Good Hope Volunteers

Marcieli Fransisco - Special Needs Care Centre (February 2019)I am from Brazil. I really loved it. It was amazing! I got to know people who I will never forget. This place is special because of the connections that we can make here and I had made some amazing connections with people here.

Margarida Milheiro – Cape Nature Conversation (February 2019)“I arrived early in the morning so I could go grocery shopping in Pick ‘n Pay, meet my house mates and socialise a little. On Monday, my Volunteer Support Coordinator Bridget was waiting for me at Newlands train station ready to explain to me how to catch the train and answer some questions that I still had. The first day was really nice, in fact, everyone is really nice everywhere I went. At the project we did some maintenance of the reserve (inside and outside), bird counting, learnt how to check the pH level, salinity and oxygen of the water, learnt how to follow footprints, received children from schools so they could have environmental education... We always get out of work at 3pm and Robin takes us to Lakeside Station so we can go back home.

Bridget was amazing explaining everything about the job with kids and Amy ( at Hospital) was wonderful helping with my doubts and concerns.Was a great time with children at Children's Hospital where I had learnt with then about kindness, hope, and strength.

I have had the most amazing 8 weeks at the Athlone Children’s Home. I cannot believe how fast my time in Cape Town has gone and I am so sad to leave. Volunteering at the Athlone Children’s Home has made a true impact on my life and I will remember my time here forever! The staff and children are so lovely and I will really miss them. Good Hope Volunteers has also been amazing and I am so grateful to have come across them.

Hi! I’m Kamila from Mexico City. In January I had the opportunity to participate as a volunteer at the Wildlife Conservation project as a solo traveller and it was the best decision of my life! Being able to work with wild animals so close has been the best experience! I had the chance to meet incredible people from all over the world. It's amazing how all the workers and volunteers welcome you as a family. Working with this beautiful and docile animals is an experience I will never forget!

It was my first experience as a volunteer in another country, I was pretty stressed but the entire team of the project and my hosts integrated me immediately. I spent 2 months with them and I think it was too short. I did the same tasks as the rest of the team, the good ones as well as the less good ones, but I was part of the team so that’s what enriches the project experience. What a beautiful country with beautiful people

Rafael Acioli Jatobá Pereira – Domestic Animal Shelter (February 2019)“It was an amazing and unforgettable experience. The perfect combination between love for animals, travel and friendship.”

“I had an excellent experience here in Cape Town with Good Hope Volunteers. I've worked at Cape Nature Conservation project and it was amazing. All the staff were very receptive with the volunteers & I need to say a special thanks to our supervisors who make this experience as good as it was. I’m looking forward to coming back soon to visit everyone from Good Hope Volunteers again!”

Working as a Good Hope volunteer in Cape Town has been the most valuable experience of my life. I volunteered as an English tutor for the Shine Literacy Centre at the St. Pauls Primary school in Bo Kaap and. I have never encountered such gratitude from children for receiving education. Working there has deepened my understanding for the necessity of accessibility to good education for everyone. The children I taught had such beautiful dreams and goals for their lives and projects like the Shine Centre help them to obtain the tools and skills needed to fulfill their potential. My volunteer work with Good Hope has shown me what path I want to choose for myself and resulted in the wish to work for a NGO one day. During my time at the project, I met a lot of inspiring people and learned a lot about myself.

Estefany Rocha Monteiro – Children’s Hospital (January 2019)My experience working at the Children’s Hospital has taught me many things. It was an amazing opportunity to learn more and to see how I could help the others and change their lives, even if just for a moment. The children have taught me a lot about love and care for others, and I hope that one day I can return to Cape Town and work at the hospital again.