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Project Age Limit
Minimum 18 years, maximum decided on potential participants’ health.
The reserve on which you will be based was converted from cattle farming to tourism in 1993 and shortly after launched the animal welfare foundation, currently the largest big cat conservation programme in the world. The foundation is a non-profit organisation committed to the long-term conservation of Namibia’s large carnivores, especially cheetahs and leopards and is home to a 4,000 hectare (10,000 acre) cheetah rehabilitation reserve, giving previously non-releasable cats a second chance to be wild and free.
In total the reserve presently encompasses 22,000 hectare (55,000 acre) and is home to other wildlife including leopard, giraffe, oryx, kudu, zebra, impala, eland, wildebeest, red hartebeest, duiker, steenbok, dik-dik, and warthog. There are also nocturnal animals such as porcupine, honey badger, brown hyena, spotted genet, aardvark and over 200 bird species may be seen.
Volunteer Role
Your aim, as part of the team, will be to eradicate the sickle bush, opening up the land once more and giving the natural indigenous plants and grasses a chance to recover. This may be a challenging task at times, but it will also be highly rewarding to know that you have been a part of a team helping restore the land back to its original state. You will be using a wide range of hand tools including: axes, picks, saws, rakes etc plus some machine operated tools. Everyone will be instructed on how to use these and safety talks will be given. You will need to bring your own heavy-duty work gloves, while on-site staff will provide safety goggles.
You will be working 6 days a week, with one day off. Your normal working day will start with coffee and breakfast as the sun rises, before heading of to the work site in the reserve. While Bush clearing is the main activity that you will be participating in on a daily basis, the amount of time spent doing this each day is fairly flexible, depending on the abilities and requirements of your team.
Other activities that you may be involved in during your stay (time dependent):
- Game counts at waterholes
- General reserve maintenance
- Fence patrols
- Plant & animal studies
- Tracking and bush crafts
- Soil erosion control
- Star gazing
- Accompanying staff for the collection and release of leopard and cheetah (if and when available)
Project Support
Throughout your stay in Namibia you will have the support and assistance of the on-site staff. They will be there for you to contact each day if you have any questions. In addition, you will also have access to a 24 hour emergency number, so you are always able to contact a member of our UK team should you need to.
Project Orientation
Once you have been met and picked up from the airport, you will be taken to your accommodation to settle in. On your first full day, your co-ordinators will guide you through your orientation and help to answer any questions you may have. Please use this time to raise any queries or questions.
Accommodation and Meals
Daily rotas will be put in place and everyone gets involved in the day-to-day running of the camp, including wake-up calls and the preparation of all meals.
This includes three meals a day, which will be comprised as follows; cereals for breakfast prepared at the base campsite before work commences, sandwiches and fruit prepared at the work site for lunch, and a hot nutritious meal is prepared each evening back at the campsite. Tea, coffee, squash and water are provided throughout. If you are vegetarian, or have any other dietary requirements please inform us and we will cater for you as required.
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