Program Reviews

I am grateful to have have had the opportunity to meet such a wonderful group of people. The staff and volunteers at Lion House were all unbelievably kind hearted and were the main reason for why my time in South Africa was one to remember. It was fantastic having the opportunity to work with different communities in South Africa and getting an insight into the wonderful initiatives set up by the locals.

Although I had a lovely experience living amongst other volunteers, exploring South Africa and working alongside the locals, I'd say that most of the work I contributed was not very impactful at all. The Girl Impact project is not yet very established in South Africa, and I spent most of my time sitting around or partaking in activities that I felt were not a good value for time (e.g. sitting and watching a girls football team play football and call this 'supporting' the girls). Not only did I have an issue with my project but also felt that other projects were overstaffed (picture a class of approximately 15-25 with 6 volunteers and a teacher). The main issue I had with African impact was that for a lot of the projects I did not understand the need for volunteers. For example, we would volunteer and deliver a lesson to a class of young kids, however the teacher of the class (a South African local) was more than capable of delivering that same session (in fact the teachers were so great, that they could probably deliver a lesson better than all the volunteers combined) so I did not understand why we went in and were doing that teachers job whom could do a much better job than us. Even with the Girl Impact Project, African Impact hired a local to coordinate and deliver the project. She was great at doing her job and did not need our support in delivering the programme at all, in fact I think it would have been more impactful if she had delivered on her own since she could speak the language of the beneficiaries.

Although, I enjoyed my time in South Africa, I do not believe that some of African Impact's projects were impactful or sustainable. The staff are all clearly well intentioned and highly motivated individuals, I do believe that with continued efforts, African Impact in SA could do a much better job in aiding those most impoverished. They just need to figure out where volunteers could be used to have the most impact and re-evaluate some of their partnerships so that they are being as helpful as possible (e.g. instead of going in to do the teachers job, simply provide resources the school does not have access to).

My time in Livingstone, Zambia was unforgettable! I volunteered at the teaching project during school holidays. African Impact organised a holiday club for the children in Libuyu for keeping them busy during school holidays and keeping them off the streets. The children were divided in two groups: 1-4th grade and 5-7th grade. However, the groups were very big (40 children each) it was really fun to work with the children. Annie, the teaching and sports coordinator, did such a good job! During the first days you can choose to assist her to get introduced and used to the teaching methods, and if you're ready for it you can take up more responsibilities. There is also the opportunity to switch between teaching and sports. The sports project is organised together with a local staff memeber, Chiza, who is doing an amazing job with the children. Everyday there is another subject, for instance history, geography, maths, english, eco-art, etc.

In the afternoon, there is a wide range of community projects and Sjeel, the project manager, makes sure that you can get a taste of each of them. If you have any preferences you can just let her know. I really enjoyed reading club, art club and the stretching exercises we've implemented at the old people's home.

During the weekends you're free to do some travelling or activities. The staff of the hostel will give you the information you need and will help you by booking these activities as well. A visit to Victoria Falls is obviously a must do, and they arrange a free shutte every morning. The volunteering staff as well as the hostel staff are such lovely people and I'm so glad I got the chance to get in touch with them all. Same for the volunteers! Everyone comes with the same goal and mindset, so you will definitely make some friends from all around the world.

This is definitely a life-changing experience!

When I was 21, I made ventured out overseas for the first time to make my very first impact with the African Big 5 Wildlife and conservation project in South Africa. that experience stuck with me for the rest of my life. and ever since then, I have made my impact with the project another three more times throughout the years.
for each time I have work in the project, I've had the pleasure of working with like minded people from over the world with a passion of wildlife conservation such as myself. being surrounded by that atmosphere enriched my experience even more then I hoped.
the staff at each location were always welcoming and supportive with my time at each project. with the guidance and field guides we would set out on game drives where we could have a chance to see anything such as the Big 5, Giraffes, Kudu, Impala, Nala, Aardvarks etc, from which each drive was always different which made it even for exciting.
I have also gain many skills such Data collection and entry, conservation work such as evasive plant removal, litter pickup, fire break and erosion control. we also took part in bird surveys, presentation on wildlife topics and also helping out in the community such as teaching children how to read and with business skills with running their own vegetable farms.
I would highly recommend this organization to anyone with a passion with wildlife conservation.

