Volunteering South Africa

Brazilians Become Freewalkers!

freewalker2012 — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 10:26:41 +0000

Freewalker Adventures was joined this weekend by 14 vibrant veterinarians from Brazil. They have come to South Africa to attend a Vet program at Shamwari Game Reserve and experience SA for the first time.

On Friday, we all headed to SAMREC (South African Marine Rehab & Education Centre) for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Penguin rehab center and talk on the creatures in the nearby Algoa Bay. We then set off for a beautiful costal drive to Jeffreys Bay, Surf Capital of Africa, for a night at the Island Vibe Backpackers! Good times were had by all…We found Brazilians have no since or time, they can go till the sun comes up!

Early morning with Billabong shopping and then to Bungy! We had six jump the World’s Highest Bridge Bungy…most facing their fear of heights, it was tearful!! Saturday was a day of breaking records; fore we then headed to Monkeyland Sanctuary to walk amongst 10 different species of free roaming monkeys, the world’s only! And then to the World’s largest bird avery till sunset! On to Plettenberg Bay for the evening…Murray slaved over the fire to prepare an amazing traditional South African braai (BBQ) for us all, very yummy!

Walking amongst the majestic African elephant was a must, so in the morning we heading to the Knysna Elephant Park. There, the students were able to feed and then walk with & touch the elephants during their daily activities…which happened to include dusting time—everyone was covered and all you could see were big white smiles through the dust, they loved it! Ele kisses were given by all!

If elephants, monkeys, penguins, and exotic birds weren’t enough creatures…they also snorkeled with a seal colony of about 5,000! The Cape fur seal is a very curious creature, which made this adventure very exciting for the divers!!

The students then ended there Freewalker tour by jumping from an airplane from 10,000 ft and relaxing on the white beaches of Plett and soaking up the summer sun!

A weekend of note! Freewalker would like to thank all of these amazing people for making this weekend such a delight…you are all beautiful and fun loving people, full of joy…and it’s contagious!

You all are now Freewalkers for life and we look forward to seeing you again!

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Sun, 08 Jan 2012 10:17:50 +0000

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Freewalkers Become a FUNDI

freewalker2012 — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 12:03:37 +0000

Jordana Meyer has successfully passed her online FUNDI course training course.

FUNDI is a self-study online training course designed to equip travel product and service providers to sell South Africa more effectively.

Participants that successfully complete the course are called FUNDI’S, meaning they are experts in a particular field.

Jordana Meyer is now a South African Travel Expert, having attained an overall pass mark of 90% for her course, and is entitled to use the term FUNDI, when giving advice on travel to South Africa.

Jordana Meyer is competent to advise clients on all essential aspects of travel to South Africa, reasons to visit South Africa, the best attractions and activities on offer in all 9 provinces, and more.

As the FUNDI course host, South African Tourism is proud to be associated with Jordana Meyer and congratulates them on their achievement.

SOUTH AFRICAN FUNDI

FUNDI Certificate

Winners Donate Winnings to Charity!

freewalker2012 — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:50:18 +0000

Tammy & Rob Foote of Port Elizabeth have recently won the Tuis Magazine “Do it Yourself” 2011 National Competition. They have been awarded a voucher to Pennypinchers and have donated part of the voucher to the Freewalker Foundation. With these funds, Freewalker was able to buy material to build the garden shade-clothe structure at the Kwa-Ford Primary School AND material to build a structure at Miemie’s Cultural Exchange Dinner in Graaff-Reinet (Freewalker’s community development project).
Freewalker and all the children and people they are supporting are very thankful for their most generous contributions! The Foote’s have earned this prestigious award through their hard work, resourcefulness and creativity…by turning their outdated, petite house in to a beautiful space full of tranquility and highlighted by the couples uniqueness. We now just hope they will come and give us some tips in building and add a bit of their creative flare to the projects!

Thanks you two amazing people!

