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Become a volunteer

Costs

Accommodation costs R1400 per person per week or R5600 for four weeks.  Use the table below to convert these costs into your local currency.

What you get ...

  • A shared bedroom and bathrooms

  • Bed linen and towels

  • Evening meals Mon-Thu

  • Internet access

  • A weekly clothing wash

  • A weekly cleaning lady

  • Transport to and from the airport

  • Local coordinator

  • Visa assistance

 

 

What you don't get ...

  • Airline tickets

  • Breakfasts, lunches and weekend meals

  • Beverages, luxuries and personal items

  • Touring and trip expenses

 

Reasons to come ...

  • To explore.

  • Find a new perspective on life.

  • "Find yourself".

  • Make a difference for those less fortunate than yourself.

  • Experience a different culture from the "inside".​​

  • Experience South Africa the way South Africans do.​

Medical

There are many world-class private doctors, dentists, pharmacies, clinics and hospitals available should you need one.

 

Smile with us

*** Uber and Taxify are also available ***

Tourism Trips

There is a lot of time on the weekends to do short trips within 300km of Port Elizabeth where you can experience the great outdoors and amazing wildlife at the southern edge of Africa!

Trips to other major areas, like Capetown, can also be arranged.

Most of this can be arranged with your accommodation hosts or the project management, while you are here.

Doing an Internship

There are opportunities to do internships in kindergarten and social work (pedagogy) at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre.

 

Professional and on-the-job supervision can be arranged but will need to be coordinated through direct communication with your educational institution and according to their criteria.

A Student Visa confirmation letter can be arranged on request.

There are opportunities to do internships in kindergarten and social work (pedagogy) at the Ubomi Obutsha Centre.

 

Professional and on-the-job supervision can be arranged but will need to be coordinated through direct communication with your educational institution and according to their criteria.

A Student Visa confirmation letter can be arranged on request.

Safety

We know that South Africa has a bad image overseas for it's crime but, just like many big cities in the world, there are just places that you don't go late at night or on your own where you would stand out as an obvious target for criminals looking for an opportunity.

You should have no problems by simply using your common sense and doing simple things like keeping your car doors locked and windows rolled up at the traffic lights or not flashing your electronic equipment or money in poorer or commercial areas.

 

We have never had a volunteer leave because they felt unsafe or because of something that happened to them.

 

Where to Stay

Unless coming through a volunteer agency of your own arrangement, we recommend our volunteers be accommodated with the Hope Volunteer Programme operated by Peter and Daphne Morkel.

 

The Morkel's are long-standing friends and supporters of the Ubomi Obutsha Centre and run a friendly and well-priced home-away-from-home in a suburban area close to shops, etc.

 

Home cooked meals and conversation around the dinner table provide a great space to debrief after a day in a foreign culture and to get gain insight into South African life without the "tourist" filter.

 

Visit their website by clicking the link below ...

 

Transport

Transport to and from The Ubomi Obutsha Centre can be arranged but most volunteers prefer to hire a car as it gives more freedom . . . especially in the evenings and on the weekends and holidays.

 

Depending on the level of luxury you're looking for, reliable cars can be rented for between R100 and R200 per day.  This obviously works out cheaper if you share.​

Remember though ... we drive on the LEFT and not the WRONG side of the road!  

Use the table below to convert these costs into your local currency.

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