Volunteering with EDGE of AFRICA 2010

EDGE of AFRICA | Give the EDGE | Volunteer in Africa

Encouraging ethical business by promoting sustainable development through responsible eco-tourism with the help of local and international volunteers.

EDGE of AFRICA is committed to ethical volunteering and responsible travelling- providing volunteer and internship placements in South Africa for gap years, career breaks, university internships, school groups and corporate team building projects. We comfortably accommodate all ages, genders, races and religions.

With EDGE of AFRICA you can make a direct impact on the local community and environment, while enjoying first hand exposure to the colourful heritage, cultures and traditions, plus all the sights and activities this beautiful country has to offer.

EDGE of AFRICA guarantees a life changing experience- in a safe, malaria-free, African environment to all our volunteers for helping us making a difference in the lives we touch!

EDGE of AFRICA’s vision is to work and operate volunteer projects with a genuine need for help and with both short and long term goals in place through local and international man power in the form of tourists, interns or volunteers. Conservation, community, medical and sports projects, annual events, ongoing workshops and some great partnerships with like minded organizations have seen EDGE of AFRICA grow with international recognition since 2007.

A clear outline of operations highlights the fact that volunteer projects have to have a genuine need for volunteers with an ethical framework providing tourists with a true, honest and rounded experience of South Africa benefiting not only themselves but also the project and the community. From this developed a charter agreement and code of conduct for EDGE of AFRICA, its projects, staff members and volunteers.

The future for EDGE of AFRICA is only as bright as the volunteers who join them each year. Thanks to the support of volunteers from all over the world EDGE of AFRICA has made some amazing tangible contributions to the South African environment and community, people and animals, both young and old, raising awareness and integrating cultures in the process.

About EDGE of AFRICA

EDGE of AFRICA started making a direct positive impact on the lives of underprivileged South Africans and the country's environment in 2007. This private organization has been growing from strength to strength since then and currently boasts the involvement of volunteers from over 20 different nations globally.

Our Ethos is to encourage ethical business by promoting sustainable development through responsible ecotourism.

EDGE of AFRICA continuously aims to:

Ø Assist with conservation, community and sports initiatives in Africa through volunteer involvement, skills development, empowerment, research, education and manpower.

Ø Raise international awareness of the real situation in Africa - establishing and supporting ethical projects and exposing volunteers to the beauty and resourcefulness of Africa and its people.

Ø Educate the community to recognize the ecological potential of natural areas and the benefits of their preservation. These benefits extend from aesthetics to hard currency from the sustainable utilization of resources. Education is fundamental to this awareness and EDGE of AFRICA places heavy emphasis on this.

EDGE of AFRICA Projects

Our South African volunteer projects are either self-initiated within existing organisations in response to a need for ‘upliftment’ and empowerment, or they are independently established by the EDGE of AFRICA team.

We have three categories of volunteer projects and most projects are easily accessible from our base in Knysna. Projects can also be combined to ensure a widely spread positive impact.

Conservation EDGE aims to assist valid, scientifically based, conservation efforts and research in Africa involving communities and supporting local initiatives. These projects include wildlife research, elephant specific research, big five wildlife projects, game reserve volunteering placements, conservation projects in Africa, community conservation and conservation education in local schools.

Community EDGE entails self sustaining projects, which move away from the 'hand-out' culture that has been generated by travellers to Africa. Instead, we aim to empower locals to help themselves through self motivation and education. These projects include working in pre-schools, teaching English, building and renovating schools, empowering disadvantaged youth, women empowerment, business development, HIV/AIDS awareness and medical volunteering.

Sports EDGE strives to develop skills within local communities through the universal language of sport. With training we develop personal focus and the ability to work as a team. The result is moving the emphasis from 'what we don’t have' to 'what we can do'. The dedication we witness from the children is exceptional.

EDGE of AFRICA Funding

EDGE of AFRICA is fully supported by past and present volunteers. We are not a government organisation, although we do align with numerous government institutions to develop our projects and assist where possible. We thus do not receive any funding from the government or any other organisation. We rely totally on the goodwill and hard work of our volunteers and team members, and the financial contributions from volunteers.

Paying to volunteer allows us to cover our basic costs; as well as develop projects that are sustainable even long after the volunteers have left. This results in making an honest, real difference in the various project fields. For the volunteers, paying for their volunteering also still costs considerably less than it would if they were to visit the country as mere tourists with the added benefit of leaving a very valuable footprint behind.

EDGE of AFRICA Team

At EDGE of AFRICA the directors are hands-on involved in the projects and strive to distil their passion for the community, the environment and South Africa's youth in each volunteer joining their missions.

Dayne Davey and Roger Wynne-Dyke share over a decade of experience in the volunteering and travelling industry. They are personally responsible for establishing and developing the independent EDGE of AFRICA projects and hand pick their team members and the existing projects in need of support.

EDGE of AFRICA relies on team work with members based world wide. The core team includes conservation specialists, community workers, home based carers and project coordinators. Close relationships with specialists in every project field are carefully nurtured and constant updates with the local councils, medical professionals, researchers and community members ensure the support of reliable, sustainable projects. Every volunteer joining an EDGE of AFRICA project contributes to a team of people that truly cares about the integrity of the projects and their end goals.

We value the ties kept by volunteers long after they return home. Their donations, personal updates, ideas and mere support by keeping in touch prove the value of our projects and add to the lives of everyone getting involved.

Why EDGE of AFRICA?

Recently volunteering has become a worldwide industry. Deciding on which company to choose and which specific project to support can be quite overwhelming.

It’s difficult to know beforehand whether you will be contributing to a sustainable, long term project, whether the company is ethical and whether you will actually be making a tangible difference to the country’s heritage.

With EDGE of AFRICA, you can be assured of the following:

Ø Becoming part of a growing team which works towards sustainable and meaningful projects

Ø Working in a safe and well researched environment

Ø A fulfilling experience, with exposure and opportunities to see some of South Africa's most famous sights and experiences

Ø Continuous project and personal support by trained staff and friendly project coordinators

Ø An overall life changing experience!

In 2009, EDGE of AFRICA was responsible for the following achievements:

Ø The launch of a very popular and beneficial African Big 5 Wildlife and Conservation Project.

Ø The start of our Youth Soccer Clinics has followed with our first Summer Sports Beach Festival for underprivileged communities on 17 December 2009.

Ø Our volunteers have made tremendous headway with our Reforestation Project in the Kayalethu Township. Most alien invasive species are under control and the development of a Tourism Project is established to benefit the community.

Ø Due to volunteer involvement in our HIV and TB Awareness Project, stress relief and staff assistance have been great reaching local communities, disadvantaged clinics, home based care and HIV and AIDS education for children and families.

Ø Two Sinethemba Youth Centre members were picked to represent South Africa in the 2009 Homeless World Cup in Italy! This was a life changing experience for them and we hope to support their aspirations which have resulted from this experience.

Ø Because of numerous donations from our volunteers and associated organisations we have established a Recycling and Sewing Project at the youth development centre.

Ø We have reached over 12 000 children in disadvantaged areas through our Workshops with Local Kids program. Projects are in the form of Conservation, Ecology, Science and General Community Awareness…all working towards a proactive future.

EDGE of AFRICA is constantly striving to make a real difference and a direct impact on the community and our environment.

Visit: www.EDGEofAFRICA.com

Email: info@EDGEofAFRICA.com

Phone: +27 (0) 44 382 0122