About i-to-i What i-to-i trips and TEFL are, how and why we do what we do!
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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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Do you recall being in nursery school when your days were filled with making dirt sculptures, coloring, story time and just running everywhere because it was more fun than walking? Why not relive those glory years by volunteering at a child care center for disadvantaged children. You can help them learn valuable lessons while also getting a unique insight into what life is like for children being raised in a township.
When you book this trip, in addition to the 52% typically of your programme fee that is spent in country, we will also use US$75 of your fee to purchase 3 mattresses for the kids or equivalent through our Big Giving programme.
Football fans, celebs and i-to-i volunteers have all clubbed together to help build a brand new nursery room for the children of Masiphulmelele! With a little more space there’ll be room for play and some much needed counseling, read on to find out how 62 lives were changed in just a few hours...
Find out more by following these links:
Today you will be met at the airport and taken to our volunteer house in Fish Hoek. You’ll need to arrive in before 4pm so that you’re all ready for the orientation which kicks off at 5pm. The journey from the airport to Fish Hoek should take around 45 minutes and if you keep your eyes open you might get to see Table Mountain on the way! The orientation will take you 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. After the orientation you’ll have some time to relax and prepare before your first day at the project tomorrow.
If you aren’t able to arrange a flight to get you into Cape Town before 4pm then 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 call us for more information.
It’s township time! Today is the day you’ll meet the children and staff; our team will make sure you know where you’re going and what you’re doing to ensure that you’re comfortable with everything. Be prepared to have a child hanging on your every limb and on every word you say as they get to know you in their own way. You’re going to need a lot of energy here!
Getting stuck in indeed will be the best move you ever make here. There’s no time to be shy when it comes to these children, they are at the centre so that their parents in the township can go out and earn a living and so that the older children at the centre can prepare themselves for ‘big school’. By hanging around with Westerners, these children will have a better start in life as their language skills will be improved. Speaking English gives them a better education and in turn, better jobs. By simply being there, you are already helping these children more than you could know.
The weekends are your free time to rest and explore. There are so many things to see and do in Cape Town you’ll struggle to get bored! There’s a train line straight into Cape Town from Fish Hoek that take about an hour and you’re close to Boulders Beach where the penguins hang out. There’s also Table Mountain, Cape Point, Robben Island and that’s without leaving the city!
Mondays to Fridays, 8.30am – 1.30pm, will be spent energetically at the project with your weekends free to fill with whatever you fancy! The team have close links with reputable tour companies so there will always be something going on.
Having said goodbye to all your new friends you’ll transfer back to the airport on this day. The return transfer from Fish Hoek to Cape Town International is not covered within your project fee but our regular transfer company will be able to sort the journey back for you, the costs will be around US$35 / R250.
Ikhaya Creche (child care centre) was started in 1994 by a lady called Doreen in a shack in Masiphumelele with 5 children. By 1995, the school had grown to 15 students and kept on growing each year still operating out of a shack. A US funder came to see Doreen and agreed to build her a mini concrete school, to improve the lives of the little kids. So in 1999 the building began with 47 children still attending school in a shack on the same property. The school doors opened in late 1999 and grew to 72 children.
Doreen and her team take care of 72 children Monday to Friday from 6.30am – 5.30pm, which frees the parents to go out and work and earn a living and also work hard to get the six year olds ready for ‘big school’ They take care of children between the ages of 3 and 6 – and supply the children with two meals a day. The parents pay R80 a month towards fees – not all parents can afford to pay but the staff never turn the kids away.
Doreen has also helped Evelyn, an elderly neighbour, develop a child care centre from Evelyn's home, located across the street from Doreen's centre. Evelyn and her team care for 31 babies and toddlers from the ages of 1 month to 3 years. Doreen is an active member of The Masi Educare Forum – which meets once a month to assist and help develop other crèches in Masiphumelele, which is very much needed.
This project is full of life and hope for the children who attend the centre. Every member of staff is there for the same reason; to promote the needs of children and to give them the best start in their educational life as possible. Resources are in short supply here, but the children are happy, bright and extremely keen to learn and get involved in anything fun!
The project is run by a small number of permanent staff but volunteers are really needed at the project to help give extra attention to all the children.
Doreen and her dedicated team work hard to provide the children with the highest level of care and attention possible but an extra pair of hands is always in high demand. Most parents pay a small fee to send their children however the money collected is not sufficient to hire as many staff as they would like.
It’s all about having fun with the children and showing them that they can have fun and learn at the same time! The very fact that these children are keen to learn means that you’ll have fun and get so much out of this experience.
