Project Overview
The following is a list of our current projects in Port St John. Volunteers who choose to join us can work on just one or many projects. We recommend new volunteers try several different projects on arrival. This helps them choose what they'd like to do more of, as well as getting to know different people in the community.
Sisonke School
This school is the learning home to almost 70 children from pre-school to Grades 1 - 4. Our ethos is to integrate practical, artistic, and intellectual elements with everyday life. Our wish is for the children to develop into free, moral and integrated individuals.
The school has been running since the start of 2008, we just completed our first very successful term. The school has grown so much in such a short time, and there is still much to be done. Volunteers work as aids to the full time teachers, work one-on-one with students and sometimes go on to teach classes themselves.
For more information about Sisonke click here.
Sicambeni Village
Sicambeni Village is the home of the Life Skills Centre, where we have developed a permaculture and appropriate building technology site. Located in the heart of the Port St John community, the centre aims to teach the locals about planting their own crops, building their own homes and becoming more self sufficient in the long term.
For more information on the village click here.
Eluxolweni Boys Home
Our main objective at Eluxoweni Children's Shelter is to facilitate programs and projects that bring relief and care to marginalised and abandoned children, particularly street children.
This is rapidly becoming one of our major projects.
Amapondo Surf School
We have the waves, the kids and the surf boards. Bring your surf, life saving and beach skills and help keep the kids off the streets and close to nature.
The Local Surf School recently featured in a local paper after reaching the semi finals in a local competition.
For more information on the surfers click here.
Transkei Gold Coffee
Coffee is the second most traded commodity in the world, grows abundantly in the forests around Port St Johns. Help co-operatively set up a base cash crop that can bring much needed income generation to this impoverished area.
Food Program
We are in the planning stage of setting up a nutrition program to feed 1000 kids one nutritious meal a day. We believe no child can learn properly on an empty stomach
Other Ways to Help
All volunteers are welcome to give their own input on any of the projects above, or lend us their skills in other ways. We've had people work as fund raisers and web-designers, as well as give us general ideas about how to recruit new volunteers. Basically, if you have a suggestion, we want to hear it.