GVI, Ethical Impact: Internships in South Africa

I started this adventure to make a career switch because I'm passionate about wildlife and especially the big mammals. I wanted to switch careers between working with humans to working with animals. Beside some volunteerwork, I didn't have a lot of experience with the bush or the safari life. Spending my time at the Limpopo base has been absolutely wonderful for me. The programs focus isn't only on mammals, they got me interested in bird watching, trees, invertebraes and reptiles. At every occasion I now grab my binoculars to watch some amazing birds here! I feel like I learned so much and I'm very excited to share this knowledge to my friends and family back at home. Life at base feels like one big family. In just a short amount of time you get so close to everyone. Especially because everyone here is very passionate and like-minded. I would highly recommand this program for people searching a career in conservation, it is a first step in the right direction.

In 2017 I completed a 2 week Volunteer trip with GVI at the Karongwe Big 5 Game Reserve. The experience I had then blew my mind and I simple had to get myself back out to South Africa and immerse myself fully into the experience. In 2019 I found myself re-entering the gates of the reserve about to partake on a 6 week long wildlife conservation internship. It was simply amazing being back, with base feeling instantly like home to me. When you share your living and study space with others of the same mentality, drive and ambition the interactions and conversations never fail to disappoint. From testing each other on our bird knowledge, having drum lessons under the light of a full moon to sharing stories of the days drives around the heat of the brie pit...unbeatable!!
The reserve has a metapopulation of Cheetah as do most across Southern Africa, the focus was KCF the newly transferred young female. We would spend our drives tracking her movements and interactions with the male coalition KZN (Kwa, Zulu & Netal) as well as the other predators on the reserve. It was fascinating plotting GIS maps which pinpointed her home ranges as well as close encounters with the Lion pride, Sub Zero at their helm.
We would inevitably encounter all the big 5 during our general reserve drives and log additional data for Birds of Prey, Kills, Rhino IDs, hyena dens etc. Being so close to such monumental animals was within itself mind blowing although when submerged by so much beauty from the land beneath us to the ever changing sky above us I found myself being taken aback by such small seemingly overlooked things. From the first break of morning sun across the mountain tops to the scurrying sounds of dung beetles battling over the mounds of dirt covering the path in front of us. Reserve work drives were always an entertaining experience too; heading out to the bush working on tree management, invasive species control, bush clearance, tree planting and land rejuvenation. When the sun began to set behind the mountains we'd make tracks back to base with sweat soaked shirts, grubby skin and achy limbs but we'd all feel an over powering sense of accomplishment and pride that we'd actively made a positive impact to the running of the reserve and the protection of all the wonderful curiosities held within.
There is something utterly simplistic that touches my heart in a place like this, being cut off from the outside world to bask in the greatness of mother nature. Watching how everything is so expertly entwined together and being a part of protecting something so special and significant to our own existence it's something I urge all of us to do and feel at some point in life.
Life on base is enough to rave about in itself but we're surrounded by an untold amount of places to adventure and experience. I made the most of my Sunday's and mini weekends to explore places like the epic Kruger National Park, took a drive through the Panoramic Route, visited Jessica the Hippo and spent an afternoon at HESC were I saw the King Cheetah for the first time...out of this world!!
Becoming part of the GVI family has expanded my mind and heart in so many ways, I was filled with so much new knowledge during both my stays at Karongwe and I am left thirsty for this journey to continue. I have signed up to complete my full 6 month internship back on the same base...it just goes to show how much of a lasting impression the place, people and wildlife had on my soul.
GVI has given me the confidence to push myself in ways I didn't think I ever could, I have found the courage to leave my job of 8 years in Central London to chase my dreams of working in wildlife conservation full time. My glass is already filled with so much priceless hands on experience and with my continued path into this field with GVI I believe my opportunities will be endless whether abroad or home in England. I am excited to see where this next year takes me and will forever be thankful to the GVI team in the UK and South Africa for being a part of it and turning my dreams into reality!!

After finishing uni and graduating with a zoology degree, I decided to apply for the wildlife conservation internship in Limpopo. Living and working in the bushveld for 6 weeks was one of the most inspiring and unforgettable experiences of my life! It has always been a lifelong goal of mine to work alongside African wildlife and visit the beautiful country that is South Africa so this project was a dream come true!

From the moment I stepped off the plane at Hoedspruit airport, the staff were super helpful, friendly and accommodating. I knew living conditions would be basic and day to day life different from what I was used to, but all worries were immediately put to rest. Life in the bush was fun, educational and eye opening. Every staff member and volunteer that I met were lovely and although we all had come from different backgrounds we all shared a similar passion for wildlife and conservation. I would definitely recommend staying for longer than 2 weeks if you can!

What is particularly great about GVI is that it is so accommodating to volunteers no matter their experience. Useful training is provided during the first week to ensure everyone makes the most of each research drive. No matter your background every person leaves having gained or learnt something new. A typical day will include two research drives, tracking the lion and cheetah and recording data for other species along the way. You will never be short of incredible sightings; from elephants walking right up beside the vehicle to the more elusive leopards in the trees. I was lucky enough to even see a brown hyena!

I highly recommend booking a project with GVI. I learnt a huge amount during my time there and now have an even greater appreciation for wildlife conservation. It has opened up new ideas and opportunities for me and given me confidence in my future career path. I have made the most amazing friends who I still keep in contact with and hold the most special memories. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat.

