BACKROUND OF THE ORGANISATION SAVE started in 2006 when the need was identified to assist in the local impoverished communities. Many communities, preschools and schools were unable to provide effective programs due to lack of funding, resources and skill levels. With the assistance of volunteers, these shortcomings were addressed and SAVE slowly grew into a large organisation that now provides assistance to several communities across Africa. We now also offer several wildlife conservation projects including pre-vet, white shark and wild cats. Our flagship projects in Cape Town have grown exponentially and we now run 10 highly successful projects where these challenges are being addressed on a daily basis. BACKROUND OF THE PROJECT Vision of Felidae Centre Our vision is to operate a wildlife reserve that promotes the conservation and rehabilitation of African wild cats and predators, and to provide a safe haven for wildlife that cannot be released back into the wild. At the centre we aim to: Secure the conservation of various wildlife species Educate local schools and the community about African wildlife Educate volunteers about animal conservation practices Care for sick, injured, and orphaned animals Preserve wildlife heritage in Africa and eradicate the destructive practice of breeding African big cats for tourism purposes and end the process of Canned Hunting About Felidae Centre Felidae Centre is located in the well-known Free State province, which borders the Northern Cape. The predator farm is situated only 30 km from the historical town of Kimberley, on the National Road (the N8). The farm is home to an abundance of animals; we are a home to 42 predators and 2 monkeys the predators include: 4 cheetahs, 20 lions, 4 caracals, 2 servals, 1 African wild cat, 2 black backed jackals, and 9 bat-eared foxes. These animals are taken in to be cared for because of various reasons; some cannot live in the wild on their own if they are sick or were abandoned, and many are rescued from unethical processes like canned hunting and breeding for tourism purposes. When it is possible, we strive to release our animals back into the wild where they can live freely without any human interaction.
History of the Project Beginning of Felidae Centre Felidae centre was founded in 2010 by the Burger family when Chriszanne and Nicol Burger adopted 2 animals from a project where they previously work. These animals were moved to Felidae and cared for by the Burger family. This action was the foundation for the continued conservation and rehabilitation work that takes place at the Felidae Centre. Around this time, the Burger family learned about Canned Hunting (a method of hunting in which an animal is kept in a confined area-such as a fenced enclosure-to vastly increase the likelihood of the hunter obtaining a kill for trophy purposes), which sparked the desire to work towards the eradication of this process and rescue African cats from hazardous environments. Future Plans for Felidae Centre We are currently busy expanding the enclosures on the farm. These enclosures will be geared towards mimicking a natural area for play and roaming. Each enclosure will accommodate the specific species needs. Every enclosure will consist of tree logs, a climbing area, and adequate space to roam. Felidae currently has over 1000 hectares of pure Free State farmland available to expand the project and ensure the wellbeing of the animals in our care. We do not intend to breed with our lions or to buy in any more cubs in the future. Released back into the wild: Since the start of the farm in 2010, we have released 2 Caracals on Nicky Oppenheimers Reserve, Tswalu. We have also released more animals on the Langberg Guest Farm, as well as on our own farm. Some of these animals include; Jakkels, Meerkats, misseljaatkatte (Cape Genet), African Wild Cats, Muishonde and more. Project Highlights You will be able to listen to the sounds of cats calling throughout the night Not only will you be privileged to work with these beautiful cats, but your accommodation is also situated in the middle of the project ans surrounded by all the enclosures. You will be accompanied by other people who are very passionate about animals. You will have the opportunity to work face to face, with big cats and other wildlife. Learn and experience how each animal behaves, reacts and what their characters are like
Volunteer Tasks As a non-profit, family-run project, we require the assistance of volunteers, sponsors, and donors to adequately care for the needs of our many animals. We require assistance with daily tasks such as providing a clean and safe environment, healthy food to eat, and constant care for the animals. As a volunteer, you will be working closely with Nicol and Chiszanne - as well as other staff- to complete tasks for each of the various aspects of the farm. There are two different types of work on the farm: Daily routine: Cleaning the enclosures & farm, feeding the animals, maintaining the enclosures, etc. Projects: We run various projects that aim to improve the farm and well-being of the animals. The projects at Felidae continuously change depending on the needs of the animals and farm at the time. NB! While we require a lot of assistance with meal preparation for the animalsslaughtering and plucking chickens, skinning carcasses, and deboning meatpeople who do not feel comfortable with this task will not be forced to do so. Duties that do not directly interact with the animals are still crucial to their well-being. General maintenance and cleaning of the grounds (for example: cutting grass to ensure there are no ticks, fleas, snakes, and spiders, and poop scooping); are regular tasks on the farm for the health and safety of all the animals in our care. As a volunteer, you will be able to experience each of the various jobs on the farm; we rotate the tasks among the volunteers to ensure each person has an opportunity to both help with farm maintenance and interact with the animals equally. Average Working Day An early wake-up at 07:00am Breakfast with the team Discussion of daily events and duties During the course of the day you can be involved in tours, preparing food, working in the enclosures, nursing sick animals, and so on Lunch hour Free time to do your laundry, taking a nap, spending time with other volunteers, or even helping in the preparation of an evening function Dinner will be a nice warm meal. You can also prepare your own food if you wish. Just before bedtime, a quick check-in on the cats, making sure everyone is settled End the day with a well-deserved sleep Please note that from time to time there can be unavoidable changes to projects. These can be caused by weather, conservation priorities, materials supply, or because ongoing projects have progressed more quickly or slowly than originally planned. We ask you to accept the changes we are sure that you will enjoy the replacement projects just as much..
