Best experience of my life

Working at the orphanage was the best experience of my life. The goal of the orphanage is to help and to give a second chance to injured or orphan animals. It’s not always likely to release the animals but I can tell that the staff is making everything they can to make that possible. I loved being a volunteer there because everything you do helps the animals to recover. For example, you will be given tasks like cleaning and redecorating the animals’ enclosures, feeding them, playing with them and most of all, making sure that they’re having a good life. Having volunteers around is very important and it is not only because of their help, but also because every dollar invested by them helps the animals to recover and to be in a good shape.

I’m very proud of myself to have been on the team for three weeks and I hope that my photos will encourage people to participate in the project too. Every animal has their own story and this is exactly what inspired me during my trip. Believe it or not, when I went home after this project, I was kind of a different person. You learn so much and you may realise things you never thought of.

Please take note that the orphanage is not a zoo, and that there’s always a reason why all these animals are not released in the wild yet. For example, they have to wait to have a few more monkeys to release them all, because they are animals that live in a group.

The other aspect I really enjoyed is that you have the chance to do other trips during your stay. For example, the staff can arrange a trip to the Matopos National Park or at Victoria Falls for you. All you need to do is to pay and to have a wonderful experience there!