from 750€

Brilliant 4.7rating (21)

Vervet Monkey Rehabilitation Volunteer

location
1 - 16 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Brilliant 4.7  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high 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. 

Rescue We take in injured, orphaned and displaced indigenous wildlife with the aim of rehabilitation and release back into protected areas of the wild. We also take in any unwanted exotic pets and give them a home in the most natural conditions possible at our sanctuary.

Rehabilitation Each species requires a different approach to rehabilitation, which involves different processes including troop bonding for social animals and rewildling for solitary animals.

Release Our final aim is always to release any animal back into the wild wherever possible. This involves finding a suitable site, ensuring the animal is in the best condition to survive and securing the necessary paperwork.

Education Only through education can we change the mindset of the public with regards to wildlife. 


Am I really making a difference?
  • Rest Assured: By making your volunteer donation you have already made a huge difference. The volunteer program funds most of the day-to-day expenses of the project. Feeding and caring for up to 100 animals is a costly exercise.
  • As a volunteer at Helping Hands you are an essential team member and part of the work force. Unlike many projects we rely heavily on our volunteers and the work you carry out on site is vital for the day-to-day running of the center.
  • There is also hard work to be done such as sorting fruit and cleaning cages and these are all essential jobs to keep the center running.
  • Although we have no hands-on contact with the adult primate-troops, they still need care such as feeding, deworming and enrichment (e.g. collecting grasses and seeds, building enrichment toys).
  • Baby Monkey Season is a busy time here at the project and is a very hands-on time of year. These babies come in as helpless, traumatized individuals and it is up to us to provide them with hands-on nurturing in the form of physical and emotional development.
  • The babies are supervised by volunteers all day in the nursery and will sometimes have to sleep with them at night. The experience here isn’t all about cuddling baby animals. There will be incredible life changing experiences when you get to work hands-on with the animals at the center.
  •  Many of the animals have a long rehabilitation period and can only be released when they are adults. Its important that we still give these adults proper care and enrichment even when they aren’t ‘cute’ babies anymore. We love for volunteers to be involved in all stages of the rehabilitation journey. The rehabilitation process for primates is very long and at any one time we might have 3 troops going through the stages to be released.
What will I learn?
You will learn a lot about wildlife conservation and animal husbandry! We will teach you about:
  • Rehabilitation – the process and challenges involved
  • Releases – how we choose release sites and the process of a release
  • Enrichment projects
  • How to effectively and efficiently clean and maintain enclosures
  • The challenges involved in running a rehab center
  • Animal behavior
  • How to be resourceful – there is a saying here in Africa: “A farmer makes a plan - we can't just nip out to the shops if we need something we have to use what we have lying around.”
Safety at Helping Hands
  • On arrival all volunteers will sign an indemnity form to acknowledge that you will be working with wild animals and that you accept the risk involved.
  • All new volunteers will be given an orientation tour of the center and explained all of the rules, regulations and safety procedures.
  • Always close gates behind you and ensure locks are fastened when you leave an enclosure. Airlocks are therefor a reason - NEVER open both doors at the same time.
  • We are based in the bush and there are snakes around (although we do not see them often). If you see a snake back away slowly and call us for help. If it is close to any of the enclosures try to keep an eye on it from a distance until help arrives so we can remove it as it may be venomous.
  • Never enter an enclosure without prior permission - some of the animals are aggressive and only certain people can enter the enclosures. Be calm around the animals - screaming is reserved for emergencies only. Never tease the wild troop of monkeys with food. If you are approached and feel threatened, then rather drop what you are carrying and move away.
What climate to expect in our area?
The climate in Badplaas is quite moderate:
  • Our summer (Sept-Feb) temperatures can rise to 40 degrees Celsius, but it is also rainy season so expect some thundery/overcast days during your stay. Please make sure you have sufficient sun-screen and a good wide brimmed hat for the sunny and hot days!
  • Our winter months (May-Aug) welcome you with warm temperatures during the day, but with very cold nights. Temperatures drop close to 0 degrees Celsius at night. If you are joining us during the winter months, please bring warm jumpers/jackets, a hat and gloves for the cool mornings and evenings, as well as warm clothes to sleep in.
Helping Hands 4 Wildlife is based at Mount Hlumu, next to Badplaas, surrounded by stunning mountains with a river that finds it way through the valley, here and there as a beautiful waterfall. 