Project Details Arrival Day: Wednesday Time: Your flight can land anytime on Wednesday Airport: O R Tambo (JNB) International Airport Orientation: Wednesday - Thursday Project Starts: Friday Departure Day: Friday Departure time: You MUST take a late evening flight out of JNB, as the shuttle from Kimberley will only arrive in JNB early afternoon. Min Duration: 2 weeks (incl 2 day Orientation) Min Age: 18 Max Age: N/A - Medium Level of fitness required NOTE: We can also collect you at any Hotel or place of accommodation on your arrival day, should it be within close radius of the City centre or Airport Volunteer Requirements Completed Application form Basic level of competency in English Copy of return flight itinerary Medium level of fitness Packing list Casual working clothes for hot and cold days Semi formal clothes for functions and for trips to town Jackets Sunscreen and hat Swimsuit and towel Personal toiletries and bath towels Raincoat and boots (gumboots) Insect repellent Laptop with own dvd s if desired Pocket money (drinks and souvenirs) Flashlight and batteries Notebook and pen Proof of all inoculations First aid kit and personal medication Water bottle PS The most important things to bring are a sense of humour, patience, an open mind and a positive attitude!
What s Included? Airport pick up 2 Day Johannesburg Orientation Accommodation Three meals a day Weekly transport to town for shopping Transport to and from the project 24 hour support and supervision Donation to the project Certificate of appreciation Accommodation Meals Transport & Shuttles Transport Volunteers will be met at Johannesburg International airport and taken to their orientation venue, Homebase Melville. On the project start day, you will be taken to the bus terminal to take your shuttle to project. Once arrived, the project leader will collect you from the bus stop. The same procedure in reverse happens for your return journey. IMPORTANT: There is an option to fly to and from Kimberley instead of taking the shuttles. This is at your own expense and should be communicated with your bookings agent upon confirming your spot!
Meals Volunteers will receive 3 meals a day: Breakfast consists of cereals, fruit, yoghurts, toast and spreads Lunch consists of bread, cold meats, salad, cheese, spreads and fruit Dinner consists of a hot meal such as a traditional South African BBQ (braai). All dinners will include a meat, starch and vegetable. NOTES: Tea and coffee will be available, all other drinks will be at own expense A generous amount of food will always be served. If snacks are desired there are several grocery stores nearby. There are refrigerators available for volunteers personal food and soft drinks Important reminder: Participants must advise SAVE of their dietary needs (e.g. if they are vegetarian or have any allergies) prior to their arrival. Participants with very specific dietary needs may be required to supplement their meals at their own expense. Accommodation Volunteers will stay in a volunteers house (1-6 people per room) including its own kitchen facilities, bathroom, and bedroom. All linen will be provided. The volunteer house is roughly 20m away from the main-house, and is safe and secure. Swimming pool is available. No visitors are permitted to enter the property unless permitted by the project leader Laundry: There is laundry on-site. You may wash your clothes yourself or we can wash your clothes for R50.00 per bundle. Please note: We are not responsible for any damage to clothes during washing or ironing. Internet: There is NO Wifi at this project due to the poor reception. Please do make sure you purchase a South African Sim card and load data on it while you are at your orientation in Johannesburg.