Your typical working hours on this project will be from Monday to Friday, 8.30am to 1.30pm. However, any extra time you can give to the project will be really appreciated.
On a daily basis you’ll interact and have fun with the children by playing games, helping with preparing meals and assisting the teachers in singing, reading stories and supervising on the miniature playground. You’ll assist staff in the general running of the centre (which could include cleaning, gardening, painting etc.) and help with fundraising and day trips.
Often you might need to work on a one to one basis with children or in small groups, to give them to attention that they need in order to flourish and develop. Due to a lack of permanent staff, this isn’t always possible without our volunteers.
The children’s centre is based in the Masiphumelele Township, which is around 45 minutes from central Cape Town. Masiphumelele is a deprived area with the majority of residents living in poverty.
Many of our volunteers make the decision to bring gifts and resources from home to incorporate into their teaching during their time in South Africa. Whilst all that the project really needs is you, full of motivation and ideas, if you wanted to bring resources from home, the project is in need of educational toys. Most items can be purchased in South Africa which saves luggage space for you and helps the local economy.
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 fora 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 a Welcome Pack 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.
If you are volunteering on a Teaching project then a 60-hour Online TEFL course is included in your placement fee. This is an internationally recognised and accredited certificate that will help you to make the most of your time overseas. More
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 every year through a grant scheme for tangible long-term initiatives. In the last 3 years we have distributed over US$250,000 to our most needy projects to help them in the great work they do.
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
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 helps 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 South Africa.
You will arrive on the Arrival Date – Monday and will be met at the airport on the specified arrival date (we recommend you arrive between 8.00 and 16.00 in order to attend your orientation at 17.00). You will be taken to the Surfpackers Hostel (see contact details below) where you will have the first day/night to recover from your flight. The hostel is located within walking distance of shops and the beach. If you wish to have a wander – just ask for directions.
If you would like to make your own way please arrange to be at the address below on the arrival date:
Surfpackers
5 Kingfisher Avenue
Kommetjie
7976
+27 (0) 82 306 8877
Your orientation will take place at 17.00 on the arrival date at Surfpackers and will introduce you to life in Cape Town as well as important information about staying healthy and safe. You’ll also get to try your hand at drumming!
You will stay at Surfpackers on Monday night before transferring to your permanent accommodation on the Tuesday. The transfer will be arranged for you by the team; transfers within Cape Town will take about 1 hour and those travelling further away can take up to 6 hours. Tuesday will also be the first day that you meet your project and start working as a volunteer.
From here on in you will spend your time with the project but the in-country team are there if you need them.
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.
Early airport pick up is possible to arrange on the day before the listed start date if required. You will be met at Cape Town International airport and transferred to our 'volunteer house' in Fish Hoek just outside Cape Town – where orientation takes pla
The cost of this Early Pick-up service is US$ 220.00
You’ll be staying in our large volunteer house in Fish Hoek throughout your trip. The house is reserved solely for i-to-i volunteers and you will have use of all facilities. The house accommodates up to 25 people in dormitory-style rooms with bunk beds. There are three bathrooms and a maximum of 8 people in a room. There’s also a lounge area, balcony, garden and barbeque facilities. The house is in a locked compound in a residential area and a short distance from the shops and beach.
A 10 minute walk away there is a supermarket, serviced laundry and an internet café and there’s also a shopping mall a little further on. You can also head down to the beach area for bars and restaurants, about a 10 minute drive away.
Your time in Cape Town is on a self-catering basis. You’ll have access to the kitchen complete with cookers, loads of fridge space, microwave, toaster and kitchen utensils so you can cook up tasty morsels. There’s a dining area in the lounge or a table and chairs on the balcony if you prefer the outdoor experience! If you are feeling lazy you can even order a takeaway!
There is a supermarket and shops a 10 minute walk from the volunteer house. They are open late so you’ll be able to shop either in your lunch-break or after your days work. You should budget around US$50 per week for groceries, as prices are similar to home.
The bathroom facilities include hot water, showers, a bath and western style toilets. The property is well-maintained and reasonably new so the living conditions are good. There is a lovely garden to relax in, too! There is a phone at the house where you can receive incoming calls and you can easily buy local phone cards to make outbound phone calls.
Cape Town maintains a temperate climate throughout the year and as a result properties do not have central heating. The volunteer house is no exception (apart from a fire in the living room) so if you are travelling to South Africa between June and August please be prepared for the Cape Town winter which can be cold at night. You’ll need to bring some warm jumpers, a decent sleeping bag and even some cosy socks especially if you’re prone to feeling the cold.