This was an incredibly beneficial internship, which have me the opportunity to develop myself professionally whilst also working alongside likeminded people and meeting inspiring figures from within the local community. The role involved tackling various challenges that arose when starting up new enterprises in a developing country and has given me a great grounding in a variety of aspects of business, from marketing to supply chain and pricing.

At the same time, it gave me a chance to explore a beautiful part of the world and immerse myself in a new culture.

It’s also helped massively in terms of helping my career propects, giving my CV a massive boost and also playing a big part in enabling my to secure a graduate role.

The internship is at times daunting and is not without its challenges but is without doubt one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done, and I would 100% recommend it to people of any age or experience.

I took part in the Wildlife Conservation Short Term Internship in Limpopo during the summer of 2018 after searching online for a volunteering abroad. I spent 2 months with GVI and the days consist of two game drives which are always full of surprise as you never know what your going to see. As well as game drives you get involved in reserve management which is great fun as you get involved in many different projects. They teach you a lot in the first week, so that everyone has the same knowledge no matter of previous experience and makes sure you get the most out of the experience. The staff are really knowledgeable and great fun, always there to answer any questions. Life on base is basic but a welcome change to normal life and the food is incredible. After coming back from GVI it has helped me realise where my strengths lie and given me many options for career development where I was lost before. You truly see once in a lifetime sightings and make friends for life. I had the most incredible time and never wanted to leave which is a feeling I have never had when volunteering abroad before.

An internship GVI in South Africa is simply the perfect balance between learning a lot, having a lot of fun and amazing sightings every day ! I could not have hope better for my first experience in Africa. The staff members and the volunteers were super nice and very welcoming. I was nervous in the flight on my way to South Africa, but after a day being at the base, I already felt part of the big GVI family.

The difference between GVI Limpopo and a safari experience from a lodge is that with GVI,we contribute to the welfare of the wildlife by collecting important data and more, or through reserve work management. Volunteers can leave here feeling like they have made a difference, and truly contributed to the wildlife conservation. Having awesome daily sightings is the result of the hard work that we all put in and this is a marvellous feeling.
Being this close of the three male cheetah everyday was something that I could never forget. After finding the cheetah, we were either going to look for other animals of the reserve, always learning as much as possible with a very passionate and enthusiastic staff member. It is so much more pleasant to learn about elephant or eagle when they are standing right in front of you.
In the vehicle, we get the chance to observe the animals very closely, without intruding on their space and natural behaviour. I have had so many amazing sightings and every day has felt better than the previous day.

Sharing the same house with more or less 20 people in the middle of a reserve is an incredible feeling. Here, I've reconnected myself with nature, with the world and with humanity. You can not have a bad day during your time here, as everyone's happiness and optimism will always cheer you up, even during your difficult moments.

With GVI, you'll meet different type of volunteers. Some are like me, they want to come here to gain experience on the CV as a Wildlife conservationist or Field Guide. I also met volunteers studying or having jobs not related at all to animals conservation, such as math, fashion or chemistry. However, everyone here shared a common passion which is the wildlife, and everyone was always keen to teach or learn about it.

One of the main believe of GVI is to make difference on the field, which means that we were not only learning and working on the reserve but also outside the reserve, being involve in the community around Karongwe. During my time, I visited the local schools where I've spent time with the kids, playing football and teaching them about the environment. The kids were lovely, they wanted to learn as much as we wanted to teach them, and they gave me motivation and conviction in the path I've chosen.
I believe so much in the Global Vision Internation project, which is to impact volunteers careers by helping local people in places where they need us the most.

GVI has given me the chance to project myself on the long term, and I feel like this internship has answered so many questions to my professional life. GVI has given me conviction in the fact that, when united, we can truly make a difference in the world, with a lot of work but also by having a lot of fun.

I will never be grateful enough for this incredible experience that I've had the pleasure to share with the volunteers and the staff members, and I will definitely return next year for another internship.

I did the South Africa Wildlife Conservation Short Term internship for six weeks in Karongwe private game reserve and it was the best decision I have ever made. The staff are amazing and it was a pleasure to work and learn from them professionally and to get to know them personally. They are all very friendly and are always open to any questions about the environment. The reserve is incredible and you will be able to see and experience things at GVI that you could have never imagined possible from magnificent close ups with the Big Five to spectacular views of birds which cannot be found anywhere else. I would recommend to anyone, whether you want to pursue a career in environmental conservation or not, to come to GVI as you will gain the experience of a lifetime and memories that will stick with you forever. My only regret is that I did not book to stay for longer as GVI creates an environment that you never want to leave and helps to create friendships that will last a lifetime.

I had an incredible experience as a wildlife conservation intern in South Africa. We were based in Karongwe Private Game Reserve, which was about 45 min outside of Kruger Park. Each day we spent around 8-10 hours in the field, tracking the local wildlife (mainly the large predators and herbivores) and taking valuable data. The scenery was incredible, and we were often treated to amazing sunrises and sunsets on our drives! It was also wonderful to live in community with other volunteers. GVI does a great job of building community and encouraging the volunteers to get to know each other. I really enjoyed that aspect, and there were certainly many fun memories from our time on the base camp! Overall, this experience made a profound impact on my life moving forward. I had always thought of wildlife conservation as just a secondary interest, but after going on this trip I've realized that I want to integrate wildlife conservation into my career moving forward, and I'm very excited about it.