Our South africa volunteer packages are at the bottom of this text, which you can get to, by  scrolling on down.

  A South Africa volunteer Holiday  is your chance to make a difference.

A South Africa Volunteer holiday is your gift of time can change the world for a child with Aids, an animal in need or a family without a roof over their heads.

We recognise that there are many people who have skills, compassion and time who really want to help but are not quite sure how.

“Everyone of us can make a contribution. And quite often we are looking for the big things and forget that, whoever we are, wherever we are, we can make a contribution…. “ Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize, 2004.

Since we custom South Africa Holidays and Tours, our   unique package allows you to volunteer and sight-see at the same time – VOLUNEER, or travel with impact.

Volunteering  allows you to get involved in the cultures you visit.

Increasingly people worldwide are putting their hearts and hands to work while on vacation.

Mapoch Ndebele Village & Lodge

Klipgat, North West

 The authentic, living Ndebele Village of Mapoch (Mabokho), is situated 40 km outside Pretoria (Tshwane), and serves the rural community and the nearby traditional Ndebele villages.

The village inhabitants still live in a traditional manner and practice their time-old customs, despite the influence of modernisation.

The houses and enclosures are painted with the colourful geometric patterns for which the Ndebele are famous, often incorporating modern aspects such as telephones and the SA flag. 

The village is relatively un-commercialised and YOU will have the opportunity to immerse yourself and experience life from a unique perspective.

During your visit YOU could learn the intricate art of Ndebele beading and assist with the paining of ongoing traditional mural paintings.

YOU may even ask the resident Sangoma (Traditional Healer) to throw the bones and tell you what he sees in your future!

Witness real traditional ceremonies and rituals, partake in village life by tending to the livestock or working the fields, learn some of the traditional dances, poems and oral history, make African beer OR even  visit a local school! 

YOU can be accommodated in the Village Lodge in comfortable twin bed rooms and if you want to, you will have the opportunity to sleep in the traditional huts as well.

The Lodge is held in trust by the community and was build with funds after the community was forcibly removed from Pretoria under Apartheid. The main languages spoken in the area are Ndebele, Tswana, English and Afrikaans.  

YOU could be living within the community of Mapoch!!

Mapoch Ndebele Village & Lodge

Because this village is so uncommercialised, rural and authentic it was the perfect community to work with.

With the help of the Mapoch Community Council, Voluntours identified two local schools; “Marang Primary School” and “Kagiso Preschool & Day Care”, both schools in need.

In conjunction with the Community, Principals and local teachers, Voluntours set about establishing volunteer programmes. 

Volunteers are accommodated at the Mapoch Village Lodge and spend their days “working” at either of these two schools.

This generates income within the community as the volunteer’s fees go towards job creation and income generation services in the form of catering, food gardens, laundry, guides, hosts, crafters etc. In doing so, it ensures that the finances are kept within the Community, thereby building the collective wealth of the villagers and empowering the community for long-term viability and sustainability

Kagiso Pre-Primary and Day Care*

You may volunteer your time at a local Pre-Primary school and Day Care Centre. The crèche was recently established and accommodates 10 children, ages 2 to 6. In September 2006, the school moved into a building, which was purchased with volunteer donations.

The facilities are very basic and all kind of teaching support and upgrading of the facility is welcomed such as tutoring, assisting with edu-care activities, stimulation & development of motor & social skills, playing games & singing, art, paint and creative work, feeding and cleaning, special projects.

General and specific skills such as administration and maintenance (plumbing, brick laying, plastering, painting, carpentry, electrical work etc) are also required.

The village has a low level of adult literacy and employment. The village inhabitants and surrounding community send their children to various government schools in the area. However, after-school support facilities are sorely needed. All kinds of tutoring support for children and adult basic education and training (ABET) is welcome.

YOU may volunteer your time tutoring children and adults from the Ndebele Village and surrounds by providing tutoring classes in many subjects, teaching computer literacy, setting a computer network, assisting in sport activities, music, drama, helping with routine maintenance/upgrading and more. OR YOU may want to support adult education by teaching reading, writing and English as a second language.

* All volunteers are subject to a reference/ screening process to ensure the safety of vulnerable children and adults, as well as adhering to our “Volunteer Terms and Conditions”.

Responsible travel, responsible tourism and responsible volunteering is all about making a difference whilst having fun! Your participation fee includes a transparent donation towards the project. We also endeavour to use local accommodation and transport providers from the community so that your project fees stay within the community served.

Anyone of the age of full legal capacity can volunteer. You can be part of a volunteer holidya as an Individual , Couple , Group, or Corportate  or  make a charitable  donation towards one of our existing projects.

You can combine  volunteering with our Charitable Challenges.

You can volunteer if you are:

·  Looking for a unique holiday experience for Individual and couples

    On your gap year
· A business looking for a team building exercise
· A corporate seeking a social responsibility project
· Retired
· Eager to make a difference and give something back

South Africa requirements are that your passport will need to be valid for 6 months following your trip, you will need to have sufficient funds to cover your trip and you must not have a criminal record.

Responsible Tourism and Responsible South Africa Volunteering is about bringing the volunteer closer to local cultures and environments by involving local people in tourism. It's about doing this in a fair way that helps ensure that they will give you an even warmer welcome!

For example, a local guide from the destination will open your eyes to their cultures and ways of life far better than an expat guide could ever do – they will also earn a much needed income from you.

The responsible traveller prefers smaller groups, and to meet some local people (as well as fellow travellers) rather than be surrounded by 1000's of people from back home. They don't like being herded about in a large crowd like nameless faces and understand that travelling in smaller groups makes local people and cultures more accessible.

The responsible travellers wants to get a little bit more out of their travels, and to give a little bit back to the special places and people that they encounter.

They want deeper and more real travel experiences. The responsible traveller values authenticity – experiences integral to local people's traditions, cultures and rituals - rather than those created for tourism, or those whose existing meanings and uses have become lost as they have been packaged up for tourism.

At the same time the responsible traveller understands that some cultural experiences are best kept private, and that their visit would be an intrusion. They believe that travelling with respect earns them respect.

They would rather get out on foot than sit in a big bus, and are determined to leave no physical evidence of their visit but their footprints.

The responsible traveller understands local peoples relationship with environments, and that income from tourism can be a powerful incentive for conservation.

The responsible traveller values diversity – diversity of people, cultures and environments.

They believe that they can grow as individuals through these experiences, and that their trip can make a positive contribution towards conserving global diversity.