Childcare Support Township Shelter

Us and the volunteers work closely together with the locals of the township Motherwell, who want to improve life in the township and ensure a better future for their children.

Your main task will be to help out and take care of the small children (up to 5 years old) at the township preschool and shelter. As the residents here cannot afford the usual preschools, Nwabisa, called the Mama started this charity shelter and needs any support she can get.

Besides this we have a diverse program in which you can participate as well:

• we organize afterschool activities like sports, arts, planting, practising English, playing games and environmental activities
• we help out at a kids soup kitchen run by Nwabisa, the 'Mama' of the neighbourhood
• we do art with the kids at the Hand in Hand Art Studio and Art Academy run by the two artists Sakumzi and Coco
• we beautify the area together with the locals
• we do the 'Flowers for Africa' project once a month, where kids paint huge flowers on the walls of their shacks
• we organize events in our artistic park, which we created out of a dumpsite

Besides the weekly program, we organize different events in the township where everyone can show their art and do music, dancing or theatre performances on a little stage. We also offer workshops for sustainability, gardening, English, maths and art and we hold meetings with the locals to discuss environmental and social issues with them.

Once a month we do the 5 days ‚Flowers for Africa‘ workshop initiated by the artist Luc van der Walt and the non-profit organisation ‚Art to uplift‘ which provides underprivileged children with the therapeutic experience of art.  With a group of artists, the children are painting flowers bigger than themselves on the murals of their communities. The children are left proud, educated and more confident in themselves and the community is inspired to make other improvements. 

The volunteers are accommodated in a nice guesthouse in Port Elizabeth and are working with the kids and facilitators in the township 5-6 hours daily from Monday to Friday.

After breakfast in the morning, you can relax in the garden, go for a swim in the river, go surfing, go to the beach, go for a hike or take a SUP on the river.

Around 1am our project initiator Luc takes you to the township Motherwell.

As childcare supporter there will be different tasks every day, most of the time you play with the kids, do art, games and sports activities with them. You teach them english and help out Nwabisa with the English classes. You will also help Nwabisa with cooking for the kids in the afternoon.

Besides this, you are always welcome to help out with our Community Upliftment Projects.

Around 6pm you go back to your lovely accommodation and enjoy the amazing vibe on our terrasse at the river or at our fireplace together with the other volunteers and project facilitators. Usually the project facilitators cook together with the volunteers a Pojke or another healthy meal. We offer fresh veggies, rice and noodles for you to use. The dinner is always a nice way to reflect the day and have some beers together.

• The guesthouse has a lovely garden right at the river where you can swim and use our Standup Paddle boards, the perfect place to relax in your free time
• Do Yoga or Meditation in our guesthouse
• Port Elizabeth is known for its pristine beaches: You can have a beach day, take a surf lesson with our Surf Instructor Luc or go surfing by yourself
• PE is a windy area, so it's great for kiteboarding, windsurfing and sailing.
• Go camping on the beach with us and cook delicious meals on the fire
• Visit the Addo Elephant Park, it is just 40 minutes away
• Other game reserves are also close by
• Go hiking in the mountains and swim in secret lagoons
• Experience a real township Braai and a real township party at a Shabeen
• Do some art with the artist Sakumzi at his Hand in Hand art gallery in the township
• Go out in the city of Port Elizabeth
• Visit the different festivals, events and markets in PE
• Surf the longest wave of South Africa in Jeffreys Bay
• Do a weekend trip to the picturesque area of Natures Valley and the Garden Route
• We offer unforgettable 2-6 days Surftours around the Wild Coast or the Garden Route with our Van