Broll Creates Sustainable Solutions for School

freewalker2012 — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 13:39:06 +0000

Freewalker would like to thank the Broll Foundation (www.broll.co.za) for so generously contributing to the Garden Program at the Kwa-Ford Primary School in New Brighton. The Garden was developed to feed the children of Kwa-Ford, who most often depend upon this food for their only meal for the day. The garden is not only used for nutrition, but to also education the children on how to grow food and even how to provide for others. Early this year, children of Kwa-Ford harvested excess veggies and gave them to the AIDS orphanage….thus learning a valuable life lesson of giving.

The Garden has been unstable with water restrictions, poor soil, and supplies making it difficult to sustain the project. However, Broll has come to the rescue with supplying the school with a 5000 L rain tank and 18 feet of gutter to catch the water! They have also created two raised beds, constructed from 20 100kg cement bricks and 10 tons of rich soil. These raised beds will improve drainage, use space more efficiently, increase yield, and simplify the control of weeds and pests. Broll has also supplied the school with fertilizers and pest control…this garden will be hit for the new year!

The children of Kwa-Ford will be looking forward to a nutritious lunch when they come back for the new year!

Freewalker would like to give a special thanks out to Filippus Fourie and PJ Duffy from Broll for their amazing hard work and dedication to seeing the development project through to the end! They were there designing, weeding, lifting, shoveling, and more! Thanks guys!!

Freewalker Makes News in USA

freewalker2012 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:22:16 +0000

Freewalker makes the post in the USA!

Freewalker Striving for Pride in Education

freewalker2012 — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 09:25:21 +0000

Striving for Pride in Education

Freewalker Ventures to Swaziland!

freewalker2012 — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 19:45:46 +0000

Swaziland is a magical little Kingdom tucked away among three mountain ranges between South Africa and Mozambique. The Kingdom of Swaziland is one of three remaining monarchies in Africa. The other two are Lesotho and Morocco. Being the smallest country in Africa, it is brimming with a vibrant culture and enjoys sharing it with the travelers from afar! There are cultural villages and dances to attend, thrilling white water rafting, treetop ziplines, walks amongst hippo, crocs, rhino and elephant, abseiling, adventure caving, mountain biking through wildlife, cultural stay overs in traditional Beehive huts…and much, much more.

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Freewalker Adventures is putting together an adventure package of a lifetime to visit Swazi at the end of August, 2011 to partake in the traditional Umhlanga (Reed Dance). Around 20,000 unmarried maidens of the Kingdom, dressed in colourful beaded skirts and accessories, travel to the royal Kraal (village) to honor the Queen Mother and perform traditional dances before the King Mswati III. He will then choose one as his next wife. His father, King Mswati II, had 120 wives and 600 children! It is an experience not to be missed!
Come join Freewalker for a truly cultural experience!

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Freewalker Europe Marketing

freewalker2012 — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:40:17 +0000

Freewalker goes overseas to market in the Netherlands and Belgium! Utrecht in Holland held The Vakantiebeurs Dutch Tourism Expo and Freewalker was there to show the travelers and interested volunteers what we had to offer. The show was a great success and we made plenty contacts with tour operators wanting to send volunteers to south Africa and pages full of volunteer who were wanting to join our projects and lend a helping hand to the people we support. The next 9 days Murray spent finding varsities all over Holland and Belgium to advertise to the students. The next show was the Vakantiesalon at the Antwerp Expo, in Belgium for a week. Special mention must go to the other South African Tour Operators and all Exhibitors who made the show worthwhile. We are looking forward to having the many potential volunteers visiting South Africa and enjoying the best hospitality this Country has to offer!

A Package has Arrived from Germany!

freewalker2012 — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 19:38:29 +0000

FREEWALKER FOUNDATION: Teacher Margarethe Schuck and the Children at the Grundschule Harburg School in Germany have been working hard at selling baked goods to raise money for the Kwa-Ford Primary School in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. It has arrived at a perfect time, for there is no money at the school due to government issues and the children have been without educational tools. The box was full of crayons, markers, paint, stationery, art kits, rulers and so much more!! The teachers of Kwa-Ford were overwhelmed with all of the new and beautiful things from Germany!! The students are busy with all the new colors in creating thank-you letters for the German Students!