ASHIA VOLUNTEER GUIDE - Ashia Cheetah Sanctuary
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ASHIA VOLUNTEER GUIDE
January 2019
“Volunteer” will refer to our International Volunteers, Working Holidays, Interns, Local
Volunteers and Day Volunteers.
Abby in her enclosure with cloudy Drakenstein mountains in the background
Sanctuaire Ashia RF Pty Ltd
633 Eben Farm, Sonstraal Road, 7646 Paarl, Western Cape
Phone: +27 (72) 956-3282
E-mail: volunteers@ashia.co.za
Website: www.ashia.co.za
Table of Contents
Welcome to Ashia 4
Get Involved – The Various Volunteer/Intern Packages 5
Volunteering At Kuzuko – Ashia’s Wilding And Release Projects 7
Ashia Volunteer Application, Fees & Payment Policy 9
Accommodations 11
Daily Schedule And Duties 13
Introduction On Site 15
Cheetah And Other Animal Care 15
Veterinary And Clinical Work 16
Education Centre And Visitor Activities 17
Laptop And Other Valuables 18
Internet Access 18
Water, Laundry And Electricity 19
TV & Entertainment 20
Food And The Kitchen 20
Transportation 20
Weather, Climate And Field Conditions 21
Cultural Guidelines 21
Preparing For Your Trip 22
Travelling To Ashia 22
Visa Requirements 22
Baggage 23
Dress Code And Clothing 23
Carrying Items For Ashia 25
Travel Insurance 25
Money 26
Health 26
General Health And First Aid 26
Vaccinations And Medical Care 27
Other Health Information 27
HIV/AIDS 27
Before You Leave Checklist 28
2
History Of Ashia And Organisational Structure 28
Research 30
Permits And Certificates of Ashia Sanctuary 30
Staff Profiles 30
Recent History Of The Cheetah 31
Cheetah Behaviour 31
Challenges And Human Conflict 32
Additional Reading Material 33
3
“ASHIA”
“Meaningful Existence” – African (East African / Somali)
“Life & Hope” – Arabic
Welcome To Ashia
Dear Volunteer,
Thank you for your interest in volunteering with Ashia. Spending your time with us means not only a
pair of helping hands at the sanctuary and with our animals but also actively supporting our
conservation efforts. We really appreciate your commitment and contribution to our goals and to our
scientific research, conservation and education work. We are still a young project but have achieved
a lot in a short time, and volunteers are the backbone of our various programs.
We welcome people who want to make a difference by becoming an important part of the success in
our efforts to save the endangered cheetah in its race for survival. You don’t necessarily need in-depth
knowledge or previous experience but rather drive, dedication, open-mindedness, enthusiasm,
passion, hope and a spirit that NEVER dies! Not to mention a general love for all animals and wildlife.
We can’t express in words how important and uplifting it is to us to receive through our volunteers
the confirmation that people around the world are interested in the plight of the cheetah and are as
committed as we are to conserving these unique predators.
Ashia’s long-term conservation mission relies on 3 supporting legs: the education, research and
fundraising center in Paarl, home to our ambassador cheetahs or animals in need of care; breeding
centres like Cheetah Experience in Bloemfontein, with advanced knowledge about cheetah’s health,
fertility and reproduction, and our Cheetah Release Program, funded and managed by Ashia Cheetah
Conservation NPC, which went into operation in 2018 with Ashia’s first release of a captive born
female onto Kuzuko, a 15,000ha private game reserve in the Eastern Cape.
While working with us you will learn a lot about day-to-day animal welfare, health and diet protocols,
cheetah breeding, the release of captive raised cheetahs into the protected wild of South African game
reserves, and of course the challenges cheetahs and cheetah conservation are facing today. For those
volunteers interested in farm life, the working farm and its produces will be an interesting add-on.
We hope that you will enjoy your time with our team and we’re really looking forward to meeting you.
Yours sincerely
Chantal Rischard & Stephan Illenberger
Founders and Directors Sanctuaire Ashia RF Pty Ltd & Ashia Cheetah Conservation NPC
…and the whole Ashia Team
4
Get Involved
At Ashia we offer several options for volunteering. Depending on the length of your stay, they give
you the opportunity to get involved in all or selected aspects of our sanctuary and conservation
activities. All our volunteers must be 18 years of age or older.
• Short Or Long Term Volunteering, from 1 week to several months or up to 3 years. The
arrival date of the volunteer program is on a Sunday and departure on a Saturday. Under
Accommodations you will find detailed information about our dedicated Volunteer House. All
volunteers will have the option to take 2 days off per week to explore all that Cape Town and
the surrounding area has to offer - or save some of your days off to take a longer sightseeing
break. All longer leaves must be applied for in advance (at least one week’s notice) and
approved by the volunteer coordinator.
• Working Holidays, as long as you like. This option gives you the opportunity to get involved
in all our sanctuary and conservation activities, but you will stay in a private accommodation
and enjoy the flexibility to have more time off to visit all the places Cape Town and the
Western Cape has to offer. Your working hours can be flexible, you can chose which activities
you would like to participate in and when you would like to retire to the privacy of your own
self-contained accommodation (see Accommodations to make your preferred choice).
• Volunteer For A Day, for international and local visitors. This option can be extended to up
to 5 days as a unique opportunity to experience the cheetah’s daily life. A perfect opportunity
for everyone who wants to get a glance behind the scenes. Make your way to the farm each
day or at an additional cost, you are welcome to stay overnight in either one of our Luxury
apartments or at the Volunteer House (see Accommodations).
• Local Volunteering, whenever your time allows it. Your typical day is similar to that of our
volunteers. However, we are flexible and understand the need to schedule your volunteering
around work and/or studies. You will usually join in with our volunteers in completing daily
cleaning, feeding, group activities and other tasks. However, if you have any specific skills that
could be useful on the farm, we will always go with your strength. You will be inducted along
with our (international) volunteers, so we require that you speak English. Our program is only
presented in English.
o You will have a 6-week probation period. We will assess your skills accordingly via
conversation, observation and a mock tour of our project, with you as the tour guide.
o Thereafter, we require that you give a minimum of 8 hours per month of your time at our
project, you choose the days.
o We have a roster for our local volunteers. We need to know your volunteering days 1 week
in advance to create an efficient schedule.
o During lunch you may relax, spend time with the animals or take photographs.
o Lunch is provided on the first day, but thereafter you must bring your own or pay R50 to
have lunch provided. On a Sunday, you are welcome to order take-away with the other
volunteers or bring your own food.
o Dress professionally for shadowing public tours, and comfortably for outdoor work. You
will receive a free Ashia shirt upon completion of the mock tour.
