Medical volunteer project St Lucia South Africa Volunteer Africa Gap year Career Break

ST LUCIA MEDICAL AND AIDS AWARENESS PROJECT
ST LUCIA - SOUTH AFRICA

This project is based in the amazing setting of the iSimangaliso Wetlands Park – recently designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is an extremely diverse ecological area and savannahs, wetlands, swamps and beaches will all be found here together with a huge variety of wildlife. The area is home to the Zulu tribe - a tribe with a lively and colourful culture. The project offers volunteers the opportunity to gain a unique insight into medicine in rural South Africa, and make a real impact on the local community.

Location:

ST LUCIA - SOUTH AFRICA

Dates:

Any date throughout the year.

Fees:

£935 - 2 weeks

£1,385 - 4 weeks

£1,785 - 6 weeks

£2,185 - 8 weeks

£2,585 - 10 weeks

Payment:

£180 deposit at time of booking – balance payment of project fee due 12 weeks before departure

Reference:

AV027

Highlights

an opportunity to gain basic medical experience in local clinics and in home-based care, under the supervision of nurses and other staff
help to raise awareness of how to prevent the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus as well as healthy living within the community
help the community - with home-based care
the chance to become immersed in the local Zulu culture
making friends for life with other volunteers and the local community

General Information

St Lucia is to be found in the iSimagaliso Wetland Park, previously known as the Greater St Lucia Westland Park. It is a truly beautiful area, home to the lively and colourful Zulu tribe, and is often referred to as Africa’s premier bush-and-beach destination. Volunteers are offered the opportunity to work with the nurses in the small rural clinic which supports about 20,000 Zulu people who live in communities around St Lucia. The clinics lack resources and the help provided by volunteers is greatly valued.

Medical Project

Volunteers will spend the mornings at the medical clinic or accompanying a Home Carer out into the villages, helping sick people in their own homes. The clinic is often busy as it is the first point of help for many local people, and the nurses work very hard. Volunteers will not be required to make decisions about treatments but can help by reducing the nursing workload by helping with basic medical tasks.

Volunteers may also offer help to the local nurses by teaching basic computer skills which will improve data collection and statistic recording.

Visits with the Home Carers may include helping around the patients’ home, providing food, ensuring medication is being taken – and sometimes just cheering them up by having visitors.

HIV/AIDS Awareness

Many South Africans still believe that this virus is a result of witchcraft and those infected are often rejected by their own communities and even families. As a result, many people suffering from the virus do not admit to it. Very few of the local people know how to prevent becoming infected and even fewer know how to deal with the virus once they have it. Volunteers will work with the Volunteer Co-ordinator who is experienced in teaching this subject, to teach adults and children about the virus and during their placement will visit schools and community centres to:

Explain what the virus is and how it affects the human body, using a method approved by the United Nations
Provide education as to how the virus is transmitted and how this can be prevented
Give explanations on how life for those with the virus can be extended using medication, and better food and lifestyle
Become involved in a local support group where people come to discuss their concerns and also make crafts for sale to provide an income

Additional Community Projects

Volunteers will spend their afternoons helping out in the local community, some examples of which are:

Clinic or Patient Home Refurbishment

The run-down clinic, which sees more than 100 patients every day, badly needs a makeover. Volunteers will have the opportunity to help the local people to mend roofs and windows, improve drainage, paint walls, put up shelves and storage units as well as building new walls and creating new rooms.

Farming

Growing their own vegetables will help the community to improve nutrition, especially for the sick, the elderly and the growing children. Volunteers will help with this important work including digging, weeding, fencing, planting and watering.

English Reading Club (Optional)

Learning English is extremely important for the children in Kwazulu Natal, as all high school lessons are taught in English. Many children fail their tests because they do not fully understand the language. Volunteers can help with the Reading Club, which is a fun way for the children to improve their English and any help given is much appreciated by both the teachers and children.

A day in the life of a volunteer ...

This is an example of a typical day in the life of a St Lucia Medical and HIV/AIDS Education volunteer - but itineraries may differ depending on the experience and number of volunteers at the project at the same time.

