Beth and the African Wildlife

Ellen Smith Start Date: Jul 28, 2018 - End Date: Jan 27, 2019
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe
  • Tanzania
  • Kenya
  • Ghana
  • Madagascar

My Travel Story

by: Ellen Smith Start Date: Jul 28, 2018 - End Date: Jan 27, 2019
Both travel and animals have always played a large role in my life. I have found that seeing the world from another perspective and stepping into someone else's shoes builds empathy and creates a higher level of connection. The empathy with which animals instinctively act can be one the greatest lessons for us as human beings.

Volunteering takes a lot of planning, research and money.  I'm heading over in August for at least 6 months, but am hoping to raise enough to continue my conservation work going beyond what I already have planned. The work I'll do will save the lives of vulnerable animals while improving the future of those species which are endangered.

My day to day acrivities will include the following among other things:
• rehabbing injured animals
• raising orphaned animals
• tracking and collecting data
• replanting flora
• cleaning and maintaining the grounds
• protecting the animals from poachers, who everyday are dwindling the   numbers of our African wildlife.

As a bonus, I'll have the opportunity to work within the community, assisting at on-site schools in teaching English. My plan is to volunteer in Namibia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Kenya. With your help I can add more countries, more growth, and more opportunity to that list. Basically, I'll keep going if you keep funding my volunteer work.

Any amount helps to keep me and this project going. Thank you!!!
  • Namibia
  • South Africa
  • Zimbabwe
  • Tanzania
  • Kenya
  • Ghana
  • Madagascar

Updates

6

  • Happy New Year From Tanzania!!

    Happy New Year from Tanzania!!
    I’m in Tanzania now. I’ve strayed from my wildlife work for a bit to volunteer with with woman here Tanzanian Fashion with a good cause: making a living and being able to financially support their families. This empowerment program was founded in 2009 Today they manufacture shawls, carpets, blankets, necklaces, belts, bracelets, earrings, key chains, and other goods to secure a fair income for the women and men in their community. Almost all women in this project are single mothers who are having a very hard time providing for their children. Their husbands left the family, are drug addicted, or simply show no interest in caring for their wives and children. Single mothers in general are facing different challenges here in Tanzania, suffering from patriarchal stereotypes like women being weaker or less intelligent than men, which can make it harder for them to find a job. On average, a woman has five children and providing for them even with a partner is hard enough. To combine these two parts of working to have an income and taking care of their children, African Wear Design steps in and helps these women to believe in themselves and their abilities.

  • Humans

    Humans
    while my primary focus in volunteering is with wildlife, when available, I take the opportunities to help out at local school programs. This program is in Patterson, a small community about an hour outside port elizabeth. These kids are the definition of hope and optimism and we can all grow in gratitude by sharing their view of this world.
    Maybe you can tell from the picture, it was rather windy and cold this day and many of the children lacked proper clothing for such elements. Being someone who is constantly cold, I was so grateful for my jacket. Often lacking in what many of us see as vital, these kids never lose their smile of enthusiasm.
    To be blunt, these kids lack a lot when it come to stuff. My first day with them we looked for scraps of paper so they could color, so the second time us volunteers came prepared with paper, chalkboard, balloons and bubbles (they were a big hit). To anyone that has and will donate to me, thank you, your donations are not only covering my costs of travel and programs fees, but you’re also allowing me to purchase supplies for many school programs such as this one.
    ♥️♥️♥️