Maintenance and decoration

location
2 - 4 weeks  ·  Age 18 - 50+

rating  Excellent 4.8  · 
  Verified by Volunteer World
  Very high response rate

Highlights

  • Help keeping SIMABO's locations safe and functional
  • Make the difference at our very busy organization by solving everyday maintenance problems
  • Be the one that has always a solution for everything!

Highlights

  • Help keeping SIMABO's locations safe and functional
  • Make the difference at our very busy organization by solving everyday maintenance problems
  • Be the one that has always a solution for everything!
  • Use your creativity to recycle materials and used equipment
  • Contribute to the miracle of having a very comfortable and pleasant hostel with very little funds available


  • Especially good for

    Age 18+
    Singles
    Couples
    50+

    About the program

    We always need help for maintenance and decoration at our sites: dog shelter, clinic, cat shelter, volunteers' rooms, office and hostel.

    The volunteer who wants to help with maintenance and decoration must have a wide experience in manual works and also good common sense and the capacity to find quickly good solutions to problems. He/she must be able to find good solutions with the materials available, that are sometimes not exactly ...

    About the program

    The volunteer who wants to help with maintenance and decoration must have a wide experience in manual works and also good common sense and the capacity to find quickly good solutions to problems. He/she must be able to find good solutions with the materials available, that are sometimes not exactly what they would be able to use at home. The volunteer responsible for maintenance must be able to organize his/her work efficiently, finding out what he/she needs or going and get it where it is available without relying too much on the management, if not for budgetary reasons, in order not to be stuck in bottlenecks. He/she must be able to involve in his/her work other volunteers or some staff to help and to book the driver if he needs a car to get material or equipment at the right time in the right place. 




    Typical day

    A working day of a volunteer is normally of about 6 hours, but for a volunteer involved in maintenance of 4 locations with animals and tourists there is always plenty to do! Apart from bigger works that can take various hours or days, as for instance building a roof or a door, or a fence, or ...

    Typical day

    A working day of a volunteer is normally of about 6 hours, but for a volunteer involved in maintenance of 4 locations with animals and tourists there is always plenty to do! Apart from bigger works that can take various hours or days, as for instance building a roof or a door, or a fence, or painting a whole site, typical issues for the volunteer in this place are locks that don't want to open in the middle of the night, taps that begin to leak at any time of the day, water missing in a shower at the hostel, a door that breaks at the shelter and makes impossible to close the dogs safely at night, a window that breaks because of the wind (very common), and any kind of minor issues, as moving a bed from one room to the other while the room is empty, trying to repair a fan on a summer Sunday, when everything is closed and it would be impossibile to buy a new one. 

    Decoration is less demanding, there are no emergencies, but of course maintenance volunteers are always most welcome to use their creativity when it comes to decoration.

    NOTES: 
    - Information given in the Time Commitment session of this program are only orientative and they are not binding: the free day can be on any day of the week (may be on the weekend, maybe not) and the working time is per shift: one morning shift from 7,30 to 12,30 OR one afternoon shift from 13,30 to 18,30.
    - changes in shifts must be communicated with a week notice and be authorized
    - changes in shifts can't leave shifts uncovered
    - we'll make our best to give you the morning shift on the last working day of one week and the afternoon shift of the first working day of the following week, so that you have 2 days and 2 nights off and you can visit another island if you like.  



    Free-time activities

    The island is famous for its music and its partying vibe! So night activity is guaranteed! 

    On the island you can find a diving center (in town), a windsurfing school and a kitesurfing school. 
    Capoeira is also widely practiced and can be learned with 2 groups in lessons held in the late afternoon.
    Hi

    Free-time activities

    The island is famous for its music and its partying vibe! So night activity is guaranteed! 

    On the island you can find a diving center (in town), a windsurfing school and a kitesurfing school. 
    Capoeira is also widely practiced and can be learned with 2 groups in lessons held in the late afternoon.
    Hiking paths are very simple to follow. Every volunteer who likes hiking can't miss visiting the neighboring island, Santo Antao, with its beautiful mountains and trekking paths. 
    If you are not so keen on hiking, you can rent a bicycles, electrical bicycles and scooters at local shops.


    Requirements

    Requirements

    Minimum Age: 18 years

    In order to join the program you need to be at least 18 years old on the program start date. There might be exemptions if you can provide the permission of your legal guardian(s) or if your are accompanied by your parents.