• Internships And Placements, for a minimum stay of 2 weeks. If you are studying Animal
Management, Animal Welfare, Animal Behaviour, Zoology, Conservation, Animal
Reproduction, Veterinary Care (or any other animal related course), Hospitality or
Sustainability, you will often be required to complete an “internship” or “practical” as part of
5
your studies. At Ashia, we offer students the opportunity to volunteer or intern with us to
complete your practical training. You will be mentored and supervised by our experienced
staff. Being part of our program gives you a unique opportunity to work alongside our family
of experienced and knowledgeable staff and complete the same daily work as our staff do.
You’ll work closely with our animal curator and carers and get lots of experience caring for
our cheetahs and other endangered and threatened species, an experience that we’re sure
you’ll cherish for the rest of your life! We do not offer our own internships, but rather we
assist you in completing an internship for your course of study.
Your working day will be similar to our volunteers however we put aside additional time and
resources to help you achieve the specific goals and training assessments required by your
college or university. A staff member will meet with you on your first day to discuss your
course requirements and we formulate a plan to help you achieve them. Where possible, we
give our interns additional responsibilities and duties to provide as much experience as
possible and to allow you to see the daily life and work of our animal staff. We can liaise with
your course coordinators to complete your assessments and provide feedback and additional
support if required.
You will be accommodated at our Volunteer House (see Accommodations), offering the
possibility of a single room should your studies require more studying space and privacy.
Please note: In case your volunteering time allows at least 3 weeks or more you will furthermore
have the opportunity to split your time between the Ashia Sanctuary in Paarl, the Private
Game Reserve Kuzuko Lodge in the Greater Addo area, Eastern Cape, where our first release
of a captive raised cheetah took place (please see page 7 of this guide) or Cheetah Experience
Bloemfontein (www.cheetahexperience.com).
Kuzuko Lodge or Cheetah Experience Bloemfontein: please let us know upfront whether
you want to combine your stay at Ashia with volunteering time at one of these projects so
we can arrange the most efficient travelling schedule.
Days Off
Each week volunteers will be allocated two days off; we always try to give two volunteers the same
day off so that you do not have to spend your day off on your own, but we cannot guarantee this. You
are not required to come into work on these days, although you are welcome to even on your day off.
Some volunteers choose to work through their off days if they are staying for only a short time. But if
you want to make the most of the time offered to you then you are welcome to relax on the farm, in
the dam, sunbathing on the grass or just spending extra time with the animals. Alternatively, you can
go out and explore what the Western Cape has to offer. There is plenty to do so make the most of the
time if you can. Staff can assist with arranging activities for you – whether you stay close by in Paarl,
Stellenbosch or Franschhoek, or venture further towards Cape Town or along the coast. There are
festivals, wildlife sightings, hikes, rock climbing, air balloon rides, paragliding …whatever takes your
fancy, there is sure to be something for you to do. We can provide details and an application form for
a reputable company that we work with for day trips and Garden Route Tours – please enquire.
…WINE TASTING – WHALE WATCHING – PENGUINS – GARDEN ROUTE – TABLE MOUNTAIN –
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE – BEACHES – WATERFRONT…
6
Volunteering At Kuzuko – Ashia’s Wilding And Release Projects
Wilding Project
This project aims to ‘wild’ captive raised cheetahs, unrelated to animals in the Cheetah
Metapopulation (managed by EWT, the Endangered Wildlife Trust) and to release them once fit for
survival in the protected wild onto other game reserves. The Wilding Project is a cooperation between
and financed by Ashia Cheetah Conservation, Kuzuko Lodge (https://www.kuzuko.com) and Inqo, a
Social Impact Investment Company.
Release Project
Releasing captive-born cheetahs into a protected wild is a promising way to respond to the need of
reintroducing new genetic lineages to strengthen the wild cheetah population of private game
reserves in South Africa. Given the limited numbers in the wild, supplementation should come from
scientific breeding programmes with strict DNA testing and accurate (Studbook) records on origin and
parentage. Ashia’s Cheetah Release Program is managed and fully financed by Ashia Cheetah
Conservation NPC. The release of the captive-raised female cheetah Jasmin is a cooperation between
Ashia Cheetah Conservation and Kuzuko Lodge.
Jasmin with one of her first kills
Stay At Kuzuko
Kuzuko Lodge is a 15,000ha private game reserve situated in the malaria free greater Addo area,
Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
All overnight, meal and pick-up cost from Port Elizabeth (in case of overnight bus) are covered by
Ashia. Transport cost to Port Elizabeth (PE) to be covered by the volunteers – either overnight bus or
hired car (to Kuzuko direct). Breakfast is self-catering (Grocery shopping en route from Port Elizabeth
- fresh things like milk can be provided by Kuzuko).
7
Provided by Kuzuko:
• 2 meals a day (lunch/dinner) together with the Kuzuko staff
• Volunteer self-catering accommodation consists of 4 en-suite double rooms
• Accommodation is in a safe area; giraffe, baboon, wildebeest etc (doors or windows should
be kept locked during the day because of the baboons)
• Dam near the accommodation for swimming
• Linen and towels provided
• Laundry facility is there / but better pack for a week
• Kuzuko requests that while on the reserve with guests or staff members no ultra-short pants
or low-cut t-shirts should be worn; please use Ashia short-sleeve t-shirts
• Warm jacket for early morning and late afternoon drives is highly recommended
• In winter a long pant for cooler days
• Sturdy shoes as the terrain is stony and some areas have thorny bushes; when the cheetahs
are not close to one of the roads one often has to walk on foot to get close to them
• A radio will be handed over to the volunteers in case of any emergency during the night
• No Wi-Fi at the accommodation (Wi-Fi only at main lodge)
Volunteer Stay at Kuzuko includes:
• Morning and evening game drives (starting in the morning with the hotel guests at 5 at the
main lodge so wake-up at the volunteer accommodation is at 4 and pick-up time to get to the
main lodge at 4h30; afternoon drives start at 4h30 and are back at the lodge at 7/7h30
• Tracking and checking the cheetahs in the Cheetah Wilding Project, taking field notes and
assisting the Kuzuko cheetah monitoring team with upkeeping camps
• Volunteers will also spent time with Gerhard de Lange, General Reserve Manager of Kuzuko
to learn about the release and breeding projects at Kuzuko / the monitoring of the cheetahs
and lions / other flora and fauna
• Volunteers will spent at least one day with the fence and maintenance staff (checking and
repairing all fences) and thus be able to get a good overview of a big part of the reserve and
learn about the daily routines in a game reserve
At the end of the stay volunteers should write a short FB post for the Ashia FB pages (checked by
Ashia) about their experience at Kuzuko.
