Hands-on Volunteer Experience with African Wildlife

Marijke Nunez Start Date: May 23, 2015 - End Date: Jun 26, 2015
  • Zimbabwe

My Travel Story

by: Marijke Nunez Start Date: May 23, 2015 - End Date: Jun 26, 2015
To have the possibility to provide support and help these animals and the local community is an amazing experience that I would love to be able to do. The only problem is that volunteering in this organizations is not cheap and I do not have the means to afford the entire program plus the airfare, visas, vaccinations, travel insurance, and any weekend activity that will make my trip a complete African Experience. After extensive research, I have found the organization that suits me the best. 

The programs:
Endangered Black Rhino & Elephant Conservation: in the 1970s 90% of black rhinos were killed throughout the sub-Saharan Africa, now there are fewer than 2,500 left. Volunteers will get hands-on experience in the rhino breeding program and elephant initiatives, will help in the local schools providing teaching assistance, conservation support, and environmental education to the children. (check WWF for more about the critically endangered black rhinos: www.worldwildlife.org/species/black-rhino)

Hands-On Lion Rehabilitation: over the past 40 years, the African lion population has decreased by 80-90% with an estimated number of lions in Africa to be as low as 32,000. As a volunteer, I will be involved in on-the-ground operations and work with lions to help conserve and rehabilitate them to the wild. 

Why volunteer?
- Not only will I be providing help to the organization helping these animals and the local community, but I will be learning about the culture, wildlife, and history of the country, I will experience what Africa has to offer, and I will be supporting the local communities through education and hands on help.

How will you help?
- the donations that I receive will help me get to the program and have the most amazing weeks of my life, but also a huge portion of the project fee goes directly to funding the animals food, care, and the maintenance of the facilities, as well as maintain the organization going. 

What do you get out of it?
- Besides providing a little grain of sand to the welfare of these animals, you also get the satisfaction of allowing a family member, friend, or stranger to making her dream come true.

I will make sure that you understand how important and amazing this experience is going to be to me by providing you with a Thank You handwritten card (hard to get these days with technology, send me your address so I can mail it to you), I will make sure to share with all of you the pictures, stories, and videos I take of the trip, and I will hug you and perform a 'happy thank you dance' if you would like me to. 

Any extra money earned will be donated to the organization. Also, if you would like to donate any items (clothing, medical supplies, office supplies, etc) let me know and I will make room for them in my suitcase!

Hopefully, I do get the chance to go to this unforgettable trip and I will be forever grateful to all of you. 


Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and donating!
-Mare
  • Zimbabwe

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