South African Angels

Me with the Angels on the beach :)

When I was asked to write this blog about my time with the “African Angels Independent School”, I tried to recollect and summarize the most special occurrences I experienced during my stay in Chintsa, South Africa. Not an easy task for almost 5 months of school and afternoon activities…Events like taking the children to the zoo or beach, celebrating Human Rights Day with a fun sports competition or entertaining kids at the Greensleeves fundraiser with face paints were wonderful and unique memories that will stay with me.

Ear Doctor Visits Chintsa, South Africa

Otologist Salem, from Texas State in the US, spent several days visiting the Wild Coast Schools last week. He checked the ears of every child in each school (as well as our co-ordinators and some of the teachers!). The kids were fascinated by the technology that he brought along, if a little scared at first at the thought of it being stuck in their ears!

Salem visited Chintsa East, Bulugha and Silatsha Schools as well as Green Sleeves Home of Safety and the Chintsa East Health Outpost. Check out these awesome pictures caught during his work:

Salem at Chintsa Health Outpost

Computer Literacy Students Blog

Some of our computer literacy students have taken an interest in the Vlog and have written a short blog each to be a part of it. Although the internet connection is not currently working at the schools the girls have taken the time to type out their blogs and include a photo of themselves. Read the blogs of Sinesihle, Lusanda, Nolubabalo and Zizipho below:

My Blog

By Sinesihle Luqongo

What is my name? My name is sihle my sername is luqongo

Volunteers Build New Classroom in Rural School

The latest group of International Student Volunteers (ISV) volunteers joined VA32 in Chintsa from 24th June - 5th July and were the fourth group of volunteers taking part in several community development initiatives this winter season. This group saw the start of a major project based in local township school Silatsha which will be undertaken and completed over the next 12 months.

Silatsha school is situated around 50kms from Chintsa and receive support from VA32 volunteers as often as possible, through building and maintenance of the school facilities, sports initiatives and computer literacy classes when possible.

Silatsha currently has five small classrooms in which to teach 8 classes of children from Grade R - 7. In 2010-11 VA32 worked with ISV volunteers to build their fifth classroom and 2013 marks the start of a sixth classroom.

Volunteers Work on Pioneering Sports Development Program in Chintsa, South Africa

This winter season VA32 is pioneering a Sports Development Program for local schools in the wider Chintsa area. Four groups of ISV volunteer groups will be hosted during the next three months and will facilitate this program along with VA32 project manager Denver. 

There is a huge need for programs like this in South Africa where there is no physical education (PE) included in the core curriculum. Extra curricular activities are provided by many private schools (or by sports clubs and training outside of school) and in many cases make up for this lack of sports development, but in the rural schools of the Eastern Cape there is a distinct lack of opportunities for rural learners to take part in these kinds of activities. This could be for many reasons; the families cannot afford to pay for the classes or buy the equipment, the kids cannot get to the clubs and classes as they have no transport and there are little to no clubs hosted locally for kids.

Volunteers Complete Classrooms at African Angels School

The past 4 weeks have seen two groups of ISV Impact Volunteers working with VA32 on a Community Development Initiative to help develop the facilities at the new African Angels Independent School - and this week the projects are almost complete!

(Read our previous blog Group Volunteers Aim to Make A Huge Impact on Chintsa to see the launching of the projects and what work was completed by our first group).

Community Development Project- Completion at African Angels School 

New Computer Lab - ready for computers to be installed

The new computer lab for the school has been set-up and is ready to be installed with computers (which will happen within the next month!).

The door was varnished and a new mural painted on the wall

See How Our Garden Grows!

The afternoons for volunteers are filled with community development initiatives in Chintsa which are designed to support the schools and people who VA32 work with every day.

The last few weeks have seen a new gardening and beautification initiative begun; driven by volunteer co-ordinator Ash, Kate from Friends of Chintsa, local teacher and carer Phumla and (of course) our education project volunteers.

The Gardening Initiative

The gardening initiative has several aims and outcomes:

Food for Thought in Chintsa, South Africa

The Friends Fortnight Fast is a brand new campaign which aims to raise much needed money for the Friends of Chintsa Feeding Scheme in Chintsa East School.

