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About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
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Swaziland might be among one of the smallest countries on the African continent but you will be amazed at the way it has maintained its traditions and culture. It has also been a country of hardship with one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS leaving many children orphaned, neglected or abandoned. When you volunteer on this project you will be helping to give that extra bit of love and attention to these children that haven`t had a great start in life. You can be sure that there will be plenty of smiling little faces greeting you when you arrive!
Please book your flight to arrive into Manzini Airport, Swaziland on the advertised arrival date to ensure your airport pickup (this will connect through Johannesburg International Airport (JNB))
Today you will be met at the airport and taken to your accommodation at the backpacker lodge which is approximately 20 minutes from the airport, here you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. If you prefer you can explore your new surroundings, there is a restaurant nearby and a bar is approximately 2kms away.
If you aren’t able to arrange a flight to get you into Manzini on the arrival day we’d recommend you fly in a day early. We can arrange an early airport pick-up for you including one night’s accommodation, please give us a call for more information.
Today your orientation will start with a presentation by the project co-ordinator to prepare you for your project, you will be taken through what it’s going to be like at your project, do’s and don’ts, how to stay safe and it’s your prime opportunity to ask any burning questions that you haven’t yet had answered. A tour guide will then show you around the local community in Ezulwini after which you will have a barbeque and get to know all the other volunteers who you will be staying with.
You'll start to learn the ropes this week, it’s your chance to get stuck in and show everyone including yourself, what you’re made of!
You will start your day by catching your bus at about 8am but expect a lively start when you arrive at the centre as the children begin the day singing gospel songs followed by the Lords prayer. For the rest of the morning you will be involved in various activities from dancing, playing games, teaching basic literacy and numeracy so remember all those games about days of the week and colours you had as a child! You will also be teaching the children maths, basic English and helping with arts and crafts as well as helping to feed the children at lunch time.
The afternoon is then free to plan fun activities for the next day or you can also get involved In hospital and homestead visits in the afternoon.
During the weekends you will be free to travel and explore as you choose. There is plenty to do such as walking, horse riding, mountain biking, visiting craft markets, and taking part in cultural festivities or if you prefer you can just kick your heels back and just taking in the sunny climate. If you are looking for a longer weekend away then you can always take a trip to Mozambique, Kruger National Park, St. Lucia or the Natal Drakensberg. You will need to check this with the team in country and the project but the team in country can help you make arrangements where possible. Please remember that any optional trips are at your own expense. The team can also help with a zip lining weekend and adventure tours so please make sure you have a chat with them about all your options, you will wish you had more time!
You’ll be working Monday to Friday at your project, with the weekends all your own.
Now that you’ve been shown the ropes, make sure you take some time to get to know the staff and children; understand more about how and why the project exists and carve out your own niche to help shape your experience.
Having said goodbye to all your new friends you’ll transfer back to the airport on this day. The return transfer is covered within your placement fee as long as you are transferring on the Monday at the end of your stay, transfers other than this day are not included.
Nestled in the legendary Ezulwini valley lies the ancient town of Lobamba which, as well as boasting a long history as the country's royal capital, is also thought to be the spiritual home of the Swazi nation. This gives the town a unique cultural heritage that shines through everything you see here, including the people. Thousands of travellers flock here every year to enjoy the unique blend of traditional culture and modern luxuries, allowing them to see a side of Africa that is almost unknown.
This project involves working with a number of small care centers and non-profit organizations in Swaziland who assist orphans, vulnerable and neglected children. With one of Africa's highest HIV / AIDS rates, many of Swaziland's children have lost their parents and thus face food shortages, lack of adequate shelter and care but most of all lack attention and love. The specific aims of these centers vary but in general they provide orphaned and vulnerable children with basic food, care and education. In some communities there are a growing number of households where there are no parents or adults of the extended family and the eldest child is left to look after the younger children. These children are particularly vulnerable and often are in desperate need of infrastructural support.
The care centres can range from basic, rough structures located in small communities and others are more organized and developed. All of the centres though are in need of support and help in order to provide the basic necessities for these needy children.
The centres are full of lively children that will swamp you as soon as you walk in through the door! Most of the children cannot afford to attend school and their hope for a brighter future lies in the support of these care centers and the volunteers. You will be amazed at the children`s enthusiasm and how tired you will be at the end of the day, you can be sure that they will keep you busy.
The project has a dedicated number of staff who are overstretched to provide the love and attention that each child needs. This is where you come in, your help with the children will not only take some pressure off the staff but will also help to give the children the attention that they need and help with education and having fun! You will be able to help teach the children English and basic literacy skills which will in turn give them a better chance at a brighter future. With high unemployment (50%) and limited state welfare, many of these children's needs cannot be met without volunteer involvement.
