Stichting Jabulani Kids Zimbabwe

Meer info vrijwilliger

Dear volunteer,

Thank you very much for your interest in working as a volunteer with the children and staff of the King George VI Children's Rehabilitation Centre (KGVI centre) in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Here is some general information, just to be clear on what the KGVI centre expects from a volunteer and what he/she can expect from the centre.

The KGVI centre offers:

  1. an opportunity to work with our very motivated and enthusiastic children, and to learn about a wide variety of disabilities;
  2. an opportunity to practice your teaching skills by sharing your knowledge with our staff;
  3. basic accommodation, single rooms with shared bathrooms and kitchen;
  4. basic traditional food, both during the week and in the weekend. This is a very high starch diet and some volunteers may prefer to cater for themselves. We are able to make some allowances and allocate extra rice rather than the traditional sadza if the volunteer requires this. Lunches are eaten with all the children. Breakfast and supper will be eaten with the Independent Living House to which the volunteer will be attached;
  5. a very secure safe where you can keep money, passports or other valuables you may worry about;
  6. arrangements to change foreign currency can be made but once the first introductions have been made this will be left to volunteers to sort out;
  7. there is an internet cafe at Ascot, the shopping centre, which is just up the road;
  8. making or receiving phone calls from overseas is a problem outside working hours. There is no phone line to dial out on between 4 in the afternoon until 8 in the morning. If a volunteer wishes to speak regularly to family or friends abroad we recommend to bring a mobile phone with roaming facilities;
  9. we would like to offer transport but the fuel situation in Zimbabwe means that we can only fit transport around the daily trips of centre vehicles;
  10. transport from and to the airport in Bulawayo if the possibility exists; in consultation with the volunteer.

How the KGVI centre operates:

  1. The school and centre year is divided into 3 terms with a 4 week holiday between each term;
  2. Our working day is from 8 to 4, Monday to Friday, with an hour for lunch;
  3. The centre has three therapy departments, physiotherapy, occupational therapy (OT) and speech therapy with a rehabilitation technician in overall charge of all three departments. She will help volunteers work out times for lectures and possible visits;
  4. Out of the 180 children at the KGVI School, 95 live in the Centre during the term. These children live in Independent Living Houses where they learn to do as much as they can for themselves. Any volunteer OT would be very much involved in our independence programme. After hours you would be very welcome to spend extra time with the children or you may prefer to do your own thing. Either choice is fine.
  5. You will find our staff very helpful and friendly and you may even be invited to visit some of their home areas. Please be guided by the managers' advise on the advisability of this.
  6. If you want to know more about KGVI please visit their website: www.kg6.webspace.fish.co.uk.
  7. If you email us we can put you in touch with the people you will be working with and they will be able to answer your questions.
  8. The KGVI centre suggests to have a good talk with volunteers who have been in Zimbabwe recently as they can give you a balanced idea of what to expect.

The volunteer is expected to:

  1. adhere to the working hours of the KGVI centre. The centre is however flexible with volunteer's hours and would be quite happy if you wanted to take a couple of long weekends and go off to explore the country;
  2. be willing to help in all activities the KGVI centre needs help;
  3. have, especially when he/she has no obvious task, a plan with clear goals for the period he/she is doing voluntary work in the KGVI centre. This does not apply for the sections of physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy. It seems to work better if a volunteer has a specific skill and can be attached to one department. Any therapy skills are very welcome. A remedial teacher would be attached to the school. For someone with multi skills, but no professional training a definite programme would have to be worked out as this has caused problems in the past. The volunteer discusses the plan with the manager of the KGVI centre. The manager finally decides whether the volunteer can actually come to the KGVI centre;
  4. pay all costs, for instance for the journey, vaccinations, visa, travel insurance, e-mailing, telephone calls, and additional food if he/she is not always eating with the children;
  5. not bring to many valuables as people in this country are not well off and the temptation to take something with value is always there. If you want to bring a radio or CD player for your own entertainment that is a good idea but we recommend something small and cheap;
  6. to study literature and to make inquiries into the customs and values in Zimbabwe, to respect these and to wear for instance appropriate clothing (long trousers or skirt, no shorts or small shirts with straps) during work;
  7. pay attention to the travel advice to Zimbabwe of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and to inform the Dutch embassy in Harare about the period of stay in Zimbabwe.

Don't expect you will change the world, but certainly you can give a valuable contribution to the children of the KGVI centre. The staff of the centre is always available for advice and consultation and is surely willing to help.

Jabulani Kids Zimbabwe (JKZ) does not send out volunteers, it brings volunteers in contact with the KGVI centre. Subsequently the volunteers themselves make agreements with the KGVI centre. This means the foundation is not responsible or liable for (the behaviour of) the volunteers. If a volunteer wants to stay for more than one term he/she should be prepared to go out of the country for a couple of days or a couple of weeks and then re-enter. This will make things easier with immigration.

The committee of JKZ is always available for questions, advice and likes to tell about their own experiences in the centre. JKZ is always willing to put you in touch with someone who has worked at KGVI fairly recently so you can have up to date information about the work you will be doing. We wish you a beautiful time and like to hear more about your experiences.
Enjoy and good luck!

Committee of Jabulani Kids Zimbabwe Foundation.

Ga naar navigatie