from 500€

Brilliant 4.7rating (21)
  • Life On Land

Vervet Monkey Rehabilitation Volunteer

location
389€ per week  ·  1 - 16 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

  Verified by Volunteer World
  Good response rate

Highlights

  • Hand Raising Orphaned Wildlife
  • Become a Surrogate Monkey Mum
  • Releasing Rehabilitated Wildlife Back into the Wild
  • Experience Life in the South African Bush living amongst the animals at the Centre
  • Learn More About the Care of Wild Animals

Especially suitable

Age 18+
Singles
Couples
Families
Groups
50+

About the program

Helping wildlife requires a lot of work! So we need volunteers to help us in our struggle by participating in the daily tasks of the center.

Helping Hands 4 Wildlife, formally known as DIY Wild is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre based at the foot of the stunning Hlumu Hlumu Mountains in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa.

We are the only primate rehabilitation in the province, and as such our work focuses mainly on vervet ...

About the program

Helping Hands 4 Wildlife, formally known as DIY Wild is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre based at the foot of the stunning Hlumu Hlumu Mountains in the Mpumalanga region of South Africa.

We are the only primate rehabilitation in the province, and as such our work focuses mainly on vervet monkeys. The majority of these monkeys come in as tiny babies after their mothers have been shot, poisoned or hit by cars or killed so that people can raise the baby as a pet.
We also take in any other wildlife that needs to be rescued and to date have successfully worked with mongoose, many antelope and bird species, warthog, bushpigs, bushbabies, small predators and reptiles. 
Helping Hands 4 Wildlife is a non profit organisation and, with no government support, relies solely on the donations from volunteers to continue its vital work. Without the volunteers, Helping Hands 4 Wildlife would not exist and the many animals we take in each year would not have a future.

Volunteers are essential for the success of this project and are required for every aspect of the day to day running of the project. There is no typical day and although many of the jobs are a daily necessity such as feeding and cleaning, there is always a new experience or job that needs doing. We will ensure you will get involved and have fun while learning new skills, meeting new people and experiencing a new way of life all while making a huge difference to wildlife conservation.
While you are a volunteer with us you will be treated as a professional member of the team and it is important that you use your initiative and listen and learn. By all working together as a team we can achieve big things for the animals in our care. 

Typical day

Typical everyday tasks can include:

•Daily feeding routines and sorting of new food deliveries
•Hand raising and bottle feeding of orphans (Nov-May)
•Working in the baby monkey nursery (Nov-May) to supervise and ensure they are playing, sleeping, feeding etc.
•Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning!! We ...

Typical day

Typical everyday tasks can include:

•Daily feeding routines and sorting of new food deliveries
•Hand raising and bottle feeding of orphans (Nov-May)
•Working in the baby monkey nursery (Nov-May) to supervise and ensure they are playing, sleeping, feeding etc.
•Cleaning, cleaning, cleaning!! We need to ensure all the enclosures and work areas are kept clean to avoid any infections.
•Helping to administer medicines
• Construction projects - helping to build enclosures, fixing fences, taking down old fences, painting, fixing, maintenance, laying pipes etc.
• Taking part in animal rescues or releases
• Land maintenance such as alien tree removal or burning fire breaks
• Enrichment projects

The extra work can include:
• Cleaning, sorting and feeding the mealworms
• The weekly food shop
• Food collection
• Sorting food donations
• Gardening - we have a vegetable garden we are trying to get going to help us become more self sufficient.
• Helping with fundraising ideas
• Helping in the office
• Helping with educational tours
• General site clean ups

Free-time activities

Volunteers get one day off per week to relax, hike the local mountains or waterfalls or visit the local resort (this is dependent on a vehicle being available to give you a lift and a petrol donation). The day off you will be allocated will be dependent on other volunteers at the project but if you ...

Free-time activities

Volunteers get one day off per week to relax, hike the local mountains or waterfalls or visit the local resort (this is dependent on a vehicle being available to give you a lift and a petrol donation). The day off you will be allocated will be dependent on other volunteers at the project but if you are travelling as a group then we will try and give you off time on the same day.