7.00	Get up, have breakfast, and get ready to depart for the project
8.15	Depart for the project
9.00	Start work at the clinic or with a home carer
12.00	Volunteers will be picked up from the Centre and taken back to the volunteer house, where lunch will be waiting
14.00	Start of the afternoon projects - perhaps visiting schools or community centres to teach HIV/AIDS awareness, or perhaps farming, painting or refurbishing
16.30	End of the working day when volunteers will be picked up and taken back to their house where they may clean their tools, talk over the day's activities or plan for the next day including preparing any lessons
18.00	Dinner at the volunteer house after which volunteers may go out for a few drinks to one of the local bars

Weekend Highlights

Although these are not included in the fees paid, the local project managers will be happy to assist with any arrangements volunteers may wish to take part in eg trips along the garden route or to local game reserves.

Game drives in the beautiful Hluhluwe and Umfolozi National Parks (Approximately £58)
Visits to the beach and snorkelling at Cape Vidal
Whale, dolphin and sea turtle viewing (seasonal) (Approximately £60)
Hippo and crocodile cruises on the St Lucia Estuary (Approximately £10)
Weekend trips to the stunning Phinda Private Game Reserve, Kosi Bay or Mozambique (Approximately £160)

Age Limit

Minimum 18 years; maximum dependent on the health of potential volunteers

Experience

No specific experience required, although any medical/nursing experience is useful

Support

Support and advice is available from your Project Managers whilst on the project and from the UK Amanzi travel Team.

Orientation

A comprehensive information pack will be sent to all volunteers upon booking their placement and further advice and information will be provided by telephone and email before departure. A full orientation programme will be provided on arrival by the project manager and will include:

An introduction to the town of St Lucia and the surrounding area
An overview of the Day Care Centre and some basic teaching skills to prepare and deliver lessons to the children
An introduction to the syllabus used for the HIV/AIDS Education
An introduction to all projects in St Lucia
A basic language course – some basic words and sentences in Zulu, to help communication. In addition some advice on local culture will be given.
A detailed briefing from an experienced nurse on common diseases in the area, working methods in the clinic and Home Based Care – this will ensure that all volunteers are well prepared to start and work safely

Accommodation and Meals

All volunteers will stay at the large and comfortable project house in the centre of St Lucia. The house is fully furnished, with large lounge, satellite television, barbecue area, garden and swimming pool. The house is staffed with cooks and laundry and cleaning ladies. Bedrooms will be shared by four people and the project manager will be resident at the house to help with any questions or issues that may arise. All bedding is provided but volunteers may like to take a sleeping bag which is often useful in the colder months of June - September, or if planning any additional excursions. Towels are not provided.

Three meals a day will be provided every day except for Saturday dinner and Sunday lunch. The cook has Saturday evening and Sunday lunchtime off and volunteers often try out the local restaurants where dinner costs about £5 - £7. Volunteers should allow for this in their budget. There is also a small supermarket nearby and a cafe for lunch. Breakfast is on a self-serve basis and there are usually cereals/porridge, toast, tea and coffee. Lunch and dinner are full meals – cooked by one of the house chefs.

Experience has shown that volunteers living and working closely together with their volunteer co-ordinators is the best way of ensuring everyone's safety and volunteers are expected to stay only in the accommodation provided for them and are not allowed to spend nights away in the town or nearby villages unless they are away on pre-arranged sightseeing excursions.

Getting There

The nearest airport to St Lucia is Richards Bay Airport, which is about forty minutes’ drive from St Lucia. Volunteers will be met at the airport by one of the project staff and transferred to the project. There are daily flights from Johannesburg Airport to Richards Bay.
There may be a number of ways to reach your destination airport – for further information or advice please contact Amanzi Travel.

Fees

What is included

A contribution to the project itself including funding for building materials and the medical clinic.
Transfer between Richards Bay Airport and St Lucia and daily project transfers.
Orientation programme. "On-the-job" educational activities and support from volunteer coordinator and local staff.
Laundry and domestic services during the placement
All accommodation including 3 meals a day at the volunteer house (except Sundays)