On this project you will be working with existing Neighborhood Care Points in the local community with the aim of teaching basic education, such as maths and English of which you will be provided with teaching aids and resources, arranging sport days for the children, creating craft masterpieces with the children, helping them with eating their breakfast and lunch and just giving them the love and attention that they so desperately need. During your stay you may also be involved in taking the children out on an educational outing, visiting local communities to identify any vulnerable children and develop profiles for them, improving the structures of shelters and organising fundraising events to help raise awareness and raise funds. You will also assist in completing profiles of the children so that we are aware of their ongoing needs and circumstances.
You will be working Monday to Friday from 8am to 12.30 pm and a typical day can be as follows;
You will be provided with the teaching resources needed at the project but you may want to bring some stickers and resources with you, these are always welcomed and the kids love stickers! You may however want to wait until you are in country and bring funds with you so that you can buy anything locally and also help the local community.
It may seem like a strange concept to pay for your volunteer experience. You'd be right if you think you shouldn't and the truth is you actually don't! Your placement is free; it's the benefits around it that you pay for. It's important to note that i-to-i is a travel company and not a charity. We provide a professional travel service. We are responsible for finding and assessing worthwhile projects across the world, preparing you for the volunteering experience and supporting you whilst you're there.
Here’s some more information about what your placement fee covers….
We work with hundreds of locally run partner projects around the world and are constantly sourcing new opportunities. We visit all projects to check that they are worthwhile and legitimate and we also conduct a thorough safety assessment before we'll send volunteers there. More
Almost everyone who works for i-to-i has traveled extensively or worked overseas. This means we're a goldmine of information; we're always available to offer support and guidance before, during and after your trip.
Once you book on to a project you'll receive an online account that contains loads of general information about volunteering, about your chosen country and how to have fun and stay safe. We'll also give you advice on visas and inoculations.
It can be pretty daunting arriving in a different country for the first time - especially after a long flight! If you arrive on your project start date, there'll be a welcoming face at the airport to pick you up and take you to your accommodation.
Soon after you arrive you will attend a thorough orientation with our in-country team. This is to cover important safety and security information. You'll also get some tips about sight-seeing options for your time off and maybe even learn some of the local lingo!
Accommodation is included with all projects and meals are even included with some. We only use locally-owned and operated accommodation so that part of your placement fee is filtering back into the local economy. Most projects offer homestay, guesthouse or shared volunteer houses as standard accommodation, but some offer the chance to upgrade to a more comfortable living standard. More
Your in-country team will arrange a pick-up for you at the airport and will conduct your orientation upon arrival. All coordination teams are English speaking and are locals of your destination country. They won't be at your project every day, but will be on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week if you need them. More
Aside from the local support from your in-country team you'll be given access to a 24/7 emergency phone line manned by our response team in case any problem should arise while you're overseas. We also hire crisis management professionals to be on hand in case of a situation that requires additional expert support. More
The safety and security of our volunteers is paramount. For this reason we provide ongoing crisis management and emergency response training to our local teams around the world. We also fly in our in-country coordinators to the UK regularly for thorough training to help them offer the best safety to the thousands of volunteers they support each year. More
We don't fund our projects directly from the project fee that you pay us. Instead we choose to support a number of projects through our Big Giving initiative to provide resources to those projects that really need it.
We make no secrets of the fact that part of your placement fee is reinvested in to recruiting volunteers just like you! The volunteers recruited in one week will typically deliver over 2000 man-days of service. The difference this makes to projects overseas is immeasurable. Many of our overseas projects rely on assistance from international volunteers, so it's necessary for us to put together brochures and websites to find the people who can support them. This recruitment process is vital to ensure programs have a constant stream of reliable volunteers.
Volunteering through a company like i-to-i has a lot of intangible benefits to developing overseas communities and the individual projects that we work with. To find out more about our placements. click here
The following information details what will happen during the first few days of your arrival. We aim to provide you with a safe and soft landing into your destination by picking you up from the airport, giving you an orientation that aims to settle you into the country as quickly as possible. It's also the best time to ask any questions you have about your time in Swaziland. Here's what will happen:
You will arrive on the Arrival Date (Monday) and will be met at the airport on that day (whether it is 12 in the morning or 11:59 at night). You will then be taken to the Lidwala backpacker lodge (see contact details below), approximately 20 minutes from the airport, where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. The backpacker's lodge has a communal kitchen where meals are prepared, a TV lounge with board games and a large deck with pool table, dart board and a swimming pool. There is wireless internet for which you can purchase vouchers from the lodge staff, there are also facilities approximately 2km away. The backpacker lodge is located within walking distance of a restaurant and bar and is approximately 2km away from the main shops if you wish to have a wander - just ask at reception for directions.
