Being a Volunteer PDF Print E-mail
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Written by Administrator   
Thursday, 03 April 2008
Kat helping children build an animal camp


JOIN US FOR A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE AS A VOLUNTEER
To achieve our goals in terms of education for the children and care for the orphaned animals, we need the help of volunteers. You can join us for an experience of a life time, an internship, a Gap year, or just a holiday!

The volunteer period starts from Saturday and you can stay for one week or longer. On arrival you will be shown your room and the facilities. On Sunday we have a late breakfast and a general briefing to help you in your confidence and ability to enjoy your experience.


Find out about our rates



During your stay, you will help us with:

Teaching basic subjects to children
6 underprivileged children are collected from their school on Monday and they stay with us at Daktari until Friday. A different group is collected each week.

The children are all aged between 13 and 15 years and are the grade 8 class. They are in a class of 160 children at the school and many of them have not even learnt their “times tables” yet. We try to enforce the basics in education and to adjust our teaching methods to the level of each child.

Our methods are not always conventional but are fun for the children. Many of them do not understand even basic English and their standards are at a very low level.

We welcome your diversity, knowledge and innovative ideas. No experience is necessary.


Other learning activities include:

  • team building games
  • “Thinking games” (eg. Card games)
  • bead work incorporating mathematics and self expression
  • general etiquette and good manners are enforced by role play
  • General education including life skills, and construction projects.


The day to day care of animals
The orphaned wild animals provide the basis for inspiring care and compassion for the environment. To this end we try to have animals that can be touched and caressed. This is not always possible.

As a volunteer you will be expected to accompany the children on stabling duties. These tasks include:
  • Cleaning and disinfecting animal camps and cages
  • Providing fresh food and water for the animals
  • Checking the health and condition of the animals
  • Compiling newsletter articles for individual animal sponsors
  • Research and record keeping of the animals
  • Basic first aid for animals

Many animals require extra care and sometimes this may involve working during the night.

All life requires food, and various animals have various diets. The monitoring of animal food resources and the specific diets of the animals is a vital part of your work.


Renovation, building and maintenance
Daktari is continually growing, and often physical work is required. Duties can include:
  • Renovating animal camps
  • Building new animal camps and cages
  • Renovating accommodation
  • Painting
  • General construction and repairs


Fundraising, marketing and communication (minimum of 3 months)

Volunteers may opt for this department of Daktari. We only take one volunteer in this section at any one time, and you will concentrate on:
  • Preparing fundraising proposals
  • Compiling funding request
  • Seeking additional funding opportunities
  • Marketing and advertising
  • Forming new contacts (networking)
  • Compiling and dissemination of monthly newsletters
  • Communication
This experience is basically office bound and most of the work is done on the internet. You may also be involved, if you wish, in the education of children, care of animals and guests, but your primary concern is the marketing and fundraising.

One of the functions of this department can also include the organisation of meals, purchases and care of guests who may be staying at our camp.


How you benefit:
  • You participate to a community project, sharing your knowledge for the future of the underprivileged children
  • You help animals and learn about Wildlife and conservation
  • You stay in a beautiful area where you will meet South African and many other different cultures
  • Where possible or when opportunities are available, we will give you time to visit the surrounding area and do some tourism. But as nature is the master and the children and animal the priority, we can’t guaranty it and plan it in advance. Be assured that we will do our best to make your stay as enriching as possible.
Last Updated ( Thursday, 05 June 2008 )
 
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