The house is based at the top of a hill within Fish Hoek, which is a suburb of Cape Town and is about 45 minute by car or an hour by train to Cape Town city centre. Fish Hoek is a quiet, residential area to the south of Cape Town centre looking over False Bay. There are shops in Fish Hoek where you can buy all your essentials except alcohol as Fish Hoek is a dry area. You’ll find commercial laundry facilities close by as well.
The trains are a great way to get into the centre cheaply, particularly at the weekend. They do stop running at 7pm so if you do want to go out into the centre at night you’ll need to budget around US$35 / 250 Rand each way for a taxi.
Your project is based in Masiphimelele which is only a short distance from Fish Hoek. Masi is based in the middle of the Cape Penisula between Fish Hoek on the east coast and Kommetjie on the west. It is approximately 5 kilometres in distance and 15 minutes on a public minibus.
A journey into South Africa’s history is to haul through periods of racial tension, oppression and hope. Its multicultural mix originates from the earliest settlers, the San (also known as Bushmen) and Khoi-Khoi tribes, followed by Bantu-speaking groups, and through to the swarm of European traders. The Dutch were among the first European settlers and arrived in the 17th century, establishing their presence through their own dialect, Afrikaan, and religion in the form of the Dutch Reformed Church. By the end of the 18th century, the British began to push their presence forward into the country’s towns. It was a period of flared tensions with Zulu chief Shaka renouncing war on neighbouring tribes. Meanwhile, the Boers (Dutch Afrikaner farmers) and the British became locked in conflict; the Anglo-Boer War lasted from 1899 to 1902, ending with the British taking control of the Boer republics of Transvaal and the Orange Free State (OFS) and consequently ruling the country.
By 1910, the Union of South Africa was created and gave political power to whites, while blacks set up political parties in protest, the African National Congress (ANC) the best known. It ushered in the beginnings of apartheid, which became widely ingrained after the Afrikaner National Party came to power in 1948. Violence against protests from blacks was enforced and the black population were evicted to so-called Homelands. In the 1960s, leaders of the ANC were imprisoned, notably Nelson Mandela, and the country became isolated having left the Commonwealth and declaring its republic status. After a long period of racial divide and conflict, in 1989 FW de Klerk came to power with the aim to rid the country of apartheid and instil democracy. The following year, Mandela was released from prison and in 1994 became president after the ANC won the country’s first non-racial general elections; the country also returned to the Commonwealth. The country’s democratic stance has steered it toward a more harmonious future, though economic inequalities between whites and blacks exist, but as the most developed economy on the continent it is in a good position to reconcile with its past.
Naturally, South Africa’s seasons are the reverse of the northern hemisphere with summer heat burning from November to March and cooler winter temperatures from June to August. Temperature wise, spring (September to October) and autumn (April to May) provide a happy medium. Certain must-do activities are restricted to specific times of year: safari is best from June to September and the whale watching season is June to December. The busiest time, hence the most expensive, is during the summer months, while the major school holidays are during December and Easter.
Given the distances involved, flying is the most convenient way to travel between the main destinations, while land transportation can efficiently pick up the rest of the mileage for exploration in and around. There are an assortment of domestic carriers to choose from that fly the main routes, with most running from Johannesburg or Cape Town; these include South African Airways, Nationwide Airlines, Kulula and 1Time. Booking early is advisable to secure discounted rates.
There country also boasts a comprehensive bus network that covers the main cities; the road trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town is around 20 hours (compared to a 2 hour in a plane). The main bus companies are Translux, Greyhound and Intercape. Baz Bus is aimed at the backpacker crowd and provides a hop-on, hop-off service and also travels to remote areas. It’s a good way to discover the picturesque patch of coastline that is the Garden Route, which it services en route from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth.
Train travel can work out longer than by bus, with the trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town edging toward almost 30 hours. If you’re after a little luxury, try the Blue Train or the Rovos Rail for a taste of stylish travel.
Car rental is an attractive option thanks to the good road conditions, great scenery and the flexibility driving allows. The big car rental companies like Avis and Budget have outlets and it’s essential to be fully insured and have a valid driver’s licence. It’s also a convenient way to get around cities as public transport can be unsafe.
The Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s website provides up-to-date political news, travel advice and information on visas
The Automobile Association of South Africa (AA)
Bus company Baz Bus
Domestic airline 1Time
Bus company Greyhound
Bus company Intercape
Domestic airline Kulula
Nationwide Airlines
South African Airways
Bus company Translux
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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