Although volunteers are unpaid, we provide accommodation and food at our study site and give a stipend of about 500 South African rand per month. The stipend is generally enough to cover personal internet use, mobile phone credit, and buying special food items for yourself (e.g. chocolate), though we recommend that potential volunteers budget extra money for these things on top of the stipend.
The major costs to volunteers are their flight, medical insurance, visa, vaccinations and holiday trips. We recommend that volunteers budget £2000-£3000 (keep in mind that you are living in another country for a year and you may wish to travel at the end of your time at the project), but we also suggest that you take some time to estimate these costs yourselves prior to applying so you are not surprised. If a volunteer completes the year at the Project, we contribute €300 to the cost of their international flight on their return to their home country. For local South African volunteers, traveling in-land will be reimbursed for their bus expenses and the potential overnight accommodation (at backpackers).