8
Ashia Volunteer Application
Please fill in the attached application form and email it to volunteers@ashia.co.za or apply via our
website http://www.ashia.co.za/volunteers-application/. We shall respond within 3 working days –
please be patient with us as our administration staff also work with the animals so any animal
emergencies will always take priority. If you have not had a response within 3 days, please just send
us a friendly reminder!!
Volunteer Cost – Prices 2019 in ZAR
Volunteering 1 WEEK 2 WEEKS 3 WEEKS 4 WEEKS 5+ WEEKS
(per week)
Volunteer House 6,900 13,750 19,250 25,300 6,300
Working Holiday 1 WEEK 2 WEEKS 3 WEEKS 4 WEEKS 5+ WEEKS
(per week)
Work. Hol. Apt. 9,000 17,500 25,000 33,000 8,250
Volunteer House 8,000 15,500 22,000 29,000 7,250
1 Night Accommodation in 2-Bedroom Guest Apartment (Sleeps 4) R 3,100 per Apartment
1 Night Accommodation in 1-Bedroom Guest Apartment (Sleeps 2) R 2,550 per Apartment
Internships Discount on 2 WEEKS 3 WEEKS 4 WEEKS 5+ WEEKS
(min. 2 weeks) volunteer cost (per week)
Interntl. Interns 30% 9,625 13,475 17,710 4,410
SA Interns 50% 6,875 9,625 12,650 3,150
Day 1 DAY 2 DAYS 3 DAYS 4 DAYS 5 DAYS
Volunteering
Without 1,000 1,900 2,850 3,800 4,750
accommodation
1 Night shared Accommodation in Volunteer House R 550 per Person
1 Night Accommodation in 2-Bedroom Guest Apartment (Sleeps 4) R 3,100 per Apartment
1 Night Accommodation in 1-Bedroom Guest Apartment (Sleeps 2) R 2,550 per Apartment
Local Volunteering One-Time Fee: Rand 2,000
Please see details and photos of Volunteer House, Working Holiday Cottages and Guest Apartments
under “Accommodation” or visit our website for more photo impressions.
The Volunteering Fees Include:
• Accommodation (in case of Volunteering, Working Holidays, Internships as listed above).
• Bedding and towels including a weekly laundry service.
• 2 meals per day (Monday – Saturday) - light breakfast (bread, cereal, eggs, cheese, tea and
coffee provided at the Volunteer House) and a cooked lunch including water and juice at the
stoep of the Main House. We can cater to different dietary needs, so please make sure you
specify in your application form if you require a special diet.
• Volunteering including training and induction.
• 2 x Ashia t-shirts for min stay 2 weeks (1 t-shirt for 1 week stay).
• Wi-Fi available in the volunteer house and certain areas of the farm
9
NOT INCLUDED in the Volunteering fees are any flights or transfers to/from the project. Your
Volunteer Coordinator is however happy to arrange the transfers between the airport or the
bus/railway station in Cape Town and the project in Paarl. Transfers are done by Claim Victory,
a trustworthy Tour Operator we use for transfers as well as for Peninsula, City, Garden Route
and Winelands Tours for our volunteers and guests. We want to make sure that all our volunteers
travel safely to and from our project.
Transfer price to/from airport/bus station/Cape Town: ZAR 400 (approx. Euro 27
Deposit
A 50% deposit is required to confirm your working holiday booking, with the final 50% payment due
one month prior to your arrival. BOOKINGS FOR PEAK SEASON (1ST NOV – 31ST JAN) – final payment
required 60 days prior to arrival. Your confirmation email will provide the amount you are required
to pay, along with the banking details (also inserted below). Please email us as soon as you make this
payment, so we can ensure it arrives at our end. Please specify the amount of the transfer and the
account name that the transfer has come from – this makes it much easier for us follow-up at this end.
We will send you a reminder email one (or two) months prior to your arrival date with the amount
outstanding for payment.
Cancellation Policy
Your 50% deposit will not be refunded should you cancel your participation in the project at any time.
If you cancel your booking less than 30 days before your start date, you will not be eligible for a refund
of any kind. BOOKINGS FOR PEAK SEASON (1ST NOV – 31ST JAN) – cancellations within 60 days of
arrival will not be eligible for a refund of any kind. We can put all money paid towards a different date
if you wish to reschedule your volunteer experience. Fees are to cover administration work and the
opportunity cost of being unable to fill your position at last minute. Once you arrive, if you decide to
leave the project early for any reason, Ashia will be unable to refund you in any way.
BANKING DETAILS (Please note: IBAN is not used outside of Europe !)
Account Name Sanctuaire Ashia Pty Ltd
Bank Investec Bank
Bank Address 100 Grayston Drive, Sandton
Branch Code 580105
Account No. 10011935870
Swift (= BIC) IVESZAJJXXX
10Accommodations
Ashia is situated on a 35ha farm just outside the city of Paarl, only 45 minutes from Cape Town. We
offer several types of accommodations for volunteers and overnight guests.
Volunteer House
The volunteer house is situated on the farm with a view onto the leopard and cheetah camps, orchards
and the impressive Drakenstein Mountains. We can accommodate up to 12 volunteers or students at
a time. Our volunteer house is custom built for volunteers. It includes a large central living area – with
a shared kitchen, lounge room, TV, dining room, outdoor deck and braai (or BBQ) area, where you can
relax in the evenings and look across the cheetah enclosures in the valley and the mountains ahead
of you. The sunsets are always beautiful, so you can spend every evening just watching the sun go
down behind the mountain while the sky change through the pinks, oranges and reds.