    Language Skills

    You need to speak English (basic level)

    Nationality Restrictions

    No restrictions. Helping hands from all over the world are welcome.

    Other Skills

    The prospect for this position doesn't need any special skills out of those typical for this kind of work: problem-solving abilities, flexibility, organization/time management competence. But he/she must be able to work with animals around, as his/her work will take place in she shelters, in the clinic and at the office. Help with the animals is provided by the local staff or by other volunteers.

    Time Commitment

    Your helping hand will be required on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday from 07:30 - 23:00

    What's Included

    What's Included

    Services by Simabo

    The one-time fee covers

    - pick up from the airport at the arrival
    - accommodation in a single or shared room according to availability
    - use of the communal kitchen at our nearby hostel 
    - advice to visit the island of Sao Vicente and to organize visits to other islands, especially Santo Antao, with hotel and ferry/flights reservations  


    Airport Pickup at Cesaria Evora International Airport

    Our driver will wait for you in the airport arrival hall with a sign with your name! 
    Be prepared to stay in a row for paying the "airport fee" that costs 32 euros. You can avoid this applying via Internet and paying in advance by credit card. All info to accomplish this will be provided in due time. EU citizens are not required to have/pay a visa, only non-EU citizens will have to buy one at the airport for 25 euros. 

    Vaccinations are not required nor recommended. There is no rabies in Cape Verde. 

    Accommodation

    Accommodation for volunteers is available in single rooms with shared bathroom in our volunteer house or in double or triple rooms with shared bathroom in the hostel. Both are located just a couple of meters away from our clinic, the beach, and the main square of Mindelo. Extra fee is charged for a single room in the hostel.
    Volunteers can prepare their own food in the hostel kitchen, where paying guests are hosted to raise funds for the project.
    At the hostel volunteers can meet any kind of travellers and together they can plan trips, excursions, parties, dinners, anything that makes fun and makes your volunteering time unforgettable. 

    Internet Access

    Good access at the project site

    What's NOT included?

    What's NOT included?

    Food & Beverages

    Food, snacks or beverages are at extra costs.

    Flight Tickets

    The nearest airport is Cesaria Evora International Airport (VXE) in Sao Vicente. We assist you to find cheap flights to Cape Verde. FIND CHEAP FLIGHTS

    Travel Insurance

    Going abroad is an adventure and it is always best to be prepared. Sudden illness or injury, cancellation or theft - a travel insurance for Cape Verde provides security and is a plus to have. GET A QUOTE

    Vaccines

    If you are intending to volunteer in Cape Verde you should seek medical advice before starting your social journey. Check your required vaccinations for Cape Verde. VACCINE CHECKER

    Details on arrival

    Volunteers are accepted throughout the year depending on availability.

    Usually the best months to come are from april o mid-July and form the beginning of OCtober to mid-December, because of the temperature and also because of the cost of the flights, that can be a expensive in the high season (Christmas, August).
    Carnaval is a highlight of Mindelo's life, volunteers are always welcome at that time of the year. 

    Availability
    Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

    Program fees

    2 weeks (min. stay) 200€
    3 weeks 250€
    4 weeks (max. stay) 355€
    Average fees 94€/week

    Program fees

    94€ per week 2 - 4 weeks Age 18 - 50+

    Payment methods

    Visa Master Card Maestro American Express PayPal

    NO CREDIT CARD FEES


    Duration

    2 - 4 weeks

    Deposit

    The deposit is simply to reserve your volunteer placement. Payments are handled by PayPal, our trusted global payment provider. If you don't have a PayPal account, you can also pay using a credit card.


    Final Payment

    Your final payment will be agreed with Simabo during the application process. Common solutions are either via bank transfer or a cash payment at the project site.


    Meet your organization

    Simabo

    Excellent 4.8 rating (53 reviews)

    Non-profit - founded in 2008

    Verified by Volunteer World

      Very high response rate

    Coordinated by

    Silvia

    Spoken languages: German, Italian, English, Portuguese

    About the project

    SIMABO protects, rescues, assists, and spays/neuters dogs and cats in Sao Vicente, Cape Verde

    Meet your organization


    SI MA BO in Creole means “like you”. 

    We are an association for the protection of animals and the environment based in Sao Vicente, Cape Verde, West Africa. Cape Verde has been a Portuguese colony until 1975 and has still a very "European vibe". No vaccinations are required or recommended.The local population is peaceful and more interested in parties and music than in politics or world finance. Mindelo is famous for its music and dancing nights and for being the birth place of Cesaria Evora, the most famous Capeverdean singer. 

