Volunteer Programmes |
| Basic Volunteer Information: Average Group size: 4 Accommodation: Huts with showers/toilets shared by two volunteers. Time Periods: Variable, minimum recommended stay is 1-3 months. Travel Arrangements: Volunteers travel independently to South Africa. Bhejane Nature Training will assist with your travel and additional accommodation bookings (if needed) once you are in South Africa. Cost: Please enquire. Dates for 2009: Variable, please enquire. What is included in the cost? Meals, basic laundry service, accommodation, additional activities, all training, lectures and programme material. Please contact us for a complete information pack and application forms. |
Bhejane Nature Training facilitates opportunities for Volunteers to work in rural wildlife areas in South Africa, in association with the Space for Elephants Foundation (SEF). (SEF is a non-profit conservation, research and education foundation.) Volunteers can take part in a number of interesting activities relating to wildlife and reserve management, ecotourism development and sociological involvement with the rural host population. Current projects are located in rural Zululand, in the KwaZulu Natal province of South Africa. Space for Elephants, is based here at the Bheki Gumbi Wildlife Reserve, which is located in the Nkosi Gumbi Tribal Authority Area. Background South Africa has been going through a process of land redistribution - this essentially entails the government buying back land from farmers, who had acquired the land during the apartheid years. The areas that are bought back, are typically areas from which local tribal communities were forcefully removed during this time period. One of the local chiefs, Mr Zeblon Gumbi, of the Gumbi clan has recently been awarded a land claim and now has 4 lodges and roughly 20 000 ha of land and game reserves. The Space for Elephants Foundation believes that working with these communities, is the only sustainable solution for the future of conservation in South Africa. SEF has been working with this community for some time now, and the Nkosi is so supportive of their initiatives, that he has awarded them one of the lodges to use, and to further their good work. His only criteria is that the work SEF and also Bhejane Nature Training does here, should bear testament to the fact that we can work together, and prove to South Africa and the world, that we can make a success of this land claim process. The vision is one that sees both black and white South Africans working together to achieve our goals of conservation and tourism. Our main aim at the Gumbi Wildlife Reserve, is therefore to work with local communities and to involve them as much as possible in conservation and tourism. This is achieved by managing the surrounding reserve and developing the Bheki Gumbi Heritage Lodge. The vision of the Space for Elephants Foundation, is to create wildlife corridors for elephants and other wild animals to move between game reserves. The long term effect of this would be a reduced need to cull elephants - The Elephant is the symbol of African Unity and this concept is reinforced in our efforts to teach edge communities to regicide and use the tourism and conservation opportunities that are born out of the now developing corridors. Bheki Gumbi Heritage Lodge The Bheki Gumbi Heritage lodge is a community owned and managed lodge. The lodge is nestled in the mountains, on a hilltop with a spectacular view of the Jozini Dam. The lodge is surrounded by 2000ha of reserve. Bheki Gumbi was the younger brother of Nkosi Zeblon Gumbi. He was passionate about wildlife and the protection of our fauna and flora. He was tragically killed in a motor car accident, on his way home from his final assessment to qualify as an Accredited South African Birding Guide. The Bheki Gumbi Wildlife Reserve and Heritage Lodge is dedicated to the memory Bheki Gumbi. Tourism, Cultural and Hospitality Projects: Developing the lodge as a living museum of Gumbi History up to current day. Develop Training Programmes and additional facilities to train Gumbi people for working in tourism and conservation Develop Facilities to use the lodge as a base for volunteering opportunities that will benefit the Gumbi People. Fund raising for establishment and maintenance water scheme at Gumbi Lodge. (Flowing water is currently available at the lodge, but our aim is to put an environmentally friendly solution in place that will ensure the wise and effective use of water over the long run.) Assist in the research, collation and presentation of the Gumbi Traditional Culture and Heritage, which will become a unique feature of the lodge. Implement and adult literacy project. Working with teachers in local schools that will teach children skills and interest to serve as a foundation for their future. This includes storytelling, music, art, bush theatre, sport and conservation. Assist with the development of Guest Activities such as simulated traditional hunts, survival trails etc. Provide people with basic hospitality skills such as food presentation, housekeeping, marketing and basic finance. Assist with maintenance and repairs of the lodge. Bheki Gumbi Wildlife Reserve Conservation, Wildlife and Reserve Management Projects: Taking down of remaining internal fences, Building waterholes for animals Set up bat boxes Participate in a game and vegetation census Develop guided walking trails, for example medicinal plants and their uses. Assist with a Leopard census and identification programme to record the Leopard Population surrounding and Included in the Wildlife Reserve. Extra activities for volunteers: Bhejane Nature Training will include various additional activities to maximize your time spent in South Africa. This includes game drives and walks, canoing, boat trips on Jozini Dam, trips to archaeological sites such as Border Caves, and Elephanting and Rhinoing with Space for Elephants. |
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