WILDLIFE VETERINARY VOLUNTEER PROJECT IN SOUTH AFRICA

Our farmhouse is based in the Mossel Bay area along the Garden Route in the Western Cape of South Africa. Depending on the season, we work from there and travel around the Western Cape. Sometimes work brings us to the Eastern and Northern Cape as well. Captures take place all over South Africa during our winter months so our accommodation will vary depending on locations. Accommodation away will be in comfortable farmhouses, tents, and lodges with either solar power or electricity.

We serve three meals a day. Meals will either be served on the farm or brought with us depending on our activities.

Breakfast is a self-serve continental breakfast (toast, cereals, muesli, yoghurt, fresh seasonal fruit, juice, tea and coffee). Lunch is typically a mix of sandwiches, wraps, salads, quiches and pasta-salads. We aim to make most of dinner meals over a fire and serve traditional South African meals like braai, bobotie with rice and vegetables, potjiekos (traditional stew) as well as popular hits like lasagne and build-your-own-pizza in our pizza oven.

NB. We do cater for specific dietary requirements (gluten-free, lactose intolerant, vegan, vegetarian etc.) but we there is a R250 per person per week surcharge applicable. Please notify us in advance.

South Africa has a number of different cellular network providers, for which SIM cards can be purchased from most shops or at any airport. Various packages allow for phone calls and/or data usage. All of our volunteer projects locations offer free WiFi that enables you to make contact with home. Power and electricity supply can be intermittent in South Africa so do bring your power banks and embrace patience if you encounter an outage.

May to September (winter in the southern hemisphere) are the cooler months and temperatures can be chilly in the evenings and early mornings. Daytime temperatures are mild, usually between 22°C (71°F) to 25°C (77°F), and days can be clear and sunny or overcast. Night-time temperatures can drop to 6°C (43°F).

October to April (summer in the southern hemisphere) most days will be hot and humid. In the middle of summer, temperatures can often reach 34°C+ (93°F+), and the sun is strong.

Most days are clear and sunny, with heavy showers or thunderstorms in the early evenings. You will need a waterproof jacket.

During your wildlife veterinary assistance course, you will be working alongside various capture teams, wildlife professionals and wildlife veterinarians.

Hein Schoeman, the Project Coordinator has dedicated the last 18 years of his career to the wildlife industry. He has countless of captures under his belt and has worked with and treated most African wildlife species. His personal experience and ability to teach and share his knowledge makes him a great asset to the course.

Josephine is a highly passionate Danish qualified veterinarian, a January 2022 course alumni, who later began running the course together with Hein. She shares her knowledge and skills openly and together with Hein she mentors and assists to ensure that every student gets the maximum practical exposure.

At African Impact, our long-term success depends on working to ensure the safety of our volunteers, staff and local communities. With this in mind, we are continually committed to providing high-quality volunteer opportunities in South Africa. We follow the philosophy that a safe and healthy work environment is a fundamental and top responsibility of ours. From the moment you arrive in South Africa to the end of your adventure, we take the utmost care in ensuring your comfort and safety as you carry out volunteer work.