Izizwe Township Projects

Program Description

The focus of Izizwe Township Projects are the community and especially the children of Walmer Township in Port Elizabeth (PE), South Africa. Izizwe strives to uplift the lives of underprivileged children in Walmer Township, who are our main target group. They are members of the Xhosa (indigenous tribe and language) and communication can therefore be a challenge, especially with the very young, but fortunately English is also a commonly used language.

Many of the children have to deal directly or indirectly with HIV/AIDS. They are for example orphaned and are living with family members (e.g. grandparents) because their parents died of AIDS related diseases. The number of absentees at school is high due to a lack of guidance, family support and financial means. Volunteers are expected to guide and support these children through mentorship and social support.

The project consists of several programs all run and supervised by the Izizwe Volunteer Coordinators, who are all volunteers themselves and live in Walmer Township. The diversity of possibilities creates an opportunity for volunteers to suggest preferences, for age groups and specific personal interest to be involved in.

Highlights

Volunteering at this project is very diverse and can be challenging. You will get acquainted with the circumstances in which 70% of South Africans live today, and experience their culture and situation. Be prepared to face misery and poverty. For this reason, it is of absolute importance that volunteers are independent and mature individuals. You will be singing and dancing with the children, you will make them laugh, help them with schoolwork and teach them there’s a whole world waiting for them. This way you can change a mind-set that will enlarge their horizons and contribute to a better future.

Qualifications

It is important that volunteers of this project understand the importance of the following:

To be enthusiastic and independent
To sign a "Code of Conduct" when arriving
To show respect towards the people and culture of the local community. You might not agree with certain ways of conduct during your stay here, but don’t forget you are a guest here, and you can’t try to change everything in a period of just a few weeks.
To show flexibility and patience towards responsibilities, tasks and activities.
To be willing to take initiative and come up with ideas.

Volunteer Types

What`s Included

Information and assistance before departure
Pick up on arrival and drop off at the end of your stay
A welcome pack with an information guide, free SIM card and maps
All meals
Accommodation in our beach front volunteer house
Daily transport to and from the projects
City Tour and Introduction Programme
Direct donation to the project
On site volunteer coordinators
Weekly social activity