On each side of the central living area, there are 2 double bedrooms, 2 single bedrooms, 2 shared
bathrooms and 2 outdoor showers. Rooms are allocated on same-gender sharing basis.
Arrangements can be made for couples in a double room (subject to availability). Longer-term
volunteers and interns have the possibility to stay in one of the single rooms featuring a working
desk and additional shelves. Our volunteer coordinator is taking care of the house as well as the
needs, shopping & leisure activities of our volunteers. The house is cleaned regularly. You will be
allocated linen and towels upon arrival.
Daily breakfast is available for you to prepare and lunch is provided Monday – Saturday on the stoep
at the Main House. Tea and coffee are available all day, but dinner is not included in the cost.
You will be taken to the shops weekly to buy food, drinks, snacks and other necessities – so make sure
you bring along extra money. Please be aware that with communal living you will need to be flexible
and respectful of others around you. This means keeping noise to a minimum and tidying up after
yourself. Music and other loud noise should generally be stopped at 10pm.
Should household goods in your accommodation be damaged in any way you will be liable for
replacing the damaged item/s before you leave.
11Holiday Working Apartments
Working Holidays can be spent in one of our modern working holiday cottages situated at the end of
each wing of the Volunteer House. These more private accommodations offer a private entrance, 2
double bedrooms, a living area including a sofa and breakfast bar, a fully equipped kitchenette and a
well-appointed bathroom. You will also have access to the volunteer house, so you are welcome to
join your fellow volunteers in the evenings for social events before retiring to your own private space
for the night. Towels and all linen are supplied and are washed each week.
The apartments are cleaned regularly. You will be allocated linen and towels upon arrival.
Spending your working holiday or volunteering time at Ashia, you are welcome to enquire about the
additional costs should you wish to stay in one of our luxurious guest apartments for more privacy.
Please note: Our working holiday makers can also choose to have shared or single accommodation in
the Volunteer House or to stay in one of our luxurious Guest Apartments near the Main House (all
subject to availability).
Luxurious Guest Apartments
Ashia offers 4 luxurious and spacious one- and two-bedroom suites with sitting areas and fully
equipped kitchen. Please visit our website for more detailed descriptions and room rates
http://www.ashia.co.za/accommodation/
12Daily Schedule And Duties
Ashia attempts to match tasks to a volunteer’s skills and experience. You are welcome to make
suggestions concerning where you feel you can be of most help, but please keep in mind that the
purpose of your stay is to support Ashia’s operations which can involve office or administrative work.
While this type of work may seem mundane or even boring to some, without it Ashia could not be
successful in its mission of cheetah conservation, research and education. We try to ensure that you
will receive a balanced experience that will include a great deal of animal work, but please be prepared
to spend some of your volunteer time in the office or our Reception/Boutique Shop & Café area.
Please see below for a daily schedule and activities during your stay at the sanctuary in Paarl. For all
activities related to volunteering time at Kuzuko see Volunteering At Kuzuko; for activities in
Bloemfontein visit their website https://www.cheetahexperience.com/apply :
• Cleaning & maintenance of the animal enclosures (poop-scooping, removal of old bones,
removal of plants harmful to animals etc), refilling water bowls, cleaning their houses and
helping with general maintenance of enclosures.
• Preparing food and feeding the animals – this involves handling raw meat!!
• Assisting with sanctuary maintenance and other group activities.
• Planning and helping with animal enrichment (walks, treats, toys, building climbing structures,
shades or hides etc…).
• Monitoring younger animals when required (requires experience with cheetahs).
• Collecting data for and participating in our long term animal behavioural study in connection
with changes of feeding times, interaction between different animals, animals in heat, visitor
activities, enrichments…
• Assisting with preparation of Veterinary or DNA-Testing days.
• Assisting our experienced guides with Educational Visitor Tours as a “shadowing guide”
• Guiding Educational Visitor Tours once you have completed a mock tour with a staff member
(applies only to long-term volunteers / 3 months+).
• Assisting with other Visitor Experiences like cheetah runs and walks.
• Assisting with “Education Days” for children of the local community.
• Assisting with conservation, private or company events at the Education Centre.
• Assisting our full-time staff members with hospitality tasks around visitors and overnight
guests, helping in the Café or monitoring the Boutique Shop.
• Assisting with farming activities such as harvesting olives, guavas or the various produces of
our fruit, vegetable and herb gardens.
A working day at Ashia is never typical and changes depending on the time of year and the weather.
As outlined above, it generally begins with the cleaning of the camps, the feeding of our animals and
the preparation of the facility for public visitors. It will then be followed by a group meeting where the
remainder of the days’ activities will be discussed followed by group activities (vary between
maintenance work, animal enrichment, education or anything unexpected that should arise) before
your lunch break. The afternoon entails either group activities or special tasks before we start feeding
the animals and clean up for the day. The work will vary from day to day and working with wild animals
leads to surprises and so you will need to be flexible to accommodate the unexpected. Due to various
reasons related to our animals or visitor bookings, volunteers will sometimes be asked to work early,
late or during weekends and are expected to multitask and be flexible where needed. Depending on
your skills some of your daily work can consist of computer data entry and other administrative tasks,
while other tasks can be downright ‘dirty’ and might include clearing vegetation, handling meat,
tidying up the meat room after dishing, cleaning cheetah pens or similar tasks.
13The animals come first at Ashia but there is the dirty and boring side as well: meat room and office work
The following schedule reflects a typical day at Ashia:
Summer (Nov-April)
06:30 – 07:00 Animal enrichment activities (cheetah runs or general enrichment)
07:00 – 09:30 Daily cleaning of enclosures and animal feeding
09:30 – 10:00 Staff and Volunteer meeting for daily planning
10:00 – 12:30 Work begins (on tasks & projects)
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch (provided at the stoep of the Main House)
13:30 – 17:00 Work continues (on tasks & projects)
Winter (May-Oct)
07:30 – 08:00 Animal enrichment activities (cheetah runs or general enrichment)
08:00 – 09:30 Daily cleaning of enclosures and animal feeding
09:30 – 10:00 Staff and Volunteer meeting for daily planning
10:00 – 12:30 Work begins (on tasks & projects)
12:30 – 13:30 Lunch (provided at the stoep of the Main House)
13:30 – 17:30 Work continues (on tasks & projects)
Dinner is on a self-catering basis: in the evenings all volunteers prepare their own meals at the
kitchen/communal area or on the outside braai at the Volunteer House.