You also have the opportunity to go to a waterfall about 30 minutes walk from Helping Hands 4 Wildlife or hike on the mountain Hlumu Hlumu ( approx. 2hours).
Forever Resorts borders our property and is ideal for a day trip on your day off. They have natural hot spring pools, a water park, a spa and activities such as quad biking and horse riding. A R50 fee is required to cover petrol to drop you off and pick you up.

Kruger National Park: It would be a shame to come all the way to Africa and miss out on seeing the Big 5 in their natural habitat.
You can book a trip to Kruger through us of varying lengths (day trips, 1 night and 2 night stays) 

The boarder to Swaziland is just 45 minutes drive from us. Once in Swaziland you can visit the famous glass blowing centre at Ngwenya and numerous beautiful waterfalls and dams. 

These are extra trips and can be arranged on site.

Requirements

Requirements

Minimum Age: 18 years

In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

Language Skills

You need to speak English (basic level)

Nationality Restrictions

No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

Other Skills

No skills or previous experience are required - just a passion for wildlife and the willingness to get involved with all the work at the centre.

Time Commitment

Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 07:00 - 17:00

What's Included

What's Included

Services by Helping Hands 4 Wildlife

 The fees include:
  • Accommodation in shared rooms with on suite bathroom in wooden chalets
  • Hot water showers
  • Free Wifi in the communal areas
  • 3 Meals a day in the Mount Hlumu Restaurant
  • 1 transfer to and from Nelspruit or Milly's in Machadadorp from the City Bug bus shuttle service
  • Room cleaning once a week with linen change
  • Laundry once a week
  • A night out meal once a week
  • A 24/7 dedicated volunteer coordinator
  •  Full training in all aspects of work
  • A considerable donation towards the animal food and care 

Airport Pickup at Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport

We pick up volunteers from Nelspruit on a Monday. We suggest the citybug bus from JHB airport but there is also the option to fly up to KMIA airport.

Accommodation

Volunteers stay in shared accommodation in our wooden chalets. There are a maximum of 3 people to a room (males and females separated) with a shared on suite bathroom with a shower and hot water.
Private rooms are available at an additional daily charge and subject to availability. 
We provide all bed linen and towels and 1 of our housekeeping staff will clean the chalet and supply fresh bedding once a week.

Food & Beverages

 Daily meals will generally consist of the following:
  • Breakfast:  A selection of cereal and muesli, toast with jam, fruit, tea and coffee.
  • Lunch: Eaten between 12-1pm Basic lunches such as sandwiches, pasta, salads, pies, omelette.
  • Dinner: We provide filling meals such as pastas, stews, bolognaise, stir fry's, rice dishes etc.

Internet Access

Good access at the project site

What's NOT included?

What's NOT included?

Flight Tickets

The nearest airport is Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport (MQP) in Nelspruit. We assist you to find cheap flights to South Africa. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

Travel Insurance

Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for South Africa provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

Vaccines

If you are intending to volunteer in South Africa you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for South Africa. VACCINE CHECKER

Details on arrival

You will need to fly into Johannesburg OR Tambo airport and take a bus to Nelspruit. The most economical is the CityBug which goes directly from the airport to Neslpruit. The cost is approximately R390 each way.

We pick up volunteers every Monday (until 4pm) from Nelspruit. 
If you arrive early into Nelspruit we can recommend a backpackers to stay overnight.

Please note it is essential to book your bus ticket in advance as there may not be any seats left on the day.


Availability
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Program fees

1 week (min. stay) 500€
2 weeks 850€
3 weeks 1,150€
4 weeks 1,450€
5 weeks 1,700€
6 weeks 1,950€
7 weeks 2,200€
8 weeks 2,450€
16 weeks (max. stay) 4,450€
Average fees 389€/week

Program fees

389€ per week 1 - 16 weeks Age 18 - 50+

Payment methods

Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

NO CREDIT CARD FEES

Duration

1 - 16 weeks

Deposit (15%)

The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.

Final Payment (85%)

Your final payment will be agreed with Helping Hands 4 Wildlife during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.

