Monkeys  🐒

The sanctuary cares not only for primates but also rare and endangered species such as pangolins and vultures, but also larger herbivores such as zebra, kudu and giraffe, as well the not to be forgotten, smaller creatures like hedgehogs, mongoose and owls. The sanctuary is a non-profit organization and relies on donations from the general public and its volunteer programmed to keep operating. Every penny from volunteers goes right back into the running of the sanctuary and supporting essential conservation work.

As a registered trust, volunteers play an important role in the generation of funds towards the running of the sanctuary. Every volunteer allows numerous animals to be saved. Volunteers fit right into the team and enjoy working and socializing with staff and colleagues :)

As a volunteer, you will assist in various aspects within the reserve:

• Animal Feeding:
✔ Daily food prep and feeding of all resident & rescued animals.
✔ Nutritional planning for a variety of herbivores, omnivores and carnivores.
✔ Participate in the regular bottle feeding of orphaned animals.

• Rescue and Release:
✔ Care for the permanent residents who can not be released.
✔ Assist with emergency rescues and releases Help nurture and raise orphaned wildlife, including round the night car.
✔ Undertake snare sweeps and boundary patrols of release site.
✔ Monitor released animals as they are offered a second chance.

• Behavior Enrichment:

✔ Bush walks with the orphans stimulating them to explore their natural habitat.
✔ Build toys, platforms and playgrounds.
✔ Become a part of the troop as you care for the young orphaned monkeys and baboons.

• Sanctuary Management:
✔ Enclosure cleaning and maintenance.
✔ Fence patrol and game count.
✔ Building of enclosures for new residents.
✔ Ad-hoc support across a range of activities to ensure the smooth. and effective running of a very busy sanctuary.

Certainly, no prior experience is needed. The tasks assigned to you will be supervised by a staff member from the reserve and a comprehensive explanation will be provided.

✔ Over 18 years old.
✔ Intermediate English proficiency for communication (you will need to interact and speak with officials on a daily basis).
✔ Social engagement.
✔ Commitment to volunteering schedules at the reserve.
✔ Respect for reserve team and listening to them.
✔ Adherence to the reserve's rules.
✔ Seriousness and dedication to work.
✔ Commitment to the program and event schedules.
✔ Acceptance of others and adaptation to circumstances (sleeping arrangements, culture, weather conditions, type of work).
✔ Ability to work in all conditions - working with Monkeys is an outdoor and sometimes physically demanding activity, so be prepared for any weather conditions. A large part of our work involves a lot of walking, so some physical fitness is required.
✔ Love for animals, eagerness to learn about monkeys.
✔ Respect for participants and volunteers, whether local or international.
✔ Acceptance of cultural differences, freedom, and lifestyles of the volunteers, whether local or international.
✔ Enthusiasm, dedication, and energy to participate in all activities or work, and of course, love for monkeys and wildlife and a spirit of giving.
✔ Representing Palestine.
✔ Excellent representation of HomeAwe and maintaining a good reputation.
✔ It is the participant's responsibility to know all the details related to Visa (entry permit) and Passport before registering.
✔ If your Passport does not allow you to travel to South Africa without a visa, of course, you cannot register and participate unless you are able to obtain a Visa.

📢 Travel insurance: compulsory and must include cover for emergency evacuation and repatriation.

Important Note: Not complying to these conditions or causing problems within the group or at the reserve will require the participant to leave the reserve at their own responsibility and expense. There will be no possibility of refunding the participation fees.
You will be banned from entering the reserve and legally you will be expelled from the reserve or even participating with HomeAwe indefinitely.

The volunteer is required to arrive at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport, and from there, transfer to and from airport / bus stop ($30) for local Bulawayo transfer to be paid to driver in cash on arrival and departure.

Your accommodation will be on-site at the sanctuary in our Volunteer House. The house consists of:
2 rooms - each with two bunk beds (4 single beds).
1 room - with a double bed (usually occupied by the volunteer coordinator when in residence).
1 room - with one double bed and two single beds (ideal for families or small groups.
2 separate bathrooms - with toilets and shower run on gas geysers.
1 kitchen area.
1 lounge area to socialize and relax in.

• Room requests can be taken into consideration but are not guaranteed.

• Shared rooms and bathrooms - males in a shared accommodation and females in another shared accommodation.

Being on-site allows you to remain close to the orphans and on-hand for any night time bottle feeds. In some cases you may even find yourself with a little orphan sleeping with you through the night.

🛜 With the location of the sanctuary there is no available Wi-Fi.
We advise on arrival buying a local SIM card and topping it up with a "private Wi-Fi" bundle which is more cost effective and has great coverage at the sanctuary.

We have a wonderful onsite cook who makes delicious homecooked meals 3 times a day, from her famous fluffy pancakes to wholesome lasagna. We tailor to your dietary needs as much as possible - from vegan to gluten free, just let us know what you like and what you can’t eat! If you have any traditional home dishes you would like to cook and share with the team, we encourage you to bring any specialized ingredients with you.

