Program Name: Teaching Abroad in South Africa with MICATZ
Organization: Maasai International Challenge Africa (MICATZ)
About MICATZ: MICA is a non-profit organization which is located in Arusha, Tanzania and managed by volunteers from all over the world. MICA specializes in providing volunteer abroad programs in developing countries in Africa and Asia! MICA organizes international programs for students, groups, individuals, and virtually anyone interested in going abroad and making a difference.
MICA offers a wide range of affordable and unique projects such as teaching English abroad, working at orphanages, healthcare and medical internships overseas, community development projects, women assistance programs, as well as conservation volunteer programs.
Highlights: Volunteers who teach English in our volunteer abroad program work with children of all different ages and skill levels in primary and secondary schools around South Africa and focus on conversational English. Many of the schools severely lack resources, and as a result you will not have much to work with other than chalk and a blackboard. This is where you can let your creativity shine. Many volunteers bring items from home, such as magazines, stamps, and photos, which can provide surprisingly good bases for lesson plans. We do provide you a teaching booklet, which will help you generate additional ideas. Despite the general lack of educational tools, you can still make a positive difference in the education of these children. In the classroom, you and your life experiences are the most important resource.
Many schools in South African townships are desperate for help from bright, capable volunteers. Some classes have 70 students with only one teacher; this is simply not adequate for students trying to learn a language. When you assist a local teacher in the classroom, or even take on your own class, you are providing a great relief to the teachers and a better opportunity for the students.
As a volunteer abroad, you will be teaching for a minimum of four hours per day. It is your choice whether you volunteer in a primary or secondary school. You can choose to teach English to any age range. You may also help teachers brush up on their own English skills. We do not require you to have TEFL certification or any prior teaching experience; all we look for is energy, an open mind, and the willingness to put in a good effort.
If you prefer a different sort of project, we also have volunteer abroad programs available for childcare workers in a day care in Venda, South Africa, as well as informal teaching positions in various locations. The informal teaching positions involve mentoring “at risk” youth ranging in age from 8 to 16, many of whom live on the streets. You will be instructing them in a variety of subjects, such as English, basic literacy, numbers, and basic computer skills, as well as general life skills. If either of these projects interests you, let us know and we can arrange it for you.