Lunch, work and leisure
14Introduction On Site
On the day you arrive, you will be picked up from Cape Town International Airport or the bus station
and brought to the farm. Once you get to the farm, you will be welcomed by our volunteer coordinator
and taken straight to your accommodation where you can unpack and settle in. However, for your
first evening, you don’t have to worry about cooking as we usually put our pizza oven to use and all
staff and volunteers will get together for a pizza night to introduce ourselves and welcome you to
Ashia.
Your first day will consist mainly of showing you around and introducing you to the farm. After this
first impression of our project you will have your induction to the program with one of our staff
members and you will be asked to sign our indemnity form, which explains that you are aware that
you are sharing a property with wild animals and take responsibility for your own actions while at
Ashia. Our Volunteer Coordinator will go through all the formalities required when working with wild
animals, including:
• Signing of paperwork: Arrival Sheet, Indemnity & Waiver Agreement, Volunteers Standard
Terms and Conditions, Confidentiality and Non-Disclosure Agreement, Photography &
Audio Visual Footage Agreement, Extracurricular Activities Indemnity Agreement and
Important Volunteer Rules.
• Induction to the program: Ashia and its activities, animal & sanctuary protocols
After your introduction day we will buddy you up with one of our other longer-term volunteers or a
staff member, who you will be able to shadow for your first couple of days to make sure that you are
comfortable with what volunteer life entails. In addition, every volunteer receives a Volunteer
Orientation Manual. Please take the time on your first day at Ashia to read this thoroughly, as it
includes information on your rights and responsibilities, standard operating procedures, animal safety
protocols (feeding and care), information about the resident animals at Ashia and other useful
information such as a list of telephone numbers and leisure opportunities in the Cape area.
Upon leaving Ashia, you will be asked to complete a Departure Evaluation Sheet. Any belongings you
wish to leave behind can be handed over to one of the staff members. In addition, we hope that you
will stay in touch with us after you complete your stay and continue to educate your friends, family
and neighbours about Ashia’s conservation efforts.
For more information on this please visit:
General Ashia Facebook: https://facebook.com/cheetahexperienceashia
Ashia Cheetah Conservation Facebook: https://facebook.com/ashiacheetahconservation
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ashia+cheetah+experience+paarl
Cheetah And Other Animal Care
Animal enclosures are located in several areas at Ashia’s farm and are cleaned daily. Most of our
animals are fed every day. Volunteers help staff to collect and distribute meat, typically consisting of
chicken, cow, donkey, horse and sometimes other types of meat such as zebra or springbok. The feed
can include heads and organs. Ashia staff and volunteers regularly do a visual animal check. A number
of times each week, some of the resident non-releasable cheetahs are exercised in a Cheetah Run in
our vast Running Enclosure featuring a professional lure system. Volunteers may be asked to assist
staff guiding visitors who observe these events from the secure middle part of the running enclosure.
15The sanctuary is at the moment home to 16 cheetahs, 2 leopards and 3 servals. The number of the
resident cheetahs varies due to the Release and Breeding Program. Animal care and farm work can be
extremely messy and dirty, so bring a few sets of clothes you don’t mind ruining. It is also useful to
bring a pair of gum boots/wellies along during the wet season (May – October).
Volunteers assisting with cheetah husbandry and enrichment
Veterinary And Clinical Work
Ashia conducts its own medical check-ups for all of its resident cheetahs several times a year.
Veterinary care is provided to cheetahs, leopards and other small cats as needed, as well as DNA-
testing of adolescent cheetah. Veterinary health examinations of resident cheetahs are conducted
annually. As some of our resident cheetahs are older animals and their health or teeth status requires
the feeding of minced meat which means their teeth lack the natural cleaning by chewing bones.
These animals receive on average every six months an extensive dental cleaning at a nearby veterinary
clinic. They have to be sedated and you may be asked to assist in handling the animal or monitoring
after its return to the camp. Ashia keeps extensive records on animal health, and much of the clinical
work involves data entry, record keeping and labelling. In the event that Ashia receives notification
about wild caught animals like genets or caracals for example, staff and volunteers may need to attend
pick-ups. Once at Ashia a medical check-up is conducted, and whenever possible the animals are
released back into the wild according to the regulations of Western Cape Nature Conservation Board.
16Education Centre And Visitor Activities
With the Education Centre, Ashia provides a facility for wildlife conservationists, animal welfarists and
behaviourists, schools, students, youths, teachers, tour operators and tourists to give or attend to
presentations about the physiology, ecology and environmental issues related to the cheetah’s
survival as well as the role of the cheetah in the ecosystem, human-wildlife conflict issues, and
predator-friendly livestock management. Volunteers are welcome to attend and/or may be asked to
assist with these events.
Presentation by EWT about cheetah conservation in our Education Centre
Ashia Gift Shop and Café is open daily from 9am-5pm except Mondays and Christmas Day and Boxing
Day. Upon arrival, day visitors sign their indemnity form, watch the introduction video and receive a
guided tour of the farm and the resident cheetahs. Visitors and overnight guests can also observe and
photograph our resident cheetahs from secure areas - what we call our “human enclosures” – inside
the cheetahs’ camps while receiving an educational talk from a tour guide. Further visitor experiences
include watching cheetah runs from a secure areas inside our running enclosure and cheetah leash-
free walks for scent enrichment inside a vast fenced walking area to explore a different environment
on the animals’ own terms (will be build in 2019).
Our Reception area, called The Barn, managed by staff and volunteers, also hosts a Boutique Shop and
Café with a terrace offering sweeping view over the Drakenstein mountains. Guests can refresh with
a variety of drinks and light lunch options, mostly homemade, using fresh farm produces. The Shop
offers an extensive selection of high end gifts and memorabilia.
All activities have to be pre-booked for a fee as we only accept a limited number of 20-25 guests per
day (includes Educational Tours & Special Experiences).