Visiting Zimbabwe is a once in a lifetime opportunity, therefore, we urge you to go on as many excursions during your free time as possible. We have listed below some ideas which are relatively nearby and a must see if you have the opportunity!

Please let us know in advance or once you arrive and we can help organize a trip for you with our preferential rates. What else to do in Zimbabwe?

•  Going to town - from the sanctuary, town is only a short ride away. A trip to town in a FTBW vehicle will cost $10 per trip otherwise the sanctuary is partnered with a reliable taxi service that is available throughout the day and night. So you can go for coffee, lunch or shopping quite easily

• Matobo National Park Natural: 40 minutes away from the sanctuary, you can have a night stay at the park and have a safari drive looking for wildlife 
• Hwange National Park : 4 hours ride, the park is known for its fancy pools with a view to the free roaming animals in the park, especially elephants. We recommend you to stay over night in order to experience the 100% of this magical place 
• Victoria Falls: 7-8 hours ride by car from the sanctuary to victoria falls town, we recommend you head out early morning, driving in zimbabwe at night might be dangerous because of roaming animals and potholes - the driver will stay in town through your stay in victoria falls so you can always contact them for transfer for activities. There is a lot to do in town: see the falls, bungee jump, zipline, cruise, helicopter ride above the falls and others 
• For a driver to the activities contact Lana or the sanctuary team. 

• January to April - days & nights are hot with regular, short lived thunderstorms which cools the summer air.
• May to September - long sunny days with a chance of rain. Nights are cooler & can be very cold at times.
• October to December - high summer temperatures often accompanied by heavy rain fall.

A change in environment, climate, food and lifestyle can result in minor illness. Please inform staff if you feel unwell at any time. We recommend you obtain professional advice on immunizations before you travel. The project is not in a high risk Malaria region, but we would advise that anti-malaria medication is taken as directed by your doctor, especially if you plan to visit the Victoria Falls area.
A rabies vaccination is recommended but not required.
All animals at the sanctuary are vaccinated against rabies.• May to September - long sunny days with a chance of rain. Nights are cooler & can be very cold at times.
• October to December - high summer temperatures often accompanied by heavy rain fall.

• Local Currency: US Dollar $
Volunteers typically spend around $75-$100 per week for personal items such as restaurant meals, snacks, drinks and souvenirs. We recommend that you bring your cash with you as your main source of funds as there is sometimes intermittent access to ATMS and many smaller shops do not accept debit or credit cards. Change is also an issue so smaller denomination notes are best!

Program Availability: All year long

Volunteering in the sanctuary starts and ends on Mondays.

• Days off: 2 days per week (saturday and sunday)
• Minimum period for volunteering: 2 weeks (Preference is given to those who choose a longer period)

300$ Registration Fees for HomeAwe

$875 for 1 week for the Sanctuary

Includes: Accommodation & 3 meals a day

Full Amount will be paid to HomeAwe directly and we will do the transfer for you to make more easy and save you for international bank transfer commissions.

Most of the registration fees are intended to assist the reserve in funding the care expenses for the monkeys and all the animals in there. Since the reserve is non-profit, it relies on continuous support, donations and assistance. Instead of directly asking for donations, they organize these youth programs within the reserve, providing a unique and impactful experience through which volunteers from around the world can contribute. So this opportunity is considered invaluable compared to a regular tourist trip that would undoubtedly cost more. Here, the experiences you will have with HomeAwe are unique. And the daily life is relatively affordable.

1. Sign Up through the program's link down below - your details and answers to the questions will be reviewed and based on that, your acceptance will be determined. (It is preferable not to hesitate in providing clear and explicit answers to the questions without any sense of shyness. The clearer, more spontaneous and heartfelt your answers are, the higher the likelihood of your acceptance).
If we do not contact you within 2 weeks, it means that you have not been accepted.
If you are accepted, we will communicate with you via email to arrange the payment of the registration fees to reserve your spot in the program.

2. After you Sign Up, you'll receive an email to pay the fees to HomeAwe.
Note: We will not contact you until you pay the fees first. Once we receive the payment. Our leader will Contact you as soon as possible.

3. Have a personal interview with HomeAwe for introduction and further explanation of details.
+ In certain cases, an introductory interview with the HomeAwe team or program organizers will be scheduled to provide more detailed information about volunteering, confirm your acceptance and set a volunteering schedule. After the interview, your acceptance will be official 100%. If, for some reason, you are not accepted after the interview, the registration fee will be refunded on the same day.
Once you are officially accepted 100%, with or without an interview, there is no refund for the registration fees, even in case of an emergency. The fees will be retained until your participation in another program later on.

4. The volunteer fills out an application form specific to the reserve, and Lana sends it to the reserve's team.
(In some reserves, they may require documents like insurance policies, so the volunteer handles it and Lana sends it to them as well).

5. You send an electronic signature in a PDF file and Lana sends it to the reserve.

6. We start look for a flight ticket for you that matches your volunteer start date.

7. We help you to book the right flight ticket.