse. This vibrant and cosmopolitan city is home to many attractions including the Apartheid Museum and Constitution Hill, and also offers shopping from world-class to atmospheric curio markets. Known as the "Jacaranda City", the state capital of Pretoria features beautiful blossoming trees, significant old buildings and fascinating museums, including the Transvaal Museum, home of Mrs Ples, the australopithecine fossil found at the Cradle of Humankind.
Highlights of South Africa
- Breathtaking scenery, quaint coastal villages, cosmopolitan cities, wine routes and exclusive bush lodges.
- Exciting Big Five safaris in unspoilt wilderness areas.
- Malaria-free game viewing and sunshine all year round.
- See Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held in prison for 27 years.
- Go up Table Mountain by cable car for stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean and beautiful Cape Town.
- Whale watching and great white shark cage diving.
- Beautiful, pristine beaches perfect for swimming and sunbathing.
- The Cradle of Humankind: Sterkfontein is one of the world's most productive and important palaeoanthropological sites.
Climate
For Johannesburg:
| Seasons | Max | Min |
| Summer (September - April) |
25 °C |
10 °C |
| Winter (May - August) |
19 °C |
4 °C |
| Rainfall: October to March, with November to January heaviest |
South Africa has typical seasons of weather for the southern hemisphere, with the coldest days in July-August. The Benguela Current, a cold motion that moves from the lower South Atlantic Ocean, causes moderate temperatures on the West Coast. On the central plateau, which includes Free State and Gauteng provinces, the altitude keeps the average temperatures below 30 °C.
In winter, also due to altitude, temperatures drop to freezing point, and in some places, even lower. Heavy snows have fallen recently for the first time in decades in Johannesburg. During winter, it is warmest in the coastal regions, especially on the Eastern Indian Ocean coast and Garden Route, where it has year round mild weather with occasional rain. As winter is cooler and drier, it is more suitable for hiking and outdoor pursuits, and is also a good time for game viewing as vegetation is less dense and thirsty animals congregate around rivers and other permanent water sources.
In summer, South Africa experiences the hottest temperatures and this is generally when most rain falls, October – March. However, there is one exception - the Western Cape, which is a winter-rain area that enjoys a Mediterranean climate (average 26°C).
Christmas to mid-January, and Easter are the height of the peak season for visitors.
Autumn (April/May) and Spring (mid-Sept to November) are ideal almost everywhere.
Key Facts
Population – 50 million
Capital – Pretoria (executive), Bloemfontein (judicial), Cape Town (legislative)
Currency – Rand (ZAR)
Official Language(s) – Afrikaans, English (South African English), Southern Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Southern Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa, Zulu
Time difference – GMT +2 hours
Telephone – country code 27, international access code 00
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The project far exceeded my expectations, it's really hard to know what to expect when you're coming to Africa, it is so different and the project actually gave me more than I thought I was coming for. Working with the kids is like the biggest blessing on earth. They are so incredibly beautiful and they are so loving and appreciative, and they give you more than you could ever give them. This has been an incredible experience for me, I would just say do it, do it, do it!
The teachers and staff are amazing and have really accepted the program and given me opportunities to do things I would never get an opportunity to do. I have been involved with cooking and preparing food, teaching kids and reading in the library. It's taken me to a whole new world and it's all thanks to them, they have been very, very open to us doing stuff above and beyond cooking.
My advice to you if you are thinking of joining is stop thinking about it, and just do it. I thought about it for a year, and an opportunity came for me to go. It will change your life, it changes your perspective of how we live and how fortunate we are. When you interact with these kids, the smallest bit of love you show them just lights up their day and I can't tell you what it does to you when they respond to that.
I've done it only for a week, but it's one of the best experiences of my life. I have kids, and I've done motherhood, marriage and all that stuff - this is up there with the best experiences. Don't think about it anymore, do it!
The project is amazing and when you go to the volunteer house, you are mixing with the most incredible like-minded people and it makes the whole experience just 100% fantastic and worth it. Any doubts you have, any concerns you have, put them away because it's so worth doing. You will meet incredible people, and you will experience the love of kids like you've never had in your life. The people at the house are fantastic, the girls are amazing, I've just had a great, great, great time.
The good thing with the project is it gives people that have a busy life an opportunity to get a taste for volunteering, so if you’re faced with lying on a beach and pampering yourself, or doing this, you're going to be so much better for doing this and will probably go home looking so much better than if you'd just pampered yourself, because you get this energy from the kids and they bring you to a new level of life, I'm so glad I've done this.
There is just something about Africa, there isn't a word to describe it, you have to come and experience it. There is something unique about Africa that you will not get anywhere else, and that's the people, the culture and the places. A word of warning, once you've been in Africa it gets in your blood, and you will keep coming back. I love it.
Teresa, Australia, aged 50 (Cape Town School Feeding Programme)
Great memories, it all worked out really well. The volunteer house is lovely, and all volunteers get on very well together. The work is very well organised. We spend every morning in a pre school (plus a visit to a medical center) and get to know the routines and teachers very well. In the afternoons we do different community projects depending on what needs doing, such as making curtains. At the Teaching Project I sensed a real care for the volunteers and a desire to make sure that the volunteers had a good experience as well as the benefits to the projects.
Mourjin, Holland, aged 51 (Cape Town Teaching Volunteer, Cape Town School Feeding Programme)