Cheetah Run, and visitors after the run in the secure middle area of the running enclosure
17Laptops And Other Valuables
Many volunteers ask us if they should bring their laptop. Ashia’s staff office at the Main House has a
number of computers that are used for administrative work. These computers are networked, and
long-term volunteers can be allocated a password to log onto the network to perform special assigned
administration tasks. Volunteers will receive clear advice and training where their work should be
stored. However, since computer access can be limited, it may be useful for interns to bring your
laptop in order to complete your work. In this case, volunteers MUST ensure that they back up their
work on a daily basis. It may therefore be useful for you to bring a USB memory stick or similar storage
device; Ashia is working on Apple computers with standard software (compatible with Windows). If
you wish to bring your own laptop to Ashia a USB-based storage device will likely be the easiest
method to transfer files to the network.
All information, data and images shared or gathered during your stay at Ashia becomes the intellectual
property of Ashia and may not be used in any way for non-Ashia purposes without prior written
consent. If you need or want to keep copies of your work (for school purposes, for example), you must
obtain consent in writing from Ashia. However it is permissible to share photos, videos and stories of
your volunteer experiences with family, friends, local media and in a public forum. Sharing your
perspectives and experiences is welcomed and encouraged.
Ashia cannot assume any responsibility for non-Ashia supplied equipment breaking or malfunctioning.
You should ensure that your personal travel insurance covers any such eventualities. In case your
volunteer stay includes time at our partner project or a game reserve be aware that it might be dry
and dusty which can wreak havoc on electronic items. It’s helpful to bring a sleeve or case where you
can store your laptop to minimize exposure to dust, especially when travelling and please also bring a
laptop lock with you which can be used to lock your laptop to a table. These are inexpensive and might
give you peace of mind in case you have to leave your laptop behind in an accommodation or if you
have to leave your desk while in working on your laptop.
Laptop lock
Volunteers should not bring valuables or expensive items to Ashia. Theft is a constant concern in South
Africa and you should always lock up when you leave a building or a vehicle. Never leave valuables in
sight. Most rooms can be locked, but it’s better to lock your passport, camera, music player and other
precious belongings in one of the provided lockers at the communal area of the volunteer house.
PLEASE REMEMBER TO BRING YOUR OWN PADLOCK.
Internet Access
Internet will be included in the price. The internet on the farm is not limited and is available at various
points of the farm, including the volunteer accommodation and the main house. The main form of
communication on the farm is WhatsApp so we do ask that you download this onto your phone before
coming out to us.
18However, if you are staying with us for an extended period of time, we do recommend getting yourself
a South African SIM card to use out here; that way you can make calls as well as buy data for times
when you do not have Wi-Fi. To ensure you can insert the new SIM into your phone, it is recommended
that you have your phone unlocked prior to travelling.
To give you an idea of prices, with one of the phone networks out here you can buy a SIM card for R60
and 1GB of data costs R160. WhatsApp uses minimal data, so it will last you a long time (unless you
spend hours scrolling through Facebook!).
Water, Laundry And Electricity
Ashia has its own dam to collect rain water for irrigation and a well for personal consumption water.
Ashia’s dam is also connected to the neighbouring, private big Ashanti Dam, providing water for ten
affiliated farms. All volunteer, guest and staff areas provide special taps for filtered potable water.
Ashia doesn’t encourage buying water in plastic bottles and avoids any use of plastic, for example by
only offering water in returnable glass bottles, metal straws in the Café and growing as much
vegetable and fruit produces as possible on the farm. We encourage our volunteers to bring their own
reusable water bottle to refill with our filtered tap water.
There are two washing machines available next to the common area and an outdoor line for drying
your clothes. Western Cape, like the whole of South Africa, frequently has periods of drought, so
please take care not to waste water.
Electricity at Ashia is supplied at 220 volts, 50Hz. Plugs are three round-prong, used everywhere in
South Africa.
Plug suitable for South Africa
You should ensure that you obtain the correct adaptor before you fly, however they can be purchased
at Johannesburg/Cape Town airport if you stop there on your way or at supermarkets in Paarl. Items
that run on 110 volts cannot be used at Ashia without a suitable step up/down transformer or they
will be damaged or destroyed.
There are very few outdoor lights on the farm, and some outdoor areas can be almost totally dark
when there is no moon. It is important to bring a flashlight, torch or headlamp with you (with spare
batteries) and to use it at all times when in darkness. All our accommodation units are equipped with
solar geysers. Although they have electrical backup please limit your usage of hot water to ensure that
all volunteers can enjoy their morning and evening showers. We ask all volunteers to conserve water
and electricity. Please keep your showers short and share laundry with other volunteers so that the
washing machine is full when run. Please avoid electricity-intensive items such as hairdryers. Avoid
leaving lights or other electrical items switched on unnecessarily as this is not only expensive but bad
for the environment too.
19TV & Entertainment
The communal area in the middle of the volunteer house features a big TV-screen should you wish to
watch movies via your own Netflix account.
We are building up an informal library with a fiction and non-fiction books that you are welcome to
read, but volunteers and staff are always pleased to receive new books or magazines for sharing.
However, please note that books in the Main House or at the Office for literature on conservation and
veterinary procedures need to remain there at all times. If you do wish to take one of those books to
your room, please ask our Sanctuary Manager if this is ok and make sure you place it back for others
to use.
You may attend from time to time an evening out in town with other volunteers or staff to celebrate
special events, attend local festivals or just enjoy what the nightlife of Paarl has to offer. It’s always a
good idea to bring one semi-formal outfit and some spare cash for such occasions.
Food And The Kitchen
Lunches are served on our open-air stoep at the Main House, or inside the Main House during more
chilling winter times. In addition, volunteers prepare their own breakfast (bread, cereal, eggs, cheese,
tea and coffee provided at the Volunteer House). When eating outside of formal meal times
volunteers and staff must wash their own dishes and clean up the used kitchen areas.
The menu is quite similar to western food (pastas, rice, potatoes, meat, salads, and vegetables) and
vegetarians, vegans or gluten free can be catered for; if you have a special diet, please inform the
volunteer coordinator before you arrive. Water is safe to drink from the special filter tap. Tea, coffee,
and concentrated juices are provided. If you would like to drink sodas or fruit juice you may purchase
these at our Café or during your weekly shopping trips into town. A selection of Ashia wine and local
bubbly is available at the Boutique shop for consumption during your time off.
The excessive consumption of alcohol and its effects, i.e. hangovers on workdays, is not tolerated at
Ashia or in public places while you are representing Ashia. Drinking and driving is against South African
law and Ashia policy and is strictly prohibited. During the day, when working with animals, we have a
zero-alcohol-tolerance. Tea and coffee is also freely available at the Main House.
