Travel blog: Volunteering in Masiphumelele, South Africa

Children playing in Masiphumelele, South Africa

Sunday, 16, Nov 2008 12:00

Richard Aylen is swapping the daily routine of an 8-5 London lifestyle for a 24-7 cross continent trip taking in Africa, south-east Asia and Australasia. From Cape Town to the Cook Islands via Chiang Mai and Christchurch, his trip will take him from the capital of the UK and deep into backpacker territory. This is his fourth blog:

Backpacking around the world is becoming an increasingly common activity for the youth of today.

With the cheap cost of flights to exotic destinations across the globe, more and more people can say they have been to Thailand's islands, or Australia's beaches.

With that in mind before my trip, I planned to add a different twist to my experience by undertaking a four-week volunteering project near Cape Town.

Working with about 50 children from a township near Fish Hoek in Cape Town was not my idea of fun and it certainly proved to be one of the most challenging experiences of my life.

But despite the difficultly of the task, it certainly provided me with a unique and memorable time.

Tourism is often criticised for damaging local customs and offering small profits to those making the biggest sacrifices. But volunteering was certainly a way to put something back into a place that has benefitted you on your travels.

My four weeks were spent working in a day care centre for children from the township of Masiphumelele. The children who attend the Love and Care centre were aged between zero and eleven and they come to the haven during the day time while their families are at work.

If they were not there they would be on the streets. While it is certain that the centre would not close without volunteers - mainly because its founder would not allow it - the help is much needed.

There are usually four of five women, but sometimes only three, looking after about 50 children. This means they must clean and change the babies, feed everyone and entertain a large group of rowdy toddlers.

Many of the children suffer from illnesses including TB and HIV and several have lost parents placing them in the care of other family members who are all struggling to survive themselves.

Our project began with an introduction to the children, who promptly named me and the other boy volunteering as 'Mr Bo' because they rarely see male volunteers. Many of the children may not be lucky enough to go to school because of the cost, so any knowledge through teaching that volunteers can provide is a valuable asset.

After eating their morning breakfast - a bowl of sloppy 'porridge' - the children are able to sing songs and enjoy playtime. But throughout the day they are given the freedom to interact with volunteers; playing, asking questions and enjoying themselves.

Roughly 40 minutes of teaching is also given, ranging from the alphabet to writing and using numbers depending on the development of the children. While lessons are not the volunteer's favourite part of the day, it was an important part of the volunteer's role in helping the kids to a better start.

After eating a lunch of chicken, vegetables and rice, boiled together into a soft dish, the children spend the rest of the afternoon playing and interacting with the volunteers. While the children may have little luxury at home, it is hard to believe they would even want to spend an afternoon on a PlayStation - a big difference to any children back at home. They are also incredibly positive and full of life, a lesson many people in privileged societies could learn.

The project was organized through i-to-i, a company offering volunteer travel experiences in many destinations across the world. Paying for the project (£795 at the time I purchased it) was not a concept I was particularly happy with. However, I believe it does offer travellers a chance to enjoy a reliable and safe experience that they may not have the contacts to arrange.

The fee also provided me with four weeks of accommodation as well as an on-site team to arrange weekend excursions or help in emergencies. It also placed me with about 15 other volunteers in the same house meaning an instant chance to meet friends which whom to unwind after a long day.

i-to-i does operate as a business so volunteers should not expect to see their money go directly to the people running their project. This is not something that is easy to accept, particularly when I saw how little those in Love and Care operated on. But the chance to volunteer in a foreign country, when you have little or no knowledge of the place, is not something you can necessarily expect for free.

It also gives those back at home reassurance that the safety and well being of their loved ones is being looked after.

Ultimately, the expensive cost of the project was the only downside to a memorable and worthwhile experience.

So while I will be able to join the others in sharing my tales islands and beaches I will also be able to tell a unique and memorable story of volunteering in one of Cape Town's most under privileged communities.

Richard Aylen