CAPE TOWN MEDICAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECT
CAPE TOWN

This project is based in an amazing rural community on the outskirts of Cape Town, where volunteers can become involved in local medical and community development initiatives.  Volunteers will assist and observe in local clinics and communities in Red Hill and Masiphumelele each morning and in various rural pre-schools and day care centres through the afternoon community work.  This project is ideal for volunteers with a basic medical background or interest, or who may be embarking upon medical studies within the next year.

	Location:	CAPE TOWN	Dates:	Any date throughout the year. Please note that this project is closed from mid December until mid January each year.
	Fees:	£895 - 2 weeks £1,295 - 4 weeks £1,695 - 6 weeks £2,025 - 8 weeks	Payment:	£180 deposit at time of booking – balance payment of project fee due 12 weeks before departure
	Reference:	AV005

General Information

This project is based at Red Hill, a vibrant rural community within sight of the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point the most south-western tip of the African Continent.

Medical Programme

Cape Town is a city of great contrasts and its private sector health care and provision is extensive -  but the rural communities suffer from a lack of facilities.  Although there are some structures in place for an effective health service, there is very little in terms of staffing and resources. Thus the help that volunteers can give within these communities is highly appreciated and valued by nurses and doctors alike.

Volunteers are able to make a positive impact on the health service in these underprivileged communities on the outskirts of Cape Town. The project is open to qualified and non-qualified volunteers, and qualified volunteers are able to offer advice to the day care and after care centres they they will be working with in the afternoons. There are many children at these centres with special health care needs. 

Volunteers will spend each morning of the week in the clinics of several communities in the area, assisting the supervisors who offer support to the many people desperate for their help.  There are many sick children whose only medical support comes through these clinics, which are open from 8.00 am – 12.30 pm daily. A volunteer may be involved in the following:-

• assisting the clinic supervisors with the many people requiring medical help, especially sick children
• assisting in administering HIV tests if medically qualified (due to the skill required and sensitive nature of the procedure), pregnancy tests, baby weighing, the checking of vitals (temperature, blood pressure, heart beat etc) and also have the opportununtity to sit in on consultations should the doctor on duty and the patient be happy with this. There is a vast range of activities to be involved in.
• assist in sorting medications int he clinic pharmacy as well as labelling these medications
• administration work in the clinic, as there as plenty of patient files that need uploading onto the clinic computer system. The accurate data capturing of this information is of great importance and thus this is an essential activity. 

Community Projects

Having spent the mornings assisting in one of the clinics mentioned above, volunteers will go on to help out in some of the local community projects in the afternoon (please note that volunteers wanting a full time medical placement can work in the clinics in the afternoons as well), and will rotate through the following:

Building and Painting schools

Schools in Red Hill lack classrooms and facilities, and as a result are limited in the number of children they can take.  Volunteers will help with general maintenance– fixing fences, mending windows, rebuilding and painting – hard but rewarding work!  Lighter work is also available for older, less physically able volunteers so that everyone can be accommodated.

Educare Centre

At this education centre, volunteers will assist the teachers with the afternoon care – playing games, reading on a one-to-one basis or story time – or have the opportunity to use any particular skills they may have, either with the children – perhaps in art, music or dancing or with the teachers in computing, administration or finance.  

Primary School extra-mural involvement

This primary school, located in the township of Masiphumelele, has more than 1300 students, covering grades 1 to 7, in classes of up to 49 pupils per class.  The school Principal is keen to develop the school's sporting side, and volunteers assist with coaching various sports if they have teaching experience and knowledge of the rules. The sports offered range from athletics, volleyball, netball, basketball, soccer and ultimately to rugby. 

Masiphumelele Library 

Masi is fortunate to have a well resourced library and great facilities.  It offers many community services and volunteers would become involved in some of the programmes currently offered, which range from arts and crafts, puzzles, games, literacy, one on one reading, homework club and maths club.

General Notes

In general, the more volunteers put into a project, the more they get out of it.  For those volunteers joining as teaching assistants, it is suggested that they come with simple lesson plans or ideas; perhaps they could make and bring charts of say body parts or maps of Africa, and thus take the initiative with these children whom they will very rapidly grow to love.

• Although Red Hill and Masiphumelele are essentially townships, they are both safe and peaceful and full of wonderful people.  This is an exciting project with lots of opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of the people in these communities.
• 'Adopt a Child' initiative - the children's school fees are such a minimal figure to us, but a huge amount for a family of one working parent, or in some cases, even no parents at all. There is an opportunity, on arrival, to sponsor a child's fees for the year and receive quarterly updates on them, their families and their progress
• Volunteers on this project will live with volunteers on the Cape Town Teaching and Sports Programme, and depending on the project needs at the time, may be working alongside them in the afternoons on community work, especially focusing on Red Hill pre school
• It should be borne in mind that projects are continuously evolving, improving and adapting to local needs and areas of involvement may change from time to time.  However, all activities with which volunteers will be involved will be extremely rewarding and exciting and leave wonderful and lasting memories.