Meet your host

Helping Hands 4 Wildlife

Brilliant 4.7 rating (21 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2012

Verified by Volunteer World

  Good response rate

Coordinated by

Nicky

Spoken languages: English

About the project

Rehabilitation of animals to wildlife and life in the South African bush.

Meet your host

Helping Hands 4 Wildlife, formally known as DIY Wild (under new ownership since May 2021) is a wildlife rehabilitation association located in South Africa in the Mpumalanga region. It was created in 2012 by Sarah and Greg Mitchell in order to protect the unpopular vervet monkeys in this area.
The association was created because there was no center for vervet monkeys in the Mpumalanga region. The monkeys were therefore euthanized. So now we have a place to take care of them and rehabilitate them into the wild so that they can be released in a more secure area. The association has now extended to all wounded, orphaned, or ex-pets. So we have baboons, antelopes, mongooses, predators type servals and all other species.

Our main goal is to give back the freedom to the animals.

We currently have more than 100 animals undergoing rehabilitation, which requires a lot of time and work. That's why we need volunteers all the time. Without the volunteers the association could not exist.
The majority of animals arrive during the baby season (from November to February) because the mothers were killed for different reasons.

During this time, you will be a foster mom for babies . So you  will need to bottle feed them, look after them, and take care of them as a mother would do with her child. Depending on the age and situation, we may ask you to sleep with them and to be a permanent mother or father for them which is an incredible experience to live.
For the rest of the year, you will be involved in the routine (feeding and cleaning) but aslo other projects as helping in the garden, building new cages, making enrichment, ...

Our association is based in the Mpumalanga bush near Badplass, about 1.30 hours from Nelspruit and about 2 hours from Kruger Park where you can go see the big 5.
Being far from everything, we live as a community which is also an experience. Relearn how to live together, working for the same goal.

If you love animal protection, nature and want to give your time for a cause you care about or for the experience, Helping Hands 4 Wildlife is the perfect place to volunteer.

21 reviews · rating4.7

Delphine Durand rating5

2023 at Vervet Monkey Rehabilitation Volunteer

My experience in the Helping Hands 4 Wildlife was the best experience of my life. All of them were kind and were always trying to help me to feel comfortable. Nicky is a very hearty woman who takes wonderful care of all her volonteers, she has become our adoptive mom. Flore, Matt and the other staff ...
Sergej Brukner rating5

2023 at Vervet Monkey Rehabilitation Volunteer

My time at Helping Hands 4 Wildlife was more than I could have possibly imagined. Volunteering at the rehabilitation centre for wild animals was truly a life-changing experience in all aspects given. Not only because of the hands-on work with different animals, it was also refreshing to work under ...
Romane Regnaud rating5

2023 at Vervet Monkey Rehabilitation Volunteer

I enjoyed this experience so much. This was a great way to get out of my comfort zone. Everyone was so nice and welcoming. The excursions were awesome. Thank you Camilla and Tabo, you are the best ...
Staying, working and living in the Helping Hands 4 Wildlife Family is one of the most beautiful experiences I‘ve ever had. Nicky is a very hearty woman who takes wonderful care of all her volunteers, she has become our mom on the other side of the world. There is always something to do, you are ...
Rosalinda Loffeld rating4.6

2022 at Vervet Monkey Rehabilitation Volunteer

Nicky is an unbelievably passionate woman who, together with her staff Ziswe, Beauty and others, work so hard to not only provide the best for the animals in their care but also for the volunteers who come to help fulfill the mission to release these animals back into the wild as soon as possible. ..
Lodewijk Buitenhuis rating3

2019 at Vervet Monkey Rehabilitation Volunteer

Its a place that has friendly staff. Be prepared to work hard. But the help you provide for the animals will be satisfying. Depending on the group a small party is possible and some nice bbq’s (braai). I was there during a release, which was amazing. Two big downsides for me though. If you ...

Location

Africa > Southern Africa > South Africa > Badplaas

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Volunteer Abroad  >  Animals  >  Wildlife Conservation in South Africa
Contact Nicky
  Good response rate
English

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