Essential to bring
  • Work Clothes – Your clothes will get dirty, tattered, pooed and pied on!! Rather bring things you are happy to leave behind. We do provide scrubs to wear over your clothes if you prefer while working. 
  • Work Gloves – For building, maintenance, gardening projects.
  • Suitable working boots – It is safer to wear closed toe shoes when working with the animals and for maintenance projects.
  • Bring essential personal items, toiletries and any personal medication! There are regular trips to the local shops in Badplaas, where you will be able to buy most elementary. Specialized items may only be available in Nelspruit and branded items may be more expensive than at home.
  • Waterproof jacket (in summer).
  • Clothes for free time (Please include jumpers, coats, hat and gloves if you are coming in winter) including Sandals/ Flip Flops and a swimming costume.
  • Sunhat/ Suncream/ After Sun – The sun is very intense even during the winter!
  • Torch – For walking around at night if you have to help with feeding nocturnal animals.
  • Plug Adapter – Most universal kits do not contain a SA adapter! 
  • Insect Repellant
Tips from former Volunteers
  • Make sure you have adequate small change for the airport porters - R50 is more than enough.
  • Shops DO NOT accept foreign currency - only Rands!
  • Bring a credit/debit card, Helping Hands has the facilities for credit/debit cards. Don’t bring travelers cheques – you don’t want to spend hours in a local bank trying to cash them. All excursions you book with Helping Hands or, for example, your drinks you have from our honestly bar after a busy day you can as well pay via paypal with a 7% fee.
  • Scan important documents and be able to access them.
  • Don’t bring too much clothing - leave the fancy clothes at home!
  • Bring your Camera – remember spare SD cards and the power cable.
  • Bring a pack of cards or games for entertainment in the evenings.
  • Helping Hands is not based in a malaria area so you will not need malaria tablets while with us. If you are planning on traveling elsewhere in Africa during your trip, then please consult your travel clinic.
  • While we provide plasters/bandages in the case of any minor scrape/bites, its always useful to bring your own personal first aid kit. This should include Painkillers, Anti-histamine tablets, Imodium, Rehydrate sachets, Insect Repellant.
  • Last but not least: Helping Hands offers several excursions. Don't miss the chance to a trip to the beautiful Kruger Park which Helping Hands can arrange for you for a much cheaper price than what can be offered privately.
Visa and Insurance: 
  • Visa requirements depend on your nationality and length of stay in South Africa.
  • It is essential that you have sufficient travel insurance to cover your stay. This should include medical care, expenses and repatriation if necessary.


Typical day

Our working hours are normally 7:30am - 5pm but this is dependent on animal emergencies. Please remember the animals come first and plans for volunteers (such as days off or mealtimes) may be delayed if an emergency occurs and we need your help, so working days may be long and demanding. In times of ...

Typical day

Our working hours are normally 7:30am - 5pm but this is dependent on animal emergencies. Please remember the animals come first and plans for volunteers (such as days off or mealtimes) may be delayed if an emergency occurs and we need your help, so working days may be long and demanding. In times of babyseason (Nov-May) you also take care of the baby monkeys during the night. In this case Helping Hands provides a special room where you can stay with the baby over night if you don't want to take it with you to your chalet. On Saturday and Sunday we just do the most important tasks - feeding and cleaning - after that everyone enjoys the weekend!

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
  • General site clean up
  • Help us with social media (Instagram, Facebook, TikTok) marketing
  • Help us with educational tours in local schools and on social media




Free-time activities

On the weekends you have time to relax, chill at the pool, hike the local mountain Hlumu or the closeby waterfalls or visit the local resort (this is dependent on a vehicle being available to give you a lift and a petrol donation).