General Information Location: The farm is located 30 kilometres outside of Kimberley Town centre on Petrusberg Road. Shops/Grocery Stores: You will receive weekly transport into town so that you can purchase essentials and food items ATMS: There are plenty of ATMS in Johannesburg where you will have your orientation. Once on project you will have the opportunity to withdraw money on your weekly shopping trip. Supervision/Co- Ordination: As the nature of the work varies we will place volunteers under the supervision of various staff members. We will have one member of our team assigned as team leader to facilitate the smooth operation of the volunteers stay and provide guidance where necessary. Free time: Friday (day off): We will drive to Checkers (a supermarket in town). Anyone is welcome to join to buy groceries for the coming week. Other options for this day are extra activities you can arrange with the project. These activities will be for your own account. Please request the price from the project leader when you decide to book: Activities: (Please note these are subject to availability and can change at anytime) Mokala National Park: Kimberly Big Hole- Biggest Diamond Mine: Boat Trip on Vaal river: Safaris to a Big 5 Area : *Please talk to staff if you wish to book an excursion or transport. - During the week there will be opportunities for night game drives. Saturday Night Steak House Dinner: Dinner and drinks: Own Expense Transport: Free There is also the option to have dinner (braai) at the farm Thursday Movie Night: Dinner at Panarotti Pizza place (Buy one, get one free): Own Expense Movie of your choice available at the cinema When staff need to go into town for shopping you are welcome to join them for free or give them a shopping list. Please sign up one day in advance if you wish to do so or want to go on an excursion.
General Information Water: Water is safe to drink. However, please be aware that there may be a shortage during dry season. Use water sparingly and have short showers or baths. Power: South African electrical power is 240 volts AC. Appliances from North America will burn out if they are not switched over or have a properly-rated power transformer (not just a plug converter) attached. Think twice about that hair dryer! South Africa is also prone to electricity cuts (load shedding) due to short supply. Please turn off lights and heaters when not in the room. The plug adapter needed for South Africa plugs is very difficult to find in your home country, we suggest you buy the adapter in South Africa. NB!! Safety Tips Animals: Some animals DO NOT like direct contact. If they do approach you just remain calm and stand still. If you do not feel comfortable in certain places with the animals inform your team leader for assistance. Even if the animals appear tame we MUST still respect them at all times. We recommend you get all you get all your inoculations in case Camps: Never enter the big cats enclosure without staff supervision To enter a small enclosure there must be a guide/team leader present All gates to all camps must be locked and checked daily to make sure they are in a working condition Be aware of the electric fences at all times General: Participants must conduct themselves in a safe and responsible manner at all times Hitchhiking is not permitted at any time and travelling alone in the dark is not recommended Always be aware of your surroundings and don t leave your belongings unattended Never give beggars money - speak to your coordinator if you would like to make donations Do not look like a tourist with your camera around your neck or walk and text Do not carry large amount of cash on you that people can see Cards are accepted in most places Lock your room to ensure all your valuables, passport and money stay safe
Laws in South Africa You can only drive from the age of 18, with a valid driving license. International licenses are required for vehicle rental in order to drive in South Africa People under 18 years may not drink or buy alcohol Drinking alcohol in a public place is illegal (this includes drinking on the beach) It is legal to smoke cigarettes in public places, but shopping malls, businesses, public transport and restaurants have no-smoking policies. Smoking is permitted inside places where permission is granted. It is illegal to carry, buy or use drugs, including marijuana The age of sexual consent is 16, and having sex with anyone under 16 is illegal Health and Safety All participants should have informed SAVE of any medical information, including allergies, prescribed medications, or any known medical condition. It is advisable to remind your volunteer leaders again during orientation! Insurance All SAVE participants must have medical, travel and trip cancellation insurance for the duration of their program. SAVE must receive proof of insurance prior to arrival. Drugs SAVE has a zero-tolerance policy for illegal drugs. Offenders will be removed from the program immediately without refund. Smoking No smoking is allowed during project hours. Alcohol A responsible level of drinking (for volunteers of legal age) during free time is allowed. However in these limited situations: Alcohol is never to be consumed during project hours or on any SAVE Premises. Participants are never to be intoxicated during project hours No hangovers will be tolerated on project so please keep drinking to off days Failure to comply will be treated as a serious matter. SAVE reserves the right to remove a participant from the project without refund if they disregard this policy. Participants who endanger their safety or the safety of others through irresponsible drinking of alcohol or negligence may be removed from the program without refund.