Group Volunteers Aim to Make a Huge Impact on Chintsa

It's Winter again and here at VA32 we're loving having our first ISV Volunteer group here. This is the first of ten groups in total. Six groups will work on our well established initiatives based in community development; completing and maintaining upliftment projects in local rural schools and public spaces. The remaining four groups will pioneer our first group Sports Development initiatives  which aim to provide sporting workshops and skills training for the young learners of the wider Chintsa area. We can't wait!  And we're aiming high...

New Computers for South African Computer Literacy Project

Chintsa East School gets new computers donated to up-grade their struggling computer lab!

The computers waiting to be shipped
from the UK

The last month has been extremely busy for volunteers, our co-ordinator Ash and computer technician Pete! On last month a shipping of 40 second-hand desktop computers finally landed in PE. The computers have had a loooong journey from the UK to South Africa and this huge donation from Afrinspire has been in the pipeline for many months. Once the goodies arrived it was up to our Wild Coast Schools volunteers to unpack, check and list all of the contents of the shipment. Ashley then helped to decide where the computers would be best put to use.

Responsible Travel in South Africa: The Fair Trade Travel Pass

The Fair Trade Travel Pass is a travel package which was launched in 2012 aiming to make it as easy as 1,2,3 for conscientious travelers to explore the best bits of South Africa using only Fair Trade travel establishments. The concept of responsible travel is not new to the world but it can be difficult and labor intensive to try to find verified responsible tour operators, accommodation providers and attractions - just at the time when all you really want is to be able to relax and get some much needed head-space. In steps the Fair Trade Travel Pass (FTTP)!

Journeying from Cape Town along the coast to Chintsa and the Wild Coast, on to the Drakensberg and finally to Soweto in Johannesburg, the FTTP explores some of South Africa's most popular destinations; veers off the beaten track on the thoroughly wild Wild Coast, takes in some of the natural wonders of this beautiful country and explores the sights and sounds of our urban townships. A real mix of purely South African experiences. And all stops are at Fair Trade in Tourism South Africa (FTTSA) establishments. The Pass is also available in reverse order staring in Jo'burg and ending in Cape Town.

Pre-Vet Hands-On Experience in South Africa

VA32 have teamed up with local wildlife and conservation expert Dennis Taylor*, to offer international pre-vet students looking for vital hands-on experience, the opportunity to assist in managing a large conservation area with wildlife interactions, general management of the "ranch" and the opportunity to assist local vetenary surgeons.

The African Pre-Vet Wildlife Experience

Vetenary surgeons working with a rhino

This experience is located on a real-life, working reserve where participants sign up for an internship-style program and assist in all aspects of running and managing the conservation area. Tasks include anything from assisting experts with animal capture, rehabilitation and re-introduction to fence patrols and trap eradication. 

Vote for VA32 Now!

We have entered the Wild Coast Schools Project into the eLearning Africa Photo Competition 2013! Our photo "The Big Green eMachine" needs your votes to win!

The Big Green eMachine

The prizes are: 

1st prize: a tablet PC
2nd prize: a digital camera
3rd prize: mp3 player
Public vote winner: a digital camera

The 10 best photos will be featured in an exhibition from 29th May to 31st May at eLearning Africa in Windhoek, Namibia and announced across the eLearning Africa website. 

We would love to feature in this! Please take two minutes of your time and vote for our image now! Click here to vote...

April

Learning Computer Skills with the help of Volunteers!

Volunteer co-ordinator Ash is encouraging the Wild Coast Schools computer students to take part in our Vlog every week. This week is the turn of Linabo, Grade 3 who wrote the following blog:

"My Life in Chintsa

I like Chintsa because it's pretty and the people are friendly.

I like my school because I have friends there.

Last week in computer lessons we learned about making a book. I chose to make a book about a swallow. We used Microsoft Publisher.

I do sports with the volunteers. I like soccer and volleyball. My favorite player is Kuni.

by Linabo, Grade 3"

Thanks Linabo! Your English is excellent and thank you for your blog! :)

To find out more about the Wild Coast Schools Project which delivers computer literacy to rural school learners in South Africa visit our website or email info@volunteerafrica.co.za.

April

What it is to Volunteer in South Africa

by Paula, Brazil

Me and my fellow volunteers by the VA32 office in Chintsa

 As I stand here on my last day of this amazing experience I try to get it to sink in, what all this means and why it matters so much. My experience in South Africa has really touched me in a lot of ways.