Transportation
All Ashia vehicles may be used for official Ashia purposes only. If you have a driver’s licence, please
bring it as volunteering time at game reserves may require a driver’s licence. If you are added as a
driver, you will receive training on the vehicles (cars and/or farm vehicles such as Polaris) and
particulars of driving on Ashia farm and surrounding areas. All Ashia vehicles have manual gearboxes
(stick-shift). The use of Ashia vehicles is limited to longer-term volunteers. All volunteers are welcome
to accompany staff members or long-term volunteers (free of charge) on the weekly shopping trips to
Paarl.
Ashia sometimes makes long trips to visit Cheetah Experience in Bloemfontein, Game Reserves that
are part of the Cheetah Release Program, or to transport cheetahs to/from Bloemfontein or Game
Reserves. Volunteers may be allocated to accompany staff members on these trips. If you would like
to visit tourist attractions in the Western Cape Area, you may want to get together with other
volunteers to organise such a trip and share the costs. We work together with a trustworthy Tour
20Operator and can help you arrange such trips or you can hire a car in Paarl. However, you must obtain
approval for such vacation leave prior to booking your trip.
Weather, Climate And Field Conditions
The climate in the Western Cape is typically Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and mild, wet
winters. Summer temperatures in Paarl can reach heights of up to nearly 40°C, but in the winter
months it can drop to temperatures as low as 1°C. We also get some warm winter days with
temperatures up to 20°C. Depending on your time of stay, it may vary as to what clothing is most
appropriate. However, as the weather can be changeable it is recommended that you bring a
selection of clothing that will suit both wet and dry, cold and hot weather. As the saying goes, you
can have all four seasons in one day at the Cape.
Cultural Guidelines
South Africa is a politically stable country, and an amalgam of cultures with much ethnic variety.
English is the official national language in South Africa, though Afrikaans and many indigenous
languages are widely spoken.
Ashia employs and interacts with persons of widely different academic, professional and cultural
backgrounds. Ashia considers discrimination of any form (e.g. gender, cultural, religious, sexual, racial
and ethnic) to be an extremely serious matter. Discrimination is considered to include (but is not
necessarily limited to) making derogatory remarks, taking decisions based on considerations other
than merit and harassment of any sort. Those proven to behave in a discriminatory manner face
summary dismissal from Ashia.
Given that the culture in South Africa is likely to be different than you’re used to, volunteers should
not expect things to always go smoothly or according to plan (TIA: This Is Africa!). Approaches and
interactions with people both at Ashia and elsewhere will be different than you’re used to. You may
feel a bit like a fish out of water – new experiences, new people who are constantly around you, new
things to do and learn. Frustration can build up if Wi-Fi doesn’t work or electricity cuts out...
Allow yourself a short period of adjustment. You may have travelled across several time zones and be
suffering from jetlag. We don’t live in the wilderness but bugs and insects may occur, especially in
summer time.
The volunteer who will get the most out of his/her experience at Ashia is the one that can relax and is
flexible. Appreciate the differences in culture and take the time to learn new ways and enjoy the
unique opportunity of simply being here. You will have wonderful memories of your stay if you remain
open to the adventure and novelty of the place and the opportunities Ashia has to offer. This will be
your home away from home, so enjoy it.
21Preparing For Your Trip
Travelling To Ashia
Each volunteer is responsible for making their own travel arrangements between their home town
and from Cape Town. Please forward your travel details, including flight numbers and arrival times to
volunteers@ashia.co.za as early as possible so we can arrange for your transfer We recommend that
you aim to arrive in Cape Town no later than 4pm. A Sunday arrival is requested as our Volunteer
Program with new volunteers starts on a Sunday and departure is on a Saturday. It takes about 50
minutes to drive from Cape Town airport to Ashia, and driving in the dark is not recommended. In case
you arrive late at night, you should arrange for accommodation at the Airport and pick-up will be the
next morning.
The closest airport to us is Cape Town International; many countries will offer direct flights to this
airport, however often they will go via Johannesburg or make stops and changes in other countries on
the way. Usually, the flights with one or two stops are the less expensive option. There are also bus
stations in and around Cape Town, if you are travelling from another part of South Africa (it is usually
a longer, but cheaper process). Closer to your arrival date, we will send an email confirming your pick-
up time. Depending on the number of volunteers arriving each Sunday, and their arrival times, we try
to make a plan to suit everyone. We may ask you to wait at the airport for a short period of time if we
have other volunteers arriving close together but on different flights (this may happen frequently with
so many flights coming into Cape Town each day). However, there are plenty of cafes and restaurants
at the airport where you can sit down and grab a drink or some food while you wait. A staff member
of Claim Victory will collect you from the arrival hall.
Some volunteers are on more of a budget and prefer to get a bus to Cape Town. This is a cheaper
option but is a much longer process, so you should decide which mode of travel suits you best. Our
volunteers have travelled on buses regularly and they are a safe option, as long as you stick to the
more well-known companies. There are several bus lines that travel into Cape Town from most major
cities in South Africa. Some of the options are listed below.
Translux/City to City – www.translux.co.za
Greyhound – www.greyhound.co.za
Intercape – www.intercape.co.za
Sometimes they will arrive at a different location or bus station, so it is important to make note of
your bus line and arrival location to ensure we are in the right place to collect you. Paarl does have a
bus station, so please check if this is an option for the bus-line you choose. A staff member of Claim
Victory will be waiting for you upon arrival at the bus station.
Visa Requirements
You will need to check online or with your local South African Consulate to determine your Visa
requirements. Tourists from many countries can stay up to 90 days on a Visitor Visa which is arranged
upon arrival, but this is not for ALL countries – please ensure you check well in advance to allow time
to arrange a visa in your home country should it be required. Anyone planning to stay longer than 90
days will need to arrange a visa prior to leaving their home country and we can assist with the
supporting documentation. It is very difficult to extend a visitor visa once you arrive in South Africa.
22The following link has some general information on the types of visas required to enter South Africa.
http://www.dha.gov.za/index.php/applying-for-sa-visa and the next link has a list of South African
Consulates around the world http://www.dirco.gov.za/webmissions/. We suggest you click on the link
to your home country to ensure you are familiar with the requirements for you stay in South Africa.