Important points to read What is the difference between volunteering and regular tourism? In regular tourism the emphasis is on the tourist who expects to receive excellent service on their trip (great hotel, good food and all excursions working according to a timetable). The place and local community becomes less important with the tourist becoming the center of attention. In volunteer tourism (or voluntourism ) the emphasis shifts to work contribution, goals of the program and helping the local community. It is the success of the program and the atmosphere between the community and the volunteers that helps make the trip unforgettable not the level of service or the quality of the hotel. Many programs are underfunded and staffed so inevitably there will be some difficulties; however it is the overcoming of any challenges which creates a sense of achievement and satisfaction not found in regular tourism. Will there be any surprises? Volunteer tourism can be unpredictable! While SAVE does the utmost to stick to timetables and examples of type of work needed by the volunteer, there are many factors that can impact these plans. For example, the weather and seasons, local holidays, mood of the wildlife and immediate needs of the programs. The information you will receive from the program is important and valuable however things can change and we urge you to use it as a guideline and expect the unexpected this is what makes volunteer tourism so diverse and exciting. It is important that you arrive with a flexible attitude and remember that just by being at the project you will be contributing to its running, growth and success. Many of these programs are in cultures very different than yours and as such the type and length of work given may or may not seem important to you but it will be for the program. The first few days These are the most important and can be the most difficult ones. You have just arrived off a long flight in a strange location and are living with new people. Even if the first impression might not be as you had expected. Please give yourself a couple of days to acclimatize and give the project the help it needs. Volunteer work some examples It is important to realize that not all the work will be easy or 'romantic'. A lot of the time you will need to roll up your sleeves and get dirty with tasks such as: Animal projects: working with raw meat, cage cleaning, removing ticks, etc. Environmental projects: manual labor, carrying heavy items, getting dirty, working in the rain, etc. Humanitarian projects: cleaning up after the kids, kitchen duty, changing diapers, wiping runny noses, etc. Building projects: mixing concrete manually, picking up garbage off site, removing vegetation, etc. Keep a positive attitude and note that even boring tasks contribute and are also very important to the program. Also remember boring tasks are not given to you on purpose but they form a part of the overall volunteer experience as it takes care of the needs of the overall project. Sticking to a timetable Each program asks its volunteers to stick to a timetable which helps the program run smoothly. Please follow the instructions from the program managers. However, please note that volunteer programs are usually underfunded and understaffed which can lead to multiple changes in the program timetable. Volunteer work needs to be flexible for various reasons and should not be seen as a nine to five office job even if some changes do not make sense to the volunteer. Flexibility and an 'expect the unexpected attitude' are needed however never forget that by volunteering you are contributing immensely to the program.
Important points to read Before you leave for project Please look after yourselves and listen to the Leaders and the program staff you are visiting. Drink lots of fluids and remember your sunscreen. Volunteer trips are what you make of them and coming with an open mind and listening to the program managers/leaders will help you experience an unforgettable trip. Please also remember that this is an English speaking project. In order to be inclusive and for everyone to have a positive experience, we ask that volunteers speak English at all times. The Volunteer Leader Most programs will have a volunteer leader. This person is usually a volunteer who is on a long term contract or has volunteered on the same project in the past. The volunteer leader can be of great assistance when a problem arises though please approach them at a convenient time outside of busy working hours. It is important that you listen to the volunteer leader and cooperate with them. Culture shock The volunteers you will be working with come from all over the world and may be from different religious and ethnic backgrounds. Volunteering is also a cultural experience where you can learn about different cultures, please be both tolerant and patient. Do not be shy in sharing your experiences, recipes, songs and traditions it will just add to the overall group cohesion. For example, children may be raised in ways that are very different to what you are used to. If you are ever unsure about a certain issues, please feel free to discuss it with your volunteer leader. Extra expenses Please take into account additional expenses like tours, trips, telephone, restaurants and bars. It is a good idea to have different types of payment available to you like: cash, credit cards, debit cards and traveller's cheques. If there are any problems during the program please speak to the volunteer leader. It is important to initially raise and discuss the issue in the program as most can be solved in this manner. The organisation and projects rely on each and every volunteer, if you leave the program in the middle (or leave unhappy and disgruntled) it could seriously damage the hard work being undertaken. Approaching us directly will help us to resolve the issues for future volunteers or for the sustainability of the project. We want to make it an unforgettable experience for you and all others. We also want our projects to continue receiving the much needed volunteers we can only help if we know what the concerns are! If the problem is not resolved within 24 hours, please feel free to approach the SAVE manager. If, within a further 24 hours, you still feel the problem has not been dealt with, you should contact bookings@volunteering.org.za or +27 73 333 4338 and we will do our best to sort out the problem.
References and Suggested Readings It is strongly recommended that all participants read and print out areas of interest from the websites and reference materials listed below as these will provide valuable background information and help to put project goals and activities into context. Cape Town tourism: www.tourismcapetown.co.za Saltycrax Adventures: www.saltycrax.com South African Weather: www.weathersa.com SAVE volunteering www.volunteering.org.za Long Walk to Freedom Nelson Mandela SAVE Foundation: www.savefoundation.org.za The more positive you are, the more positive your memories will be! Your time on project will be over sooner than you know, what would you like to think back on later in your life?