Note: If you're arriving early we can arrange a meet and greet for you. If you require this please contact us to arrange this service. If you wish to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date:
Lidwala Backpacker Lodge Main Road Ezulwini Swaziland (opposite Woodland Restaurant) (the bus stop is called "Woodland" or "Mangozeni") +268 550 4951 / +268 608 7706Your orientation will take place the next morning - Tuesday - at the lodge and will introduce you to any other volunteers participating in the projects. You will also learn about what to expect in Swaziland and on your project.
It's important that you get adequate travel insurance for your i-to-i experience and as many of you will be working this often means standard policies won’t work. The good news is that no matter where your coming from we have already found a policy to suit you.
The best time to get your insurance is when you book your project as this means you can get a fully tailored policy exclusive to i-to-i, just ask your consultant for further details at the time of booking.
EU Customers – find out more here >>
Australian customers - find out more here >>
All other customers - find out more here >>
As with insurance we advise you get these booked as early as possible to avoid high prices and to make sure you arrive on the right day. The i-to-i team is right up to date with the best deals no matter where you’re flying from; their insider knowledge could save you some time and money.
You will be staying in the Lidwala Backpacker Lodge in the Ezulwini Valley where you will be sharing accommodation with our volunteers on other projects so there should always be someone to chat to! Plus it also acts as the main office for our in country team.
Bedrooms are based on dormitory style rooms with bunk beds and shared bathrooms. Bathrooms have western style toilets. You will need to bring a sleeping bag with you but there will be sheets, pillows and extra blankets.
All meals are included but you will be expected to help cook so maybe have a little bit of a practice before you arrive! You will be cooking for the group but there will be plenty of advice available. There is a full kitchen and an outside area for dining as well as socializing.
There is a lounge area where you can sit and relax after a hard days work, it will be a well needed rest! There is also a TV, board games and a large deck with a pool table, a dart board and a swimming pool. There is wireless internet for which you can purchase vouchers from the lodge staff and you can also find facilities approximately 2km away so that you can write home if you need to. The lodge is also located within walking distance to a restaurant and a bar.
Please note that you will need to dress conservatively so no short shorts or strappy tops, females may need to wear longer skirts on occasion.
Please Note: You will need to pack as lightly and compactly as possible as space and weight is limited. Ideally you should have no more than 22kg of luggage and you should be looking at fitting it all into a backpack of about 60 litres. Don’t forget to bring a small day pack with you too!
The accommodation is located in Lobamba town in the Ezulwini Valley on the main Ezulwini road approximately 2kms from the area`s main facilities and attractions where you will find hotels, shopping centres, craft markets and restaurants.
You will travel to the project by local bus which will take approximately 30 minutes, but don’t worry as you will have been shown the way on your fist day at the project by the in country team.
While the first human inhabitants are thought to have settled here over 110,000 years ago, it was not until the mass Bantu Migration in the sixteenth century that the country's population really ballooned. This migrating tribe was to be the source of many of southern Africa's ethnic groups, one of which would evolve into what we now know as the Swazi.
This new tribe was in constant battle with the Zulu's until their leader, Mswati II, appealed to the British for help. The British played the role of peacemaker and eventually relations between the two tribes improved.
In the years that followed the Zulu's continuously clashed with the British leaving the Swazi people relatively unnoticed. While this was beneficial in some ways, it also had its disadvantages. The country began attracting European settlers in droves and gradually more and more land was handed over to them. In 1877 the British decided that the European population was such that they needed to exert more control and soon Swaziland had become a puppet with the British holding its strings. On paper, the country remained independent, but in reality it was not.
After the Boer War even this veiled-pretence of independence was cast off and the British control became public knowledge. Unlike in some countries, colonial rule was not detrimental to Swaziland and when the British finally withdrew in 1968 (having returned much of the country's land to its native people), they did so peacefully.
Swaziland is a great all-year-round destination with warm summers and mild winters but as with everywhere there are good and bad times to go. Climate-wise the best months to visit are between May and June or in October, when there is significantly less rain. For those of you travelling between October and May rain is common but so are sunny intervals and temperatures are comfortable (at around 25°C/77°F). If you're travelling during the winter months you'll want to pack some warm clothes because after dark it gets down-right cold. Location-wise you'll find it's warmer in the highlands and cooler in the eastern lowlands.
If you're after a cultural extravaganza then August, September and December are the months to go, with colourful festivals taking place across the country.
Admittedly, travelling around Swaziland can be a little bit difficult but it is certainly worth it. Buses are few and far between but when they are available they're pretty cheap. Mini-bus taxis are your best bet but the chances are that you'll have to jump off one and onto another one if you're travelling any distance. Private hire taxis are also available but these will be more expensive.
We work in partnership with hundreds of established projects that are run by local communities. The information on our website comes directly from the projects and we work with them to ensure this information is as accurate as possible. However, due to the very nature of the projects themselves the exact details of what happens on a daily basis can change with little or no notice. If you have travelled with us and have any updates to this information, please let us know.
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