Hillsong Africa Foundation in Cape Town, South Africa

Volunteer with Gap Year South Africa and make a meaningful contribution to the Hillsong Africa Foundation Community Care Projects. Volunteers will assist in serving the many Hillsong Community Care Projects as well as providing support to a local township community of Masiphumelele in Cape Town, South Africa. Volunteers will be connected and fully wired into Hillsong Cape Town’s Powerhouse Youth, church life, connect groups, and Sunday services.

The Hillsong Africa Foundation is a non-profit organization that was born out of the charity arm of Hillsong Church in Cape Town, South Africa. The foundation began with a group of volunteers who wanted to help the poorest of their communities by providing for their basic needs like food & shelter. In time the extensive community needs far outweighed the funding capacity of the church, and the separate foundation was established in 2009. In many instances the foundation works alongside existing non-profits who are already doing great work, and where there is need the foundation initiates its own programs, such as the Tembaletu School Project. The Hillsong Africa Foundation’s mission is to give hope to the destitute by restoring families and dignity, and by ending cycles of poverty, addiction, abuse, and violence. The Hillsong Africa Foundation aims are to promote justice, mercy, accountability, restoration, and hope.

Your Role as a Volunteer

Volunteers will be actively involved in a number of Hillsong Africa Foundation Community Care Projects such as Tembaletu School, Basic Needs Provision, Orphan Care as well as supporting a hugely under-resourced local community through the Masiphumelele Community Support project in Cape Town, South Africa. Volunteers will also be connected and fully wired into Hillsong Cape Town’s Powerhouse Youth, church life, connect groups, and Sunday services.

Tembaletu School

Tembaletu is the only Xhosa-speaking school for kids with disabilities in the Western Cape. Many kids who attend Tembaletu live in very difficult circumstances, and have to travel great distances to get to school. Hillsong Church has a long-term goal of partnering with Tembaletu School to help find better solutions for transportation, nutrition, learning, and access to higher education for their students.

Basic Needs Provision

Over the last two and a half years, Hillsong Church has given out more than 200 000 meals through the Church nutrition centres. Feeding programmes include supporting Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS patients who need food to take care of their medication. Hillsong Church is currently the only NGO feeding the poor and homeless in the downtown area over weekends. Hillsong Church also distributes clothing to needy children, women and men during both the winter and summer months. Part of this initiative involves assisting individuals with find appropriate clothing for their job interview. Hillsong Church also assist families living on the streets into shelters where they can receive proper support and counselling.

Orphan Care

Hillsong Church assists with many orphan care homes & programs to help kids in need find loving, healthy environments. The Orphan Care Foundation is an NGO Hillsong Church support that contributes to alleviating the plight of children without parents who are abandoned and vulnerable. The foundation runs a weekly Kids Club in Westlake and has been involved in Life Skills Camps for vulnerable children and Social Needs assessments amongst other projects.

Masiphumelele Community Support

Volunteers play an imperative role in contributing to essential life skills through education within our local under-resourced community of Masiphumelele. This is achieved through our enthusiastic volunteers engaging with the children, teachers and broader community. Volunteers are encouraged to facilitate additional after school educational activities such as tutoring, painting, stringing beads, dance, drama, extra reading and fun games.

Volunteer Profile

Do you love to serve? Are you willing to serve in any capacity? Are you adventurous? Are you a strong Christian leader? Are you 18 years old or older? Do you love meeting new people and experiencing new cultures? If you answered “yes” to all, you’re our kind of volunteer! It is not a prerequisite for volunteers to have any prior community care experience or qualifications but a passion to serve others is essential.

You will be based in the South African coastal city of Cape Town, also often referred to as the Mother City. Cape Town is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The impressive presence of the world renowned Table Mountain stands proudly above the city of Cape Town. Beautiful white sandy beaches along a peaceful coastline frame the Cape Peninsula, which is famed for its unique floral kingdom, bountiful rivers, vleis and dams and magnificent countryside. The surrounding area extends far into the winelands, green in summer and red-gold in autumn. Cape Town is a city of culture, built on a history that reflects in the architecture, cuisine, music and dance. Together with a warm summer and temperate winter climate and a friendly community, Cape Town is an ideal Gap Year destination throughout the year. Situated 10 hours from the majority of gap year world traveller destinations, Gap Year South Africa is an ideal stop on your global adventure travel. Please click here to visit our destination page to learn more about Cape Town, South Africa.