    SIMABO is a registered charity both in Cape Verde and in Italy. Article 3 of our Bylaws states out mission as following: "The purpose of the Association is to improve the living conditions of the population of the islands of Cape Verde.  In particular, by reducing the risk of transmission of parasitic diseases by cutting down the number of stray animals through spaying/neutering campaigns, also by involving the population in  activities of prophylactic antiparasitic care and by treating animals carrying diseases. The Association also aims at raising funds to be used for carrying out its activities in the Cape Verde islands."

    Our work with animals - including running a shelter with 110 dogs, a cattery with 18 cats, a 7/12 clinic, and ambulant castration campaigns - is partially financed by the Simabo's Backpackers' Hostel, a hostel for responsible tourists, which in the meantime has become the most famous tourist facility on the island. 
    We have treated and microchipped more than 12,000 animals so far and we are planning to expand the spaying/neutering campaigns to neighboring islands as well. 

    SIMABO Cape Verde is managed by a board of 11 directors (1 Italian, 1 Brazilian, 1 Russian and 8 Cape-Verdeans) and employs 12 local workers: 1 veterinarian, 1 nurse, 1 receptionist, 1 driver, 4 dog carers, 3 cleaning staff, 1 night watch + 1 administrator from abroad (Portugal), and relies on the help of 2 full-time volunteers + an average of part-time 10 volunteers on the field and abroad.

    The help we need varies depending on your skills. We expect someone who is a self-starter and can work independently with a very high degree of motivation. The focus must be to help the project, with the necessary amount of rest and freetime, to recover from the hard work and to visit the island of Sao Vicente and the neighboring island of Santo Antao, which can be done easily in the free time provided but the working schedule.

    Volunteering with SIMABO offers the opportunity to make a great experience abroad in a protected environment, where volunteers can meet other volunteers or hostel guests from all over the world. The relationship with the animals can be extremely rewarding form the emotional point of view, being Capeverdean dogs very tame and social. Volunteers are completely immersed in the local environment, working with local staff and being required to shop and cook their own food. For volunteers that don't want to cook by themselves a wide choice of different options is available to eat at local restaurants and bars for a little price.  

    Confirmed volunteers will receive a link to our portal with all the information required for their travel, their stay and the work with us in the different areas: Dog shelter, Cat shelter, Clinic, Hostel, Communication and Fundraising, Education, Maintenance. Feel free to choose the area the best suites you to make the difference for the animals on this beautiful island! 

    53 reviews · rating4.8

    thierry ouzelet rating5

    2024 at Dog walker

    Unforgettable experience that I recommend to everyone. If you like to share and be useful, then come. I stayed 3 weeks and would have liked to stay longer. I will definitely come ...
    Andréa Rodrigues rating5

    2024 at Videomaker/Photographer/Graphic designer/

    To start with, it's been a really incredible experience, everyone is super nice and welcoming, you never feel alone. To talk more specifically about the communication work, it's really important. Simabo really needs visibility because their work is really important and you'll see that they really ...
    Alice Albergucci rating5

    2024 at Animal Supporter

    Ho fatto una settimana di volontariato al rifugio di Simabo e’ stata un’esperienza veramente bella ,ho conosciuto persone che porterò nel mio cuore e sto parlando sia delle persone che gestiscono l’associazione ma anche delle altre volontarie e che dire dei tutti quei cagnolini ❤️ ...
    Julia Ottiger rating5

    2024 at Animal Supporter

    I had a really good time at Simabo. I went to the shelter almost every day and walked the dogs. The dogs are super friendly and are really happy when they see you and know that it's time for a walk, cuddle or play. The cats at the hostel are also lovely and love it when you play with them or give ...
    Christine Salomon ép. Gavet rating5

    2024 at Veterinary Doctor

    i always wanted to do veterinary volunteering and I was finally able to carry out this project ay Simabo where I spent 5 weeks. I felt really useful by sterilizing and caring for street animals or those belonging to people in need. the local staff are committed and helpful, the volunteers come ...
    Bridget Dewer rating5

    2024 at Dog walker

    I had a wonderful time at Simbalo - it was a truly unforgettable experience. The dogs at the Shelter are adorable; always so happy to see you and go for their walks. It is impossible to spend a couple of days there without at least one of them finding their way into your heart! I travelled to ...

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