Our volunteer work in horse therapy in Cape Town

Our arrival in South Africa

Arrived at the airport, we were warmly welcomed by the project manager "Bee". Bee is the contact person for all volunteers and is available with advice and action on all topics. She also speaks German, which makes a lot of things easier and was helpful for us, especially in the first few days. At the airport we did the first shopping with her so that we were taken care of for the first few days. You can also purchase a SIM card at the airport if you need one. Together with Bee we drove to the farm where the accommodation is located. On the first day we had time to "arrive", unpack everything in peace and get a first impression of the farm and the people. The stable manager, who also lives on the farm, showed us the stable and the grounds. In addition, there were many other (local) volunteers on site who gave us tips on how to deal with the horses and the children, so that we quickly found our way around.

Life in our accommodation in Cape Town

We lived in a "cabin", which is located directly on the farm premises (in the stable manager's garden, so to speak). The cabin is a cozy wooden hut for two people with a small bathroom and a small kitchenette. The cabin is not big, but offers everything you need. We felt very comfortable here and enjoyed not having to travel to the project (1 minute and you were at work including a view of Table Mountain ;)). A washing machine is available in the "Clubhouse". We were allowed to use these. The Clubhouse is the common room for all volunteers. Another advantage of living directly on the farm: a cleaning lady comes every 2 weeks, so you don't have to do the cleaning yourself.

Areas of responsibility and daily routine in the project

Our day always started at 8:30 a.m. with cleaning and saddling the horses. Then the respective instructor divided the volunteers into sidewalkers (walk next to the child and teach the tasks) and leaders (lead the horse). We had either two or three hours in the morning and one or two hours in the afternoon with the children. Many local helpers always came to the respective hours, because volunteers are always needed here. If hours were missed, we either got other assignments or had a longer lunch break. During the lunch break (from around 12 p.m.) we usually went to the cabin to cook and relax. For our weekly shopping, Bee drove us to the nearby supermarket during the Monday lunch break. Our closing time was around 17 p.m. On Friday afternoons we were allowed to ride the horses in the meadows. That was always a nice way to end the week for us.

Our free time in South Africa

We had the weekend off and explored the city and the surrounding area together. We mostly drove with Uber, which we would highly recommend. You felt safe and it is much cheaper compared to Germany. In addition, the local volunteers were always very helpful, making it easy for us to make friends and see and experience a lot! In addition, we had both planned time to travel in South Africa. So I (Anne) spent 8 days in Johannesburg and in the Krüger National Park during the school holidays, which was an absolute highlight for me. But I (Maresa) still had 3 weeks to travel after the project. I spent this with my boyfriend on the Garden Route and also in the Kruger National Park.

Why RGV?

I (Anne) wanted to volunteer abroad after graduating from high school and came across RGV while searching for different programs. Because of my experience with horses and riding lessons, I decided to do the horse therapy project. I registered and almost 3 months later I was already on the plane to South Africa.

I (Maresa) have been working for 4 years and wanted to offer my support and help in a humanitarian project outside of my normal everyday work. After clarifying everything with my employer, I started looking for an exciting project that suited me.

Since I look after children and young people every year during a holiday camp and rode horses myself until I was 16, the project in equestrian therapy was a "perfect fit" for me. I found all the necessary information directly on the RGV website. The registration & support by RGV went great and all open questions were always answered quickly.

Testimonial from Anne and Maresa, Equestrian Therapy Volunteer in Cape Town, September to December 2022