Orphan and Childcare Project

  South Africa

Cape Town (Kaapstad)

Term: Academic Year, Summer, Throughout the year, Trimester, Winter 
Dates: 2 weeks- 6 months

Description: Child Care Project

The Project runs five days a week from Monday to Friday, 9am-2pm

Overview

The Child Care Project involves working with children from a centre called Little Eagles Day Care Centre. It is an orphanage and child care centre which was started with 15 children in 1998 out of a desperate need for parenting and caring as many children were left alone to care for themselves and had no one to look after them.The Centre started in a small room in an old squatter area in Vrygrond near Cape Town. With a lot of planning, acceptance and contribution from the community, the educare centre is now operating from much bigger and suitable premises.

The Rainbow Educare centre is now operating in the hands of 3 staff members and two assistants. It is now a fully registered educare centre operating and catering for 90 children (sometimes the numbers get higher than that) from the ages of 1 to 6 years old. The educare centre receives a subsidy from the Department but only for 25 children.

The Rainbow Educare Centre is run by very capable staff, thus as a volunteer you will not come to South Africa to carry all the load of caring for the children. The aim at the centre is to ensure that children grow up with stable and positive foundations. That they too will grow up to be strong and responsible citizens of our country.

Location
The educare centre is located in Vrygrond which is approximately 20min walk from lodge where the volunteers will be staying. Muizenberg is only a 20-minute drive away from Cape Town and is a very well known and sought-after holiday destinations, located on the eastern shore of False Bay.

The Children
The children come from very disadvantaged backgrounds; some are orphaned while others are HIV positive. These children will give anything to have someone look after them to give them love, hope and support for the future.

The Volunteers
The volunteers duration of stay is from 2 weeks 6 months, we do prefer it when volunteers stay for a long period of time (so the children have the same teachers for longer)

Accommodation and Food
The place the Volunteers will be staying at is a clean Modern Lodge called Abreakaway- It's a clean and homely place to stay and you will for sure feel like you are having a Fantastic Break Away. The place sleeps a Maximum of 18 people. (If the Volunteer requires their own room this is also available at a different price)

You will be supplied with fresh, 100% Cotton bedding and a clean Towel on arrival. The lodge is close to the beach (10mins walk) so there is no need for Transport.

No specific skills or qualifications are necessary but a short motivational letter, Police clearance and a bag of enthusiasm will be greatly appreciated. Minimum age is 17 years

Dates and Duration

The project runs through out the year and volunteers are expected to stay for a minimum of 2 weeks and a maximum of 6 months.

Highlights: Project Life:

* Once you arrive in Cape Town, you will be picked up at the airport by one of our team members and taken to the place you will be staying.

* On the first week you will have an induction to the area and learn to surf for those that still need to learn to surf.

* In this week you will be told about the Area, Good places to Visit and get taken on a Free Orientation Train Adventure around Cape Town and get taught how to catch the local trains.

* The volunteers will also do daily reports on the children and how they are progressing in the project

* The Volunteers will also have the opportunity to get involved at our Dynamic lodge if they wish to gain experience in the Tourism Industry.

* In your spare time you can relax on the Beach, visit the Waterslides on the beach front, play mini Golf, Hike up the Mountain to see the Caves/Waterfalls, Visit the Penguin Conservation, Go on a Wine Tour

* Experience Cape Towns Wildlife, Go for a paddle ski on the River, Cycle around the Village or simply Relax at the Lodge. (If you don't feel like relaxing: there is a lot to keep you busy in your spare time...)

* African Safaris and Trips to see the Garden Route are Available and very worth while to experience-these can all be arranged for you at Abreakaway lodge.

Qualifications: No qualifications are necessary, you only need to have a love for children and helping the orphan children.

Cost in US$: USD 960 for 2 weeks and USD 330 for every week after

Salary / Pay: R400 a week for food allowance

Experience Required: no

This Program is open to American, Asian, Australian, Canadian, European, Kiwi and Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to South Africa Independently or in Groups

Typically Participants Work Independently or in Groups of 1 or 2

Application Process Involves:

• Written Application

Surfing Project and Child Care Project's Mission Statement: The organization aims at being the best at helping in the Community by ensuring that there are many hands to help our community and country at large to flourish. We believe that the best way to impact our community is by helping its future leaders, what better way to help than starting from the beginning.

Year Founded: 2007