Join us in South Africa for an incredible life-changing experience! 

We invite you to look deeper into South Africa’s rich history and culture while engaging in meaningful community work. Cape Town is often referred to as the “mother city” of the country. It is known for its industrial centers, prominent seaports, and beautiful landmarks. South Africa is also home to the inspirational freedom fighter and former President Nelson Mandela. It has one of the most developed economies in Africa. However, deep-rooted socio-economic inequalities remain.

As many as 55.5% of South Africans live below the national poverty line and have difficulty accessing basic needs. Islamic Relief Canada has been working in South Africa since 2013 and has implemented projects that address healthcare, food insecurity, education, livelihoods, and supporting orphans. This volunteer abroad program focuses on providing psychosocial support to children through camp programming, educational activities, and community service.

Since 2019, Inspire has held 4 field studies in South Africa, running educational and psychosocial support programs with orphans. In our previous Inspire field studies in South Africa, the volunteers worked with children in an Islamic Relief Canada-funded school, organized active learning activities for unprivileged children, and organized events for the local community. They also participated in rehabilitating homes. 

Check out a previous volunteer's experience! 

Volunteers will work directly with vulnerable communities and children/youth. They will have the opportunity to facilitate educational programming for orphans and vulnerable children with different enriching activities and programs. This programming will focus on life skills and leadership, team building, outdoor education, and other psychosocial activities. 

Volunteers will also assist communities through various means, according to their needs, including home or school rehabilitation, building Wendy Houses, and packing and distributing hygiene/food/livelihood packages.

Furthermore, volunteers will have the chance to:

1. Visit the Islamic Relief project sites, meet and engage with the right holders to learn more about the sponsorship programs, and gain insight into their life stories.

2. Learn about South Africa's history and participate in educational organized sightseeing activities on Robben Island, Iziko Museums, and Table Mountain.

All accepted applicants are required to raise a minimum of CAD 3,500 each one month prior to their departure date. All the funds raised will go towards Islamic Relief projects in South Africa. Islamic Relief Canada will provide each volunteer with a fundraising session that includes tips on how to fundraise, how to engage your network, etc. Also, Islamic Relief Canada will set up an online fundraising page for each volunteer to raise funds for their project. 

Donations will be allocated towards the Inspire program components and contribute to ongoing, long-term projects in the region. None of the donations will go towards the personal costs of the volunteers.

The Inspire program aims to give volunteers a unique and eye-opening experience where they can immerse themselves in a completely different context than they are normally accustomed to. This program encompasses the “give and take” principle; it is an opportunity to give back to vulnerable communities overseas while learning and growing skills in an enriching environment. After completing the program, letters of reference will be given to participants upon request. Participants will also be encouraged to continue volunteering with Islamic Relief Canada following the trip to continue their humanitarian efforts.

Islamic Relief Canada will cover your stay in South Africa, including accommodation, transportation, food, and scheduled sightseeing activities. Please note that flights are NOT included in this. Thus, the volunteer is responsible for purchasing their flights to and from South Africa and mandatory health insurance.  

Once accepted into the program, volunteers are required to complete a combination of mandatory virtual and online training sessions. There will be about 3-4 sessions in total, with an average duration of 2 hours each. The training will cover Fundraising, Team Building, Country Profile, Islamic Relief's History, Field Safety and security, Activity Planning, Humanitarian Standards, and Passion Projects. The schedule will be released upon being accepted into the program. These training sessions are mandatory to attend.