4 - 12 weeks
from € 1.250
South Africa

Farm work in South Africa

  • Urban everyday life
  • High recreational value
  • Many volunteers on site

Malnutrition is a major problem in South Africa. To counteract this problem, as a volunteer on the farm you support the locals, for example in the cultivation of fruit and vegetables. You are also involved in raising awareness about the need for healthy nutrition and sustainable agriculture.

Location icon Cape Town
Minimum age icon from 18 years
Icon Duration 4 - 12 weeks / from €1.250
Departure days icon Monday - Thursday
SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production
Sustainable consumption and production

Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

Project ID : FA-SÜ110

As a volunteer
South Africa

4 - 12 weeks / from €1.250
to the cost overview

Volunteering on a farm in South Africa

What's the matter?

Grapefruit for breakfast, chicken for lunch and a glass of red wine for dinner - we Europeans import all these foods from South Africa, among other places! The agricultural sector is therefore of great importance in South Africa. However, the prevailing water scarcity and poor soil quality make it difficult to use the available arable land for agriculture.

Around 55 kilometers from Cape Town is a farm, the project's site, which has a relatively good starting position thanks to sustainable agriculture. However, the population is still largely unfamiliar with the concept of sustainable agriculture and needs educational work.

The original 900 hectare farm was converted into a mission station in the 19th century. Back then, local people grew oats, vegetables and wheat and kept sheep, goats and pigs. Hardly any agriculture is practiced there today. But the project is promoting agriculture again!

In addition, there are community gardens on the farm, which are used by several people as agricultural land for growing fruit and vegetables - usually for self-sufficiency. The concept for this comes from Great Britain and was developed before the First World War. The gardens are mostly open to the public. Community gardens are common in South Africa. They not only serve to grow food, but also as a meeting place for the neighborhood.

The aim of the project is to improve local food supplies and secure jobs. In addition, the population should develop an awareness of environmental and nature conservation. By 2030, the model is to be transferred to other rural regions in South Africa. By volunteering, you will help achieve this goal!

Your tasks as a volunteer

In this project there are various tasks that you take on as a volunteer. This includes maintaining your job site and building fences. You are also involved in cultivating the fields. You pull weeds, sow and plant fruit and vegetables and help with watering or ploughing.

An important part of this project is the educational work on the subject of sustainable agriculture. Above all, the children and young people from the region are involved here. Together with the local employees, you will teach them agricultural know-how after school. They can then pass on the knowledge they have acquired to their families and, for example, support themselves by growing fruit and vegetables in the community gardens. You can help out in workshops and pass on your knowledge in a playful way.

Your working day usually starts at 7:00 a.m. and ends around 18:00 p.m. Between 12:00 p.m. and 13:00 p.m. you have a lunch break and there is also a break in between. You normally work a maximum of 40 hours a week.

Location

Cape Town

Going surfing in the morning before work and watching the sunset over the city from Table Mountain in the evening - sounds like a fantastic dream? In Cape Town this is possible!

With over four million inhabitants, Cape Town is the second largest city in South Africa. Because the city has played a crucial role in the country's history in many ways, it is affectionately known as the "mother of all cities". The famous "Cape of Good Hope", where the first daring sailors docked at the time of the European explorers, is located in the Table Mountain National Park. 

Due to its location, directly on Table Bay of the Atlantic Ocean, you have a breathtaking panorama view from almost everywhere. Dare the challenge and let yourself be enchanted by this beauty!

Cape Town is inhabited by people from many different ethnic groups, which is also reflected in the cityscape. Convince yourself of the colorful houses of Bo-Kaaps, the impressive street art in the alleys or the ever-present Afro-Chic. Cape Town is multicultural and proudly displays every facet of the local population.

Your free time in Cape Town

There are definitely enough leisure activities for your entertainment in the colorful cosmopolitan city of Cape Town. You will hardly find another place in Africa where you can go out as well as in the clubs and bars along Long Street in the city center. And when it comes to culinary delights, you won't be disappointed in Cape Town's cultural melting pot.

Of course, the eventful history of the city is not only expressed in the kitchen. It also characterizes the local art, which you can admire in the many museums, but also on the walls of the houses in the district. A must-see for all graffiti lovers is the Woodstock district, which has transformed from a notorious no-go area into a place of pilgrimage for street art fans in recent years.

Even if you are passionate about sports or outdoor activities, you will have fun in Cape Town. The beaches have perfect conditions for kiting or (wind) surfing and you can explore the colorful South African underwater world with its shipwrecks, corals and fish while diving. To see even bigger sea creatures, you have to go a little further. Whale watching tours in Cape Town bring you closer to dolphins, whales and sharks than anywhere else in the world.