Other free time activities or excursions must not necessarily be ...

Free-time activities

On the weekends you have time to relax, chill at the pool, hike the local mountain Hlumu or the closeby waterfalls or visit the local resort (this is dependent on a vehicle being available to give you a lift and a petrol donation).

Other free time activities or excursions must not necessarily be done on the weekend and can be arranged with other volunteers as a group trip.

Forever Resorts borders our property and is ideal for a day trip. 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 Helping Hands of varying lengths (day trips, 1 night and 2 night stays) including safari drives as you wish (bush walk, night drive, sunset or sunrise drive).

Often Helping Hands connects a trip to Kruger Park with visiting "Tswale". He is a rescued elephant, now aged 30, and his best friend Amos is a lovely human from Zimbabwe. They share a bond of strength an togetherness Amos will tell you about while you can feed Tswale some snacks like butternut or apples. 

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

Moreover there is the opportunity to visit the nearby Rural School. The children are so humble and appreciate a visit so much. It is not often they get to taste the sweetness of a cool drink, narchie or packets of chips and sweets, which we bring with us.

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 07:30 - 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 24/7 dedicated volunteer coordinators - usually there is one French speaking and one German speaking coordinator available 
  •  Full training in all aspects of work
  • A considerable donation towards the animal food and care 
What is Excluded: 
  • Flights and Bus
  • Travel Insurance 
  • Visa 
  • Medical insurance 
  • Extra excursion/ trips/ souvenirs

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

As part of your volunteer donation, we provide you with accommodation in our volunteer chalets, food and you will have access to our honesty bar:
  • Our chalets have hot and cold running water, showers and flushing toilets, as well as a veranda with a microwave, fridge and a small coffee bar. As a volunteers you stay in either a shared (max. 3 people and males and females separated) or individual wooden chalets (basic). We provide all bed linen and towels and one of our staff members will clean, dust the chalet twice a week and supply fresh bedding once a week..
  • The facilities at the lodge include our restaurant, the honesty bar with a pool table, dart board and a huge TV for a lekker movie night. In summer, the swimming pools are the perfect meeting point after a hard day of work and offers a welldeserved cool down.
  • There is WIFI in the restaurant and bar. 
Private rooms are available at an additional daily charge and subject to availability. 

Note: One problem that South Africa is enduring which I am sure you are aware of is the ongoing “Loadshedding”. We are not able to provide exact times however we have installed solar lights in order to prevent total darkness. 

Food & Beverages

Using part of your volunteer donation, we buy food supplies each week for the meals. Our tap water is from a bore hole and is safe to drink. As a volunteer you will be provided 3 meals a day by our amazing staff members Beauty and Lucia. The food is basic, tasty and fills you up with energy for your days of hard work. All meals are served in the restaurant (and you are more than welcome to enjoy your meal with us sitting outside in the sun). To get an idea of your tummy can expect: 

Daily meals will generally consist of the following:
  • Breakfast (9-10am): a selection of cereal and muesli, milk, yogurt, fruits, toast with jam and honey, cheese, tea and coffee
  • Lunch (1-2pm): sandwiches, pasta, salads, burger, soup, etc.
  • Dinner (7pm): spaghetti bolognese, macaroni and cheese, stews, stir fry, curries, bobotie, etc.
Please let us know in advance of any dietary requirements (we also welcome our lovely vegetarian and vegan special needs)! 

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) 750€
2 weeks 935€
3 weeks 1,380€
4 weeks 1,740€
5 weeks 2,090€
6 weeks 2,440€
7 weeks 2,790€
8 weeks 3,140€
16 weeks (max. stay) 5,940€
Average fees 560€/week

Program fees

560€ 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

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

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 organization

Helping Hands 4 Wildlife

Brilliant 4.7 rating (21 reviews)

Non-profit - founded in 2012

Verified by Volunteer World

  Very high 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 organization

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 ...

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