 A typical day in the life of a volunteer.....

Volunteers should see this as a typical day but itineraries may differ depending on the needs of the project and number of volunteers at any one time.

7.00	Get up, have breakfast of cereals, toast, tea/coffee and get ready for the project
7.45	Head off to the community clinic for that day
8.00 -12.30	Assist in the local community clinic
12.30	Volunteers will be picked up and taken back to the volunteer house, where lunch will be waiting for them
14.30	Volunteers will leave for one of the community projects where they will spend the afternoon playing with the children, assisting with the Educare Project, library, coaching sports or building and painting classrooms
16.30	End of the working day – when volunteers will be collected from their projects and taken back to the volunteer house. There the work of the day will be evaluated and the schedule for the following day discussed. Volunteers can also, if they wish, be dropped off in the town to check their emails or do some shopping
18.30	Dinner at the volunteer house

Travel Highlights included in your placement

• A visit to Cape Point, situated within the Southern Section of Table Mountain National Park, globally recognised for its rich, diverse and unique fauna and flora
• A trip to Boulders Beach, home to a growing colony of the vulnerable African Penguin. Also a safe and enjoyable swimming and snorkelling spot
• A visit to the summit of Table Mountain where you will find the best views of Cape Town. The Cableway takes you to the summit in under 10 minutes and the cable car's rotating floor ensures that all passengers get a 360 degree aerial view of the city

Optional Extra Highlights offered in and around Cape Town

Although these are not included in the fees paid, the local project managers will be happy to assist with any arrangements. Below is a guideline of the prices volunteers should expect to pay for the most popular activities:

Aquila Private Game Reserve - ZAR 1200
City hop-on-hop-off double decker bus - ZAR 130
Shark Cage Diving - ZAR 1500
Sky Diving - ZAR 2000
Abseiling down Table Moutain - ZAR 495
Surf Lessons - ZAR 250
Garden Route Weekend - ZAR 3500

Support

Support and advice is available from your Project Managers whilst on the project and from the UK Amanzi Travel Team.
Find out more about Amanzi Travel support

Orientation

On arrival in Cape Town all volunteers undergo a comprehensive orientation programme, which is included in the fee, provided by the project manager, and include:

• An introduction to the town of Cape Town and the surrounding Cape Peninsula, together with the communities in which the volunteers will be working;
• An introduction to all the projects – so that as well as seeing the projects on which they will be working, volunteers will also see where their fellow volunteers will be spending their days;
• A detailed "welcome pack" containing further useful information for your time on the project.

Accommodation and Meals

Volunteers will be accommodated in a fully furnished house in the rustic town of Noordhoek, at the foot of Chapman's Peak.  The house, which is spacious and comfortable, is set on a private and secure one acre property with a large garden, a swimming pool and barbecue.  It is within easy walking distance of a shopping mall and cinema and has satellite tv and a games room with a pool table, darts and table tennis.  All rooms sleep up to four people and are en-suite with a fridge and a lock up safe for valuables. All bedding is provided but not towels.  The house is staffed with a cook to prepare meals and a cleaner to service the rooms.

 

Getting There

Volunteers should fly into Cape Town Airport where they will met by a member of staff and taken to the volunteer house in Fish Hoek.  Amanzi Travel will be happy to help with flights into Cape Town.

Fees

What is included

• financing that goes directly back into the project with which the volunteer is placed, including funding of items such as medical supplies, building materials and equipment. These fees can also be used to buy vehicles and equipment for the project and even new housing for volunteers in order to expand the project.
• Airport transfers to and from Cape Town International Airport on arrival and departure
• Full orientation programme
• Daily transfers to and from projects for the duration of the visit
• Full board and lodging at the volunteer house including 3 meals a day
• Weekly laundry service during the stay
• On-the-ground assistance from local project managers
• Outings to Cape Point – the most south-western tip of Africa;  Boulder Beach to see the African Penguin Colony; and a visit to the summit of Table Mountain

What is excluded

• Personal travel insurance for the duration of the placement which must include cover for repatriation
• All transport by air of bus to Cape Town
• All items of a personal nature – curios, gifts, clothing
• Email/internet and all telephone calls
• Soft drinks, wines and spirits
• All visas for border crossings if appropriate
• Any excusions over and above the planned itinerary in Cape Town (see above). For example volunteers may wish to travel down the Garden Route, do some shark cage diving etc. The local project managers can help plan these for you.