VOLUNTEER
We need YOU!
Monkey Helpline is run by a highly dedicated and experienced team. Our Sanctuary and Rehabilitation Centre is responsible for the care of over a thousand displaced, sick, orphaned or injured monkeys each year.
Unfortunately we see this number rising steadily so it is up to us (yes that includes you, future volunteer) to make sure that we do everything in our power to help them get healthy and back to freedom again. You will be able to help them escape a life of misery, torment or even death.
IF YOU PREFER TO COMMNICATE MANUALLY PLEASE EMAIL KIRON@MONKEYHELPLINE.CO.ZA
We aim to send you home with tons of knowledge and confidence in your ability to really make a difference in the world – as you would have already made during your stay here with us.
As a volunteer at Monkey Helpline, you can expect to:
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Care for orphaned baby monkeys
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Rescue injured monkeys
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Release rehabilitated monkeys back into the wild
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Help with general maintenance of the sanctuary
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Assist with feeding of monkeys and cleaning of enclosures
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Participate in educational programs about monkeys
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Rescue a variety of other animals
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Visits to the vet to attend to sick and injured animals
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Explore Durban and the surrounding areas
EVERYTHING YOU WILL NEED.
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Comfortable clothes to work in (shorts and long pants, t-shirts, socks)
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Raincoat, windbreaker/waterproof jacket, comfortable zip-up jacket and jersey
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Working and walking shoes (trainers, sneakers, sandals/flip-flops)
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Lounging around the house wear
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Clothes and footwear for socialising during off time
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All usual items required for acceptable standards of personal cleanliness, hygiene and comfort
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Sleeping bag
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International drivers licence if you plan to hire a vehicle at any stage of your visit
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Sleeping bag, sun hat, sunglasses, 2 x towels, swimwear
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2 x certified copies of passport, visas if required, travel and medical insurance documents, flight tickets, medication prescriptions, or any other necessary documentation
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Card for ATM withdrawals
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Mobile phone (with Monkey Helpline phone numbers – Steve Smit (Co-founder) +27 82 659 4711, Carol Booth (Co-founder) +27 82 411 5444, Kiron Alistoun (Volunteer organiser) +27 82 446 4664.
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Health supplements and medication/prescriptions, etc.​​​
PRIOR TO TRAVEL.
The following documentation must be emailed to kiron@monkeyhelpline.co.za:
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2 x certified copies of passport
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Visas if required
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Driver’s licence (if you have one)
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Travel insurance documents
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Medical insurance documents
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Flight tickets / Booking confirmation (We need to know when to pick you up from the airport)
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Medication prescriptions if required
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Vaccination certificate against tetanus and must also be certified free of Tuberculosis (Tb tested or chest X-ray)
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Monkey Helpline Volunteer Agreement
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Volunteer Indemnity Form
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Any other important documents requested by Monkey Helpline
Please send ALL the above prior to your departure from home to South Africa to kiron@monkeyhelpline.co.za
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Consult your travel doctor regarding any vaccinations or medical certificates you might need to enter South Africa from your home country or relating to any other country you might be travelling from or have visited recently.
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NB. To confirm, ALL volunteers must be vaccinated against tetanus in sufficient time prior to arriving at Monkey Helpline and must also be certified free of Tuberculosis (Tb tested or chest X-ray) before being allowed to work with monkeys.
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A volunteer who gets sick during her/his stay with Monkey Helpline will need to be fully recovered before being allowed to work directly with monkeys or monkey food.
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​VISA REQUIREMENTS to enter and stay in South Africa
These may differ depending on your nationality. Please visit or contact the South African Embassy or Consular office closest to you to get the required information. When completing the required entry forms on arrival in South Africa, for ‘purpose of visit’ simply state “Tourist”.
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For any additional information re. visas, contact us.
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TO CONFIRM – You must book your own air ticket, sort out passport and visa requirements, take out travel and medical insurance, have necessary vaccinations timeously, send confirmation that all this has been done.
​Joining instructions
Once the online application form is complete, we will email you with a joining pack. Which will include:
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Monkey Helpline Volunteer Agreement Form (To be signed and returned).
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Volunteer Indemnity Form (To be signed and returned).
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Check list.
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Map of the meeting point at King Shaka International Airport arrivals terminal.
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Contact details of the Monkey Helpline team.
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Packing list.
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Information brochure.
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Social media policy for volunteers
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Letter from Steve Smit stating you will be residing at their residence.
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​WE START VERY DAY WITH A SMILE
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WE GO THROUGH EVERY DAY WITH ENTHUSIASM
​WE END EVERY DAY WITH OPTIMISM
COME HAVE AN ADVENTURE!
WHAT WILL I EAT?
WE ARE VEGAN
At MH we strive to be as animal and earth friendly as we can possibly be, and the part of this that will affect you, the volunteer most, is what you eat when with us. All food and drinks provided by MH and consumed at the MH volunteer house or anywhere on MH property, including the MH vehicles, WILL be vegan. This is one of the few “cast in stone” rules you will have to comply with.
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Many volunteers will come to MH with preconceived ideas of, “If its vegan it must be boring and unpalatable, and also nutritionally deficient”! Well, have we got a wonderful and exciting experience waiting for you! In your ample free time, when you are off MH property, what you eat is your choice, but we are convinced that the vegan lifestyle you lead whilst at MH will come as a very pleasant surprise, one you will embrace and enjoy!