Baggage
Volunteers are advised to travel light, as most items (such as toiletries) can be bought here and
Ashia has laundry facilities. Apart from any luggage you check-in, bring a carry-on bag, packed with a
change of clothes as lost baggage may occur with travelling anywhere in the world. Check with your
airline for luggage allowance information.
Valuable items e.g. computing and photographic equipment, jewellery, music players should be
carried as hand luggage and please also pack a change of clothes, if you can fit it in, in case your
luggage does not make one of the connections along the way. If this happens, your bag should be
delivered to Ashia a day or two after your arrival. Staff will always be willing to help you out in these
situations.
Dress Code And Clothing
We understand that it can be difficult to figure out what you need to bring to a project like ours,
especially if you have not been travelling before. We suggest you bring a variety of clothing, to cover
work days as well as social events and days/evenings out. In addition to this, your clothing must be
suitable for the climate and weather for the time of year that you are with us.
The climate in the Western Cape is typically Mediterranean, with warm, dry summers and mild, wet
winters. Summer temperatures in Paarl can reach heights of up to nearly 40°C, but in the winter
months it can drop to temperatures as low as 1°C. Depending on your time of stay, it may vary as to
what clothing is most appropriate. However, as the weather can be changeable it is recommended
that you bring a selection of clothing that will suit both wet and dry weather.
December - March are our very hot months with daily temperatures being above 30 ˚C degrees
often up to 40 ˚C. We rarely get rain in summer, but it can happen on the odd occasion.
April - August are our cold and wet months with minimum temperatures being between 2 ˚C in the
early morning to about 8 ˚C at midday. Some days it can get quite warm even in winter (up to 27˚C
during the day) so also pack some clothes for warmer weather.
September – November are our warmer months (usually minimum 5 ˚C to maximum 30 ˚C) but you
will still need to pack something warm for the colder days.
For all year round:
• Trail boots/sturdy walking shoes (please wear them in before you get here)
• Shoes for relaxing (sandals/flip flops/sneakers)
• Sturdy trousers/respectable shorts (NO “hot pants” for working)
• T-shirts
• Jumper/Hoody
• Socks and underwear
• Long-sleeved shirts
• Respectable nightwear
• Clothing for a night out
For summer months:
23• Sun hat (however, cannot be worn when working in the vicinity of animals)
• Extra sunscreen & after-sun lotion
• Swim-wear for the summer fun on the dam!!
For winter months:
• Windproof and waterproof jacket
• Waterproof shoes (e.g. Wellies, boots)
• Hat, scarf, gloves
• Long sleeve t-shirts
• Warm jacket (or two)
• Thermal underwear
You will be provided with 2 Ashia t-shirt upon induction (refers to a minimum stay of 2 weeks). Longer-
term volunteers that may shadow our tour guides or represent the project in any other way will have
to wear Ashia branded clothes. It is good to keep in mind that we are working outside and get very
dirty. You will need to wear new clothes each day, so remember to pack enough clothes to account
for this. Most times you will need to consider dressing appropriately as you may tear or rip shirts and
trousers during some of your tasks! Wearing bracelets, earrings and necklaces, is not recommended
whilst working, especially not in the vicinity of the animals. You may want to bring a pair of work gloves
for feeding and/or farm work.
We are open to the public, so we need you to dress appropriately and professionally at all times.
Shorts that are not longer than mid-thigh are not acceptable. Singlets that show your underwear
underneath are also not acceptable. Examples are given below of what is deemed acceptable and
what is NOT acceptable. We will insist on appropriate clothing during working hours.
If your volunteering time includes a stay at a Game Reserve, you should wear long pants and shirts
with long sleeves even in the summer. Ankle-high hiking boots are a must when in the field to protect
yourself against the odds of the wild.
In town, Ashia requires that volunteers dress more smartly (pants, smart jeans or long shorts and a
clean polo shirt, for example). Please remember that while you are here, you are representing Ashia
as an organisation, and that you should project a professional image at all times.
We also have some suggestions of what we consider travel essentials.
24• Small rucksack
• Basic toiletries including a nail brush and lip ice (there are local supermarkets close to our project,
so you will be able to stock up on a weekly basis if necessary)
• Plenty of sunscreen
• Mosquito/insect repellent (we recommend natural lavender oil as it is not harmful to animals
should you come in contact with them)
• Mini first aid kit (plasters, disinfectant, painkillers, Imodium, insect bite product, rehydration
salts) - there are first aid kits on-site, but it is always recommended for you to carry your own
• Should you take prescription medicine, ensure you bring enough for the length of your stay as
some medication will not be available in South Africa
• Torch or headlamp for unpredictable power-outages
• Reusable water bottle to avoid buying water in plastic bottles
• Camera
• Laptop for personal use
• Mobile phone
• Pens and paper
• International adaptors
• Good sunglasses (however, these cannot be worn in the vicinity of cheetahs)
Carrying Items For Ashia
There is a “Wish List” on our website (http://www.ashia.co.za/wish-list/) that you may want to review
prior to your visit to Ashia. If you are able to bring some of the smaller items with you, it would be
greatly appreciated as we know your baggage allowance is limited.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is not included in the price and cost of your time volunteering with us, but we strongly
recommend that you are covered for the length of your stay. In particular, we recommend having your
insurance cover work with wild animals as you may be working closely with them. Some policies will
already cover you for this, as long as you are following protocols and guidelines set out in your
induction. With some companies you will have to specify that you will be working with wild animals
and add it to the policy. Unfortunately, travel insurance policies are different in different countries
and their terms and conditions can change often, so we cannot recommend any companies for you.
As with any overseas travel, you are encouraged to leave a certified set of your travelling documents
with someone in your home country and then to carry a set of certified documents with you (separate
from your original documents) while you travel, in the event of you losing your passport.
Once at the project, you will be able to store your passport and valuables in a safe on site or in the
lockers at the Volunteer House.
Money
The currency in South Africa is the South African Rand (ZAR) e.g. R10 means ten rand. You can check
the exchange rate on the internet. ATM’s are available for all major credit and debit cards. You will
have weekly access to the ATM’s when you go to the local shops. There is NO money exchange locally
however, so if you need to change money it is better to do it at the main airport upon arrival
(Johannesburg or Cape Town). You will also have access to an ATM machine at the airport. Payment
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