This whole experience will be something I will remember for the rest of my life. It felt like I was home with a beautiful family. I learned so much as a photographer but also as a person. The staff was so kind and so nice and they always put our safety first. I was so happy there, that I will be returning as soon as I can. The opportunities I received to grow as a photographer were way more amazing then I could've ever imagined and it always made me so happy! We always had something to do and the schedules were always filled with interesting things to do. The cooking was amazing!! Not only did they thought about allergies, but they always had something for everyone to eat. This was so nice and I appreciated it so much. The sleeping accommodations were very comfortable and my roommates were always the sweetest!

Future Social Work Interns,
There will be good days and hard days (but I promise you there won't be any bad days). I had the moment a fantastic opportunity to work alongside South African Child and Youth Workers who spend their days looking after children in a foster care home. Although you've most likely read the Social Work and Youth Development package and expect to be doing what you have a go through at home, that honestly may not be the case. However, I will share with you what my case is...

I came here as a part of my studies for school to get my College credits for placement. This became the greatest thing that I am so glad that I am a part of! The children you work with on a daily basis and the Mama's, Drivers, Managers and people who are full-time staff on the project have become family. You learn wonders and experience what it means to be outside of your comfort zone. This program helps you gain a much greater perspective than the one you've arrived with.

So if you are ready for an experience that leaves you on fire to become a world changer than AI waiting for you... so step outside your comfort zone and live the best life you can live.

The fact that we get to interact with so many places makes everything worth it, you actually feel like your making an impact on these kids and it never becomes a routine. I would like to highlight the fact that African Impact is very organized, they have everything structured which makes it just more professional and easy going. I've been volunteering before and we didn't spend the whole day at the project which I think is totally worth it if you're traveling abroad for a volunteer experience.

I volunteered back in 2013 in Victoria Falls at the Lion Conservation and Rehab. centre for ALERT. I still look back incredibly fondly on my experience with both companies and am still in love with everything about it. I follow on social media a lot and it just makes me smile every time I see the work being done on many projects across Africa. The teams were super supportive of the volunteers, and with me being only 18 at the time and travelling to a new continent alone for the first time, I felt incredibly safe and supported. The work that we did was so fulfilling and crucial and I would love to go back one day! I highly recommend getting in touch, they will point you in the right direction for the right project for you to get stuck into! I have also made friends for life and stay in touch with them - in Europe and Africa! We were incredibly lucky as well to be close to an orphanage project they were running and we integrated with the local community and visited and supported a local tribe. Community spirit is definitely at the heart of these projects!

This was by far one of the most accommodating and rewarding volunteer trips I have gone on. From the welcome packet, orientation, child protection policy, and weekly topic based seminars, the program and staff go above and beyond to make sure everyone feels welcome and supported in the stay. The community partners that they pair with are top notch and each day is set up for success starting the day prior to ensure each program and project is set up for success. My one bit of feedback to the program was not to require experience but to possibly provide some incite prior to arrival on the weekly planning need and goals for each program so that each volunteer can bring some ideas to the table in advance (if desired).

My only disappointment was not staying longer.

I spent two months on the Girl Impact Internship in Livingstone, Zambia, and I loved it so much that I'm already back adding another month to my internship! I fell in love with the local community of Livingstone and at the house, everyone is so welcoming, inclusive and ready to help. The organized activities such as movie night, games night and Sundowners are encouraged but not mandatory, so if you need a night to yourself to unwind you can do so, while also enjoying bonding time. I liked that I could make the internship into what I wanted it to be, such as even though social media work isn't necessarily in the internship description, I asked if I could work on it and they were more than happy to let me do so. I also like how they are very open to new ideas on how to improve or how to make the experience for the volunteer and the students as best as it can be. I was able to use my own skills to improve their programs while also learning new skills that I can carry with me for future job opportunities.

I joined the gender equality program in Cape Town after doing research about the impact I'd be making. This is an incredible project that works at grassroots level with the community to make the biggest impact possible.

The predeparture information that was sent to me from Head Office and the team on the ground was thorough and made me feel calm and reassured during my application. This set me up for a wonderful trip.

My flight was long but once I arrived one of the African Impact team members was waiting for me at the airport. With a short trip to the volunteer house (which is right on the beach by the ways!) the work began. I was able to set myself up, shower and change before I had my induction. The induction was held with the rest of the arrivals and created a professional environment.

The next day we were out on project and it was wonderful! Meeting community members and understanding the impact of my placement was felt immediately. I really recommend this project - if you have any questions, just ask away!