Further Information
Southern Africa Volunteer Explorer

Wildlife Research Expedition in South Africa - Expedition members participate in wildlife monitoring projects, to assist research on predator/prey interactions by radio tracking, and spending one week in five in smaller satellite camps to help with conservation and biodiversity studies of mountain habitats in the vicinity of the conservation expedition base. Experiencing Africa’s famous animals like lions and elephants in a unique and simple way as they hunt and fight is an experience never to be forgotten.

Volunteer in an Orphanage in Cape Town, South Africa - Due to a lack of adequate funding the children's home is unable to employ qualified teachers to assist them. Most of the care givers in the village have only a very basic education and limited English. For many of the children English is not their first language and unfortunately one of the pre-requisites for children in primary schools in South Africa is that they have a good grasp of English, as this is the language used to teach all classes from Grade 4 upwards. Those children that are not able to understand English will fall behind. Mama Lumka wants to ensure that the children in the village get the opportunity to learn English which will ensure that they are well prepared for primary school. GVI aims to assist the home with developing and implementing an education program which will satisfy Mama Lumka's wishes and in time hopes to pass on the necessary skills to some of the care givers currently at the home.

This particular program is unique to GVI and all funding and manpower comes directly from Global Vision International and its volunteers. Without the contributions and assistance from GVI and the volunteers this educational program might not exist, and these children may be left struggling to keep up once it comes time for them to go to primary school.

Volunteer Work with Desert Elephants in Namibia - The research provides invaluable information for the government on Elephant numbers and identifications - all integral to the successful management of the Desert elephants Through concerted efforts by the ministry of environment and tourism, IRDNC, Save the Rhino Trust and other NGO’s over the past 20 years, the population of desert dwelling elephants in the region has grown from as low as 52 members to a current population of over 600 elephants. There has been improvement in the peaceful co-habitation between the subsistence farmers, and the desert adapted elephants, through research, education and development.