My volunteer work in the wildlife project in Zimbabwe

My first time in Africa

I have never been to Africa before and have never traveled alone outside the EU. The RGV team gave me lots of tips for my stay in advance and I was in the best hands with the local team. At no point did I feel unsafe or uncomfortable - on the contrary - the guides and coordinators are available around the clock and the entire team welcomes every volunteer with open arms. A sense of security grows here! There is also security at the entrance gate 24/7.

My journey and arrival at the project

I received a checklist from both RGV and Stan (on-site coordinator) of what I need for the visa to enter Zimbabwe. That worked perfectly too. I was then met by our guide at the airport meeting point and taken to the camp. Just like me, many of my fellow volunteers were having the experience of volunteering for the very first time. All ages were represented in my group between 18 and 62 years old. For all of us, this path was a wonderful opportunity to gain even deeper, unfiltered insights into the country and the culture and to develop a piece of family and solidarity in the process.

The orientation program

Sunday afternoon/evening was spent relaxing and having dinner together, where I was able to get to know the other volunteers and my guides. On the first evening the information and the plan for the next week were explained to me. My first Monday started with an off-road trip (game drive), where the organization's tasks were explained to me in more detail and I was able to explore the park. Before each work session there is a detailed briefing on what to do and especially before the first day of school and on the school grounds I was informed about the school project and the cooperation work.

The daily routine in the project

Monday morning to Friday afternoon are the working days. Every morning starts at 06.00 a.m. with a shared breakfast. At 06.30:2 a.m. we drove to our various workplaces, each trip being a little safari discovery tour where we encountered a wide variety of animals. After 3-11.00 hours of work, we were rewarded with a big tour of the terrain and were back in camp by 11.30 a.m. at the latest. There is a lunch break in between and lunch is served at around 16.00 a.m. The afternoon session starts at 18.00 p.m. and lasts until around 18.30 p.m. There's another warm dinner at XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

The areas of responsibility

Our areas of responsibility were mainly in the reserve. Here we took care of clearing tour paths, maintaining fences and removing plants that are poisonous to animals. Once or twice a week we did gardening in the camp's own vegetable and fruit garden. Wednesdays are school days, so we were able to get involved with the children, either in sports (playing soccer, dancing,...) or supporting the teachers with the first graders (coloring pictures,...). But there is always support on site here :). On Thursday evening we went camping and on Friday morning we went bush tracking, where we were able to follow various animal tracks on foot. After the Friday afternoon session is completed, the working week is over :).

Accommodation in Zimbabwe

All volunteers live together in the camp, it is very comfortable and quickly feels like home! Everyone gets a single room as a retreat and shares the bathroom for two people (separate for men and women). Everything is clean and renovated, drinking water comes from every tap and the rooms and bathrooms are cleaned daily. WiFi is on site ;). In addition to me, there were 10 other participants on site. My privacy was always respected. We eat together three times a day, which brings all participants and camp staff together and creates a very family atmosphere. Everyone can share their impressions and review the shared experiences :). For breakfast there is toast or cereal as desired, but also fried eggs and fruit. Lunch and dinner are served warm every day by the chefs. The food is delicious and plentiful, everyone will be fed up here! Wraps, pizzas, pasta and rice will strengthen you after your work. These are served with meat or vegetables and are often accompanied by fresh salad from the in-house vegetable garden. It is wonderful!

Free time in Zimbabwe

Everyone can spend their breaks and evenings as they wish and if you feel like having company, you can make yourself comfortable with the others on the terrace or at the communal table. You also have the option of going to the supermarket or souvenir shopping in town. There is a pool in the garden to cool off, which I can highly recommend during the midday heat ;). There's really nothing missing here! There was also plenty of time for excursions.

What shouldn't be missed, of course: the Victoria Falls, probably the most impressive natural spectacle in Victoria Falls, which every volunteer on site can visit once with one of the guides, it was overwhelming! For the weekends there is a flyer in the camp with various excursion offers and Stan is always on site with advice and assistance and will book your excursion for you. My weekend highlights were the Devil's Pool: my once-in-a-lifetime moment and an absolute adrenaline rush, as well as the Chobe National Park, where I was able to complete my Big 5 with lions and leopards! A sundowner boat trip on the Zambezi was of course also very impressive!

My conclusion

All in all, probably the most unforgettable 3 weeks of my life, saying goodbye was very difficult! The wildlife project in Zimbabwe is truly a very special experience that touches the heart. I really appreciate both the local teams and the RGV team for this opportunity!

Experience report from Patricia, volunteer in the wildlife project in Zimbabwe, October 2023