If you've ever traveled by boat, you should also check out Robben Island. The historic site used to be the prison where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. Today there is a lush nature reserve. You can find even more nature in the south of the city in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. In addition to the rich flora, there are also regular open-air concerts here.

Finally, a trip to Table Mountain should not be missed on your trip to Cape Town. From the famous local mountain, which towers over the city in the west, you have a unique view over the entire region and the Bay of Cape Town. You should also plan another day to visit the Cape of Good Hope. On the way there you will also pass "Boulders Beach" with its penguins.

On-site procedure

Arrival in Cape Town

For your project in South Africa you land directly in Cape Town. Here you will be met at the airport by a member of our RGV team in South Africa. From here the team will drive you directly to your accommodation in Cape Town. The drive from the airport is already a first small highlight: through a beautiful backdrop you get closer and closer to Table Mountain. You can use the rest of the day to move into your accommodation and to get to know your new surroundings.

Orientation program in Cape Town

In order to be able to find your way around better in your new environment, your stay begins with an orientation program. This always starts on Tuesdays and Fridays. Please plan your arrival for Monday or Thursday so that you can get off to a good start!

Immediately after your arrival, our team will give you your South Africa starter package with a city map, SIM card and other useful things that should make your everyday life easier. In your accommodation you will also receive a brief introduction to the area and your new home.

During a workshop with our RGV team, you will then learn more about your target country and its inhabitants. Culture, country and people as well as current events and the recent history of the country will be topics here. Our team will introduce you to Cape Town slang and give you valuable safety information and tips on the subject of transport, withdrawing money, etc. On one of the following days, you will also explore Cape Town on a guided city bus tour with other newly arrived participants.

Project start in Cape Town

Your first day in the project

Your project location is always as close as possible to your accommodation. On your first day at work, you will be accompanied to your assignment site either by our team or by other volunteers. The further course of your project work will then be discussed with you there.

When working in the area of ​​wildlife and animal welfare, you should assume that you can also work on weekends and get two days off during the week. Daily working hours should be between five and eight hours a day.

Your daily arrival in the project

All social projects are located within the city limits of Cape Town. There are several ways to get to your project. The following travel options are available to you:

  • rental car
  • Taxi or Uber

For safety reasons, we advise against using public transport.

The rental car is a cheap and worthwhile alternative to public transport, since not all places can be reached by public transport. As a rule, 3-5 participants rent a car together and form carpools.

Pricing

  • base fee
    € 1.250, -
    4 weeks of participation
  • extension week
    € 135, - / week
    up to 8 weeks respectively

included
Services

Before departure

  • Individual advice and support from our trained RGV team in Munich
  • Organization including placement in the project and coordination of your stay on site
  • Assistance with preparation: visa, health care, travel insurance, etc.
  • Non-binding flight advice
  • Travel ABC with packing list for your travel preparation
  • RGV t-shirt

On site

  • Airport transfer on the agreed arrival and departure days
  • Accommodation at the job site
  • Meals: breakfast, lunch and dinner
  • Orientation program with the team on site
  • Support and guidance from the on-site team
  • RGV 24h emergency number
  • Project t-shirt to wear during on-site activities

After return

  • Participation confirmation of your voluntary commitment
  • Reflection course on your experiences abroad
  • Evaluation sheet and optional feedback discussion
useful additional services

not included
Services

  • Round trip
  • Private expenses on site
  • Excursions with microlight flights
  • Travel and cancellation insurance
  • Visa and Vaccinations
  • All nights outside your agreed accommodation
  • Public transport and extra transfers
  • Drinks

Individual Recommended additional offers
& must-haves

Picture must-haves

Would you prefer to stay in a single room? Are you vegan or do you have special requests for food? Or do you want to do some cool trips with other volunteers in your free time and explore the country?

With us, you benefit from a variety of optional additional services that you can add individually to your booking, depending on your preferences.

Flight booking icon
" Round Trip
Cheap flights with our flight partner thanks to volunteer rates.
Flight offers with maximum flexibility

Would you like to receive a cheap flight offer for your stay abroad that is perfectly tailored to you? After you have successfully registered, you can have a non-binding offer created.

The excellent rates for volunteers, students and young people are a great advantage. Arrival times and flight time changes can also be sent directly to RGV upon request, so that our RGV teams in the destination countries are always informed about your arrival times.