Explore South Africa

You are hosted by the Team of Gap Year South Africa in our comfortable fully furnished house along with all our volunteers. The volunteer house is a very safe and friendly environment within Fish Hoek, a coastal village lying in a valley at the mouth of the Silvermine River, on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula.

Our volunteers stay in dormitory style accommodation with communal bathrooms. The house facilities include a DVD player and television, broadband internet access and a swimming pool. The house is located a short distance from the golden beaches of the magnificent Indian Ocean and conveniently situated within walking distance to a wide range of amenities for all your additional needs.

During the week, Mondays to Fridays, volunteers have all their meals prepared for them by our local team. Meals are not included on Saturdays and Sundays, as experience has taught us that most volunteers tend to explore Cape Town during weekends. Volunteers either purchase and prepare their own meals on weekends or often choose to eat out at local restaurants. Our kitchen is superbly equipped and local supermarkets and restaurants are within walking distance from the volunteer house.

On arrival at Cape Town International Airport you will be welcomed by our Gap Year South Africa Team and be transferred from the airport to the volunteer house. All daily transport to and from the projects is provided.

The volunteer group excursions are selected from a wide variety of exciting activities based in Cape Town. Volunteer group excursions are selected in advance by the Gap Year South Africa team and are subject to change. The volunteer group excursions are selected from a host of exciting activities such as:

• Explore Cape Point where the cold Benguela and warm Agulhus currents merge
• Hike up Cape Town's magnificent Table Mountain and return via Cable Car
• Spend a day exploring all the attractions at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
• Visit the magnificent two oceans aquarium
• View the exquisite penguins at Boulders
• Explore the World of Birds wildlife sanctuary and monkey park
• Enjoy learning to surf or surfing the waves of Cape Town

The table below indicates the number of group excursions selected from a wide variety of exciting activities that are included as part of your project fee:

Volunteers will have free time on weekends to explore all Cape Town has to offer. Our team will inform you of all the amazing attractions available to you in and around Cape Town. If volunteers choose to experience any additional excursions above those stipulated as group excursions, these excursions will be at the volunteers own cost. Types of additional excursions available to volunteers include:

• Snorkel or freedive with Cape fur seals in the exquisite oceans of Cape Town
• Journey on a Township Tour into a vibrant world of colour
• Shark Cage Diving with Great White Sharks
• Scuba dive at the Two Oceans Aquarium
• Abseiling down Table Mountain
• Specialised guided wine region tours
• Robben Island Museum Tour
• Penguin Sea Kayak Trail Simon's Town
• Visit the Cheetah Sanctuary at Spier
• Tandem skydive
• Visit the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens
• View the African Big Five on a one day safari tour

Prior to your departure:

• Expert advice on selecting your most suitable project
• Travel assistance from our specialist Partners
• Valuable ideas and assistance for your fundraising campaign
• An open line of communication to our friendly and informative team
• Our informative Project Pack including all relevant contact details

During your project in South Africa:

• On arrival at Cape Town Airport you will be welcomed by our South African Team
• Transfer from the airport to the volunteer house
• Accommodation in the volunteer house in Cape Town
• Meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) Monday to Friday
• 24/7 assistance and emergency support from our Gap Year South Africa Team
• Project induction and training prior to the commencement of your project
• Management of your project delivery
• All daily transport to and from your project
• A selection of exciting volunteer group excursions and social events
• A chance to play sports for clubs in South Africa (terms and conditions apply)
• An opportunity to learn to surf and/or gain certificates in Scuba Diving (terms and conditions apply)
• Experience a new and vibrant culture

• Flights
• Saturday and Sunday meals (volunteers tend to explore Cape Town on weekends)
• Visas (if applicable)
• Travel Insurance
• Vaccinations
• Spending money
• Additional excursions and travel