Clinic Assistance and HIV/AIDS Awareness in St. Lucia, South Africa

  South Africa

• Other Cities in South Africa: 
Rural Areas

Term: Throughout the year 
Durations of Program: 1-2 weeks, 2-4 weeks and 5-8 weeks
Typical Duration of Program: 1-2 weeks
Dates: Inquire for dates

Description: As a volunteer you will spend your mornings based at a medical clinic or with a Home Carer out in the villages, helping sick people in their homes. The clinic is the first point of call for many people and is often very busy. The nurses struggle to consult all of the patients each day, therefore, help from volunteers is gratefully received. Volunteers will never be required to make decisions regarding patient treatments, but will be immeasurable in reducing the workload of the staff by doing basic medical tasks, and they will have the opportunity to learn from the nurses.

Volunteers assistance is invaluable in the following areas:
- Under 5S clinic
- Family Planning
- Antenatal
- Chronic clinic
- Minor ailments

You will build wonderful and rewarding relationships with the hard-working ladies at the clinics. You will also spend time training the nurses with basic computer skills, which will help them to record important data, and assist them with their paperwork, and recording the statistics of the clinic. This is a fantastic way to experience all aspects involved in running a rural clinic.
Some mornings you will also help Home Carers look after sick people in their homes. This may include helping around the patients house, preparing food, making sure patients are taking their medication, and helping to cheer them up by having visitors.

* Afternoon Community Projects:
After having spent the morning in a clinic or with the Home Carers, you will help out the local community in different activities in the afternoon. Typical examples of the community projects you may be involved with are:

* HIV\\AIDS Awareness:
In St. Lucias local community, many myths about HIV/AIDS still prevail. A large percentage of local South Africans believe that the virus is a result of witchcraft, and people infected with it are often rejected from their own communities and families. As a result, many people who are infected do not admit to having the virus. Not many people know how to prevent infection, and even fewer people know how to deal with the virus once they have it.

During your project, you will meet with groups of adults and children from the local communities and do the following:

- Explain, using a simple method approved by the UN, what the HIV/AIDS virus actually is, and how it affects a human body
- Educate people about how the virus is transmitted, and how infection can be prevented
- Explain how, after infection, life can be prolonged through medication, healthier food & lifestyle
- Be involved in an HIV Support Group to provide advice, encourage people to discuss their issues, and make crafts to sell for a much-appreciated income

* Clinic Refurbishment:
The Clinic is in dire need of refurbishment. This run-down clinic sees over 100 patients per day. You will work with local people to fix the roofs, windows, and drainage, paint walls, put up shelving and storage units, and build new walls and rooms.

* Farming
Encouraging the community to grow vegetables is an important step in improving nutrition, especially for the sick, elderly and growing children. By farming areas of land with the community we will be able to provide needy people with fresh vegetables in their diet.

Highlights:
      * Gain basic medical experience in local clinics, with supervision from nurses and our staff
      * Play a role in HIV/AIDS awareness and education
      * Immerse yourself in local Zulu culture
      * Make friends for life

South Africa Travel Highlights:
      * Game drives in the beautiful Hluhluwe and Umfolozi National Parks
      * Visits to the beach, and snorkeling at Cape Vidal
      * Whale and sea turtle viewing
      * Cruises on the St. Lucia Estuary to see hippos and crocodiles
      * Weekend trips to Kosi Bay, Mozambique or the Drakensberg Mountains
      * Cultural tour to a rural village, or a night of traditional Zulu dancing and food

Minimum Education: High School

Cost in US$: Varies. Contact us for details

Credit Available: yes

Experience Required: no

Age Range: Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants' health

This Program is open to Worldwide Participants.

Participants Travel to South Africa Independently

Application Process Involves:

• Resume
• Written Application

African Impact's Mission Statement: African Impact facilitates cultural exchange programmes through volunteer work. We awards you the opportunity to immerse yourselves in local schools, health institutions, communities and wildlife conservation programmes. In this way as a volunteer you are able to leave your mark on a corner of Africa whilst at the same time experiencing a lifestyle that will shift your perspectives and allow you to see our world in a different light. We invite you to join us on a journey to Africa to explore, to inspire and to impact. We invite you to be more than a tourist, but to be a traveller, a conservationist and a humanitarian.

Year Founded: 1999