These special tariffs give you special added value:

  • maximum flexibility for rebookings and cancellations
  • generous baggage allowance
  • Additional discounts on one-way flights: The new volunteer tariffs include attractive discounts to reduce your financial burden on one-way flights (e.g. for stopovers, project or country combinations).
Insurance icon
" Insurance
Benefit from the 4 in 1 ERGO travel insurance.
The 4 in 1 insurance cover for volunteers and internships abroad

You can easily book the long-term travel protection of ERGO Reiseversicherung after you have registered. You will receive the links to this automatically after a successful registration.

The following building blocks are included:

  • Health Insurance
  • Comfort protection: accident, liability and interruption insurance
  • Travel insurance

Cape Town Team
site

Our RGV team in Cape Town, South Africa consists of: Team leader Jemaine, who acts as a coordinator to ensure that your stay goes as planned, and his sister Cindy, who you won't see often as she's mostly behind the scenes making sure everything runs smoothly. 

And then there is Eunice, who ensures that the volunteer house always looks great and is ready for our guests. The entire team comes from Cape Town.

Jemaine herself has been working in the travel industry for over 15 years.

During your stay, the RGV team on site is your first point of contact for all questions and problems related to your stay and your booking.

Our vibrant South Africa team looks forward to welcoming you to the Rainbow family!

RGV FAQ
to the project

How far in advance do I have to register?

Ideally your registration takes place at least 3-6 months before the desired departure date, But also short-term registrations are up 1-2 months before the planned departure is possible.

But it could be that your dream project is already booked. In this case we will try together to find a suitable alternative for you.

Can I travel with a friend or in a group?

Yes! On request we enable a double room if you for two with a friend or a friend, or an apartment or other suitable accommodation for groups.

We are very happy to enable our participants to go on a project and share accommodation with friends. Shared accommodation is usually possible both in the volunteer house and with the host family, although the room in the volunteer house may also be shared with other participants. In some locations there is also the option of sharing an apartment.

When registering, please always mention the person(s) traveling with you!

Can I combine projects?

Yes! You can combine projects at one location, at different locations, but also in different countries. It is also possible to combine a project with a trip. You can specify your desired combination directly when registering.

Combination options at a glance:

  1. Combine programs in one country
  2. Combine programs across countries
  3. Combine a program with a language course
  4. Combine a program with ours Adventure & Trips

There are a few things Project combinations to note: The minimum length of stay per project must be observed and you may incur additional costs for country combinations, for example for an intermediate flight.

What are the project fees used for?

Although we are a non-profit organization, there are costs associated with volunteering abroad. Find out here, why volunteering requires money and what your project fee is used for.

What visa do I need for South Africa?

You can apply for a tourist visa for South Africa when you arrive at the airport. This is valid for 90 days.

What language skills do I need for the project in South Africa?

You definitely need good English skills for the project. An Afrikaans course is also recommended.

What vaccinations/ health precautions do I need?

If you are traveling from a yellow fever area, you need a yellow fever vaccination. Otherwise there are no compulsory vaccinations.

We generally recommend a consultation in a practice for travel and tropical medicine.

You can get general information about recommended health care and vaccinations online Center for Travel Medicine as well as on the side of Foreign Office.

What are the requirements for the environmental project?

No special prior knowledge is required to participate. Motivation, good health, the ability to work in a team, fun working outdoors and an interest in environmental issues are important.

What do I have to bring?

Comfortable clothing that can get dirty and is easy to wash.

What do I have to consider as an LGBTQ person?

Please be aware that homosexual acts are considered undesirable in many countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and are even punishable by law in some places. In general, people who are identified as queer are often exposed to hostility.

For example, get information from Foreign Office about the exact regulations in your destination country.

General FAQ about volunteer work

Ready to get involved as a volunteer in South Africa? Start your adventure abroad with Rainbow Garden Village!

Rainbow Garden Village has been offering volunteer work and internships abroad since 1999. What started as a small student initiative in Ghana has now grown into an organization with over 250 projects around the world.

You can be sure that your work as a volunteer will be an unforgettable experience. Bring your commitment and your knowledge to do good locally - and at the same time benefit from the unique experiences that will promote your personal development.

Become part of our RGV community!
We look forward to you.

RGV Your way
to the volunteer

1
Choose your volunteer project and register online.

2
We will review your application and confirm your participation.

3
Prepare for your assignment online or in our preparatory seminar in Munich.

4
Here we go! During your volunteer work, we will support you at any time with our on-site team.

Gallery Impressions &
Impressions

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