For you to have the confidence to decide to invest your money, time and love to come all the way to this amazing country, Africa, is very special. For me, Africa has always amazed me and travelling is my big passion so coming to volunteer in Chintsa was a dream come true in many ways. How can you not be touched by the unfairness faced by people here everyday, by the misery that touches so many lives and by seeing the consequences of actions made in the past, that still affect the people here today...it's all there, you just have to open your eyes to see it.

My Time as a Volunteer in Chintsa, South Africa

by Patricia, Brazil

Getting into volunteer work not knowing for sure what is expected of you demands courage but also especially demands the will to share love and to help others.

When I came to Chintsa I didn't know how things would be. I didn't know how big and beautiful this project was and the huge love that I'd share in my days as a "vollie".

Love! I think that's the word that better defines work like this.

Today, in my last day at the Community Creche my heart is full of love. I now have an extra charge of love in my life!
My babies will be a part of me forever and I'm sure that a better future is waiting for them.
I leave them with a piece of my heart and take with me all this love which I received here.

Special thanks to all the people of the project and Volunteer Africa 32 Degrees South, and to my dears Nobuntu, Bantu, Ntombi and Robyn - the mama's of Chintsa Creche.



Love! Enkosi!

Patricia 
Criciuma, Brazil





To find out more about the Volunteer Africa Community Preschool Project which Patricia was a part of visit our website. 

Computer Literacy Students join our Blog!

The new volunteer co-ordinator for VA32 education volunteer projects came up with a great idea a few weeks ago - to ask our learners from the schools which we're teaching computer skills in, to write a blog; about school, about their life and them. Our first learner Asive, who is in Grade 6 at Chintsa East School, shared her thoughts on the volunteers, her hometown and computer lessons.

" My Blog

by Asive Gxakaza, Grade 6

My name is Asive, I love my teachers and the volunteers who come to my school. My town is Chintsa East. I love my town, it is beautiful.

Me with the Big Green eMachine!

My schools name is Chintsa East.

I love computer lessons because they are interesting and we learn a lot. I also have nice and lovely friends at school. I love the Big Green eMachine, thanks for the Big Green eMachine.

My spoilts I like are pops (suckers/ lollies!) and dolls.

Love from Asive "

Thank you Asive for sharing your thoughts and writing your first blog!

To find out more about the Wild Coast Schools Project which is enabling rural school learners like Asive to become competent and confident in expressing themselves through computer technology on our website at www.volunteerafrica.co.za.

Look out for more student blogs over the coming weeks!

April

The Big Chintsa Sports Day 2013

In celebration of the handing over of the Chintsa Sports Centre from the Friends of Chintsa, to the Chintsa community.

It's been a looooooong time in preparation, with blood, sweat and tears, planning and re-planning, even the building and moving of an entire volleyball court...but the day arrived on Saturday 2nd February 2013, when the Chintsa Sports Centre was officially handed over from NPO Friends of Chintsa, to the community of Chintsa.

Volunteers Join the Waldorf Nursery Project

The new term of 2013 has seen new little learners join the Waldorf Nursery School in Chintsa (including Nomakwezi's beautiful daughter Alizwa!). Catch the kids enjoying a day of creative learning and play with Tom, Veliswa and Ilana - our current Waldorf volunteer.


If you cannot view this slideshow properly click here to view the flickr gallery.

A big Thank you to Ilana for allowing us to share her photos :)

My First Week Volunteering on the Community Pre-School Project

By Patricia, Brazil.

This is me with Jess (left), Bianca (middle) and some of the
kids from Chintsa.

In my first day at the creche I was introduced to the ladies that work there, to the children and their routine.
There are two separate places to the creche: one for kids between the ages on 0-2 years and on the the 3, 5 and 6 years old.

My work is specially with the babies and everyday I support the ladies, helping with the food, helping the babies to sleep and stopping them crying.

After my first few days I was totally adapted and the kids were getting used to me. Now they know who I am and are not afraid to be with me.

It's not easy work as there are at least 14 children every day, but all the hard work is rewarded by their smiles and "bye-bye"'s that I get every day when I leave the creche.

I'm totally in love with these babies already!

To find more about the VA32 Community Preschool Project visit our website.