Wherever you are in the World, you will have heard various reports of the drought in the Western Cape. The Cape Town water shortage has made headline news, often with conflicting information.

Cape Town's resilience is amazing. We've come together to help each other out in circumstances that could affect any city in the world with the current climate changes. In Cape Town and South Africa as a whole, know how to pull together when the going gets tough!

Day Zero is the official phrase that the City of Cape Town is using. It marks the day when a lot of the taps and water systems in Cape Town and the Western Cape Province will be turned off. People will need to use bottled water that is available at shops, or queue at water points around Cape Town for drinkable water. Areas like Cape Town city-centre and the townships will be exempt from Day Zero action. Other institutions, such as hospitals and emergency services will also remain in full service, as well as some businesses that can apply for an exemption. The people who will be affected are the residential areas of Cape Town. This is meant to last for three months over the winter period.

Day Zero is due to commence on the 16th of April and end in June or July. At the moment, each person should use fifty-litres of water a day, and no more than that. For us living here, saving water and reusing grey water is now a regular part of everyday life.

 

Volunteering Through Difficult Times –

So how do you fit into Volunteering during this challenging time? Being a volunteer is not always easy and ‘fun'. You get to see the most vulnerable adults and children in dire situations and be there to assist them.

There is no better time to volunteer than in challenging situations – times when you are most needed and can make a real difference to the most vulnerable people in Cape Town. Volunteers play a vital role in our city; they bring their own experiences and knowledge gained in countries like Sweden, where social and healthcare are more developed and use that to compliment the work done by the NPOs and organisations in Cape Town.

Additionally, the volunteers that work with African Sunrise always bring a massive amount of enthusiasm and empathy to their time in Cape Town. The bonds that are created here are often ones that will last a lifetime, and we usually have previous volunteers and interns return to Cape Town for another stay.

You won't just be volunteering your time; you'll literally be changing the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in Cape Town. And while there is always a need for volunteers, at times of crisis such as drought and water shortages, the need for more helping hands could not be more poignant.

 

At African Sunrise, we don't just liaise with potential volunteers and interns to help them come across to South Africa. We believe that it's essential that we do more than find accommodation and place volunteers at projects. We actively engage with every NPO and organisation we work with. If they need assistance with fundraising or anything else that can help improve their organisation, we work with them.

For more information on Day Zero and how that will affect volunteering in South Africa, please contact us for further details.