Trips
2016 Project Files For more information and to secure your place on a 2016 Soapbox Trip contact Kathy & Shaun Murphy T: 0790 242 2275 E: soapboxtrips@act4africa.org W: www.soapboxtrips.org
India, Gannavaram 12 - 26 March 2016 15 - 30 October 2016 (excl Mumbai)
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ince 1993 Life Association has been building schools and children’s homes in some of the poorest parts of India. Soapbox Trips is partnering with them to help their work amongst the poor, far away from the tourist areas normally visited by westerners. We will visit the Dharavi slum in Mumbai, one of Asia’s largest. This is where Life Association works with Dalit potters who make the beautiful clay candle pots that the charity sells to support its work. We will also meet some of the children who the charity supports. We will then fly east to a beautiful rural village near Gannavaram, in Andhra Pradesh, where the charity has a school and orphanage. Here we will experience the simple life of the Dalit people and the very real contrast of the rural poor that make up 80 per cent of India’s population and that make a living from the land. We will live in and be involved in the day to day activities of the school and orphanage, helping the children with reading, craft, games, etc. In addition, the team will be involved with the maintenance of the building and other DIY jobs. The October team will omit the Mumbai visit and fly directly to Gannavaram. During our time in Gannavaram we may visit the fishing village of Machilipatnam on the Bay of Bengal where the charity has opened a school in a Dalit colony. See also www.lifeassociation.org.uk/ and www.dalit.co.uk
£995
excluding flights
Nepal, Kathmandu Valley 28 March - 18 April 2016 We will be working alongside our dear friend Pastor Min Raj and helping out in a variety of ways including practical work, children’s clubs in the local school and orphanage and there will be an opportunity to get involved in the life of the local community. Nepal was once the world’s only Hindu kingdom, but is now a fledgling democracy. There are many temples and idol worship is widely practised. Poverty is common. The country is also working hard to recover from the two devastating earthquakes of April / May 2015. Our team will engage in practical work and ministry as we seek to support the vision and ministry of Pastor Min Raj, whose excellent work is affecting the lives of hundreds of people who once had no hope. This is Christianity in action. Prepare to be touched by the love of these people and challenged by their commitment to God. There will also be the opportunity to visit and explore the wonderful city of Kathmandu and other local sights.
£1,149
excluding flights
Haiti 30 April - 15 May 2016
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ope House Haiti is a children’s home run by Pierre Richard and Yvrose Ismael in Rural Haiti. On the same site they also run a school for 300 children and a farm for the most deprived children in the Area. Here you will have the opportunity to live and experience Haitian Culture, food, family and, community. Love exudes in this place. Come see how this couple live by faith for God’s provision for the children and the school. An experience that will no doubt impact you and will have a special place in your heart. This project is to help on practical levels painting / building. Opportunities to run a summer Bible club for children is also available. Whatever your talents and how you can serve here, you will be blessed back and your faith enlarged all in Caribbean Sunshine!
See also http://hopehousehaiti.com/
£995
excluding flights
Zambia, Ndola 30 July - 13 August 2016
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nce again we are going to Ndola to help in a variety of different ways in communities in and around the city. From a bush village to an orphanage, you will have a wondeful experience with these lovely people in this beautiful country. A beautiful country in Southern Africa, we will be based near Ndola which is in the heart of the copper belt region in the north of the country. It was once a thriving area with many mines but now they are nearly all closed so life, with extremely high unemployment, is very difficult for the local people. Our team will stay in a guest house located in the grounds of Mechanics For Africa, just to the north west of Ndola. We work with many local pastors and ministries and will be involved in a variety of activities from building and maintenance to helping in a local orphanage. The local people are always very happy to have our teams help them and they will be greatly encouraged by what we do as they allow us to experience their way of life. This is a great opportunity to experience rural Zambian life and to enjoy the friendship and hospitality of the wonderful local people.
ÂŁ995
excluding flights
Tanzania, Arusha 30 July - 13 August 30 July - 20 August
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oapbox Trips is delighted to be returning to Arusha in northern Tanzania to partner with Projects Overland. They are involved in all aspects of community development, medical, education, orphanages and construction. We will be supporting a schools project with teaching, renovation work, administration and afternoon programmes (reading, arts, sports etc.). We will also have an opportunity to take part in other projects including a baby orphanage, a home for rescued young women and other community projects in Maasai villages. This project includes a great orientation to East Africa with a basic introduction to Swahili and a visit to a cultural museum. We will be staying in a guest house located in one of the most beautiful parts of the world in sight of one of Africa’s tallest mountains, Mount Meru. During our free time we will have the opportunity to visit a safari park to see elephants, giraffe, wildebeest and much more, up close and in their natural habitat. We can also purchase a few souvenirs at a Maasai market. See also www.projectsoverland.org
£1,250 three weeks £1,350 two weeks
excluding flights
Romania, Iasi 6-20 August 2016
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ome and help the poor and marginalised in eastern Romania as we again work alongside our partner Arpi Fozsto to improve the lives of many local people.
Soapbox Trips is delighted to be partnering with Fundatia Link Romania Moldavia (FLRM). Many people think that Romania must be ‘OK’ now because they are EU members but the reality is that many are still struggling even more to survive as the rich get richer and the poor get much poorer. The team will be working in the village of Slobozia to build a much needed house for a poor and struggling family and will have the opportunity to involve themselves with the children’s ministry of FLRM. They will be totally immersed in the local culture and on their days off will make the most of the beautiful area and countryside. Link Romania Moldavia Foundation is a Romanian Christian charity seeking to bring God’s love by word, action and material help to the poorest and most needy people, whatever their race, colour or creed, in and around Iasi in eastern Romania.
See also http://linkromania.ro/
£795
excluding flights
Malawi, Salima 13 - 28 August 2016
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roject Starfish has a vision to change this situation for the children of Malawi.
By providing a safe and secure school, children will have a better opportunity to learn. Building on a site where there is also arable land will make it more financially viable for a teacher to teach. Around the town of Salima, ten miles from beautiful Lake Malawi, are many villages with schools in desperate need of repair and/or the addition of new buildings. The team will be assisting in maintenance and building work to meet these needs. Activities will include light building and maintenance work; working with the local community; children’s clubs. In your free time you will get to visit Lake Malawi and go on a safari to a game reserve where you will see wild animals in their natural habitat.
See also www.starfishmalawi.org.uk
ÂŁ1,189
excluding flights
Tanzania, Ludewa 13 August - 3 September 2016
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new project for 2016. An opportunity to travel to a part of Tanzania that few tourists have visited and do some practical building and maintenance work which will benefit the whole community as well as engaging in some children’s activities. Situated 4000 ft up in the picturesque Livingstone Mountains in the SW of Tanzania near Lake Malawi is a sparsely populated area of mainly subsistence farmers living in small villages. The local people have identified the need for a school in their village for the smallest children to attend instead of walking for 4Km to the nearest school. We have been invited by the local people to experience their way of life and enjoy their friendship and hospitality and be involved in building the first classroom for this new school. There will also be plenty of time for playing with the children, community involvement, visits and sightseeing. You will also get to visit to a game reserve where you will see wild animals in their natural habitat.
ÂŁ1,295
excluding flights
Uganda, Mayuge 20 August - 3 September 2016
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ct4Africa co-founder Kathy Smedley’s legacy is about to become reality on the plot of land pictured above. The construction of a ground breaking education and community centre in Mayuge should commence in July 2016 and we are offering the opportunity to go out and help in the process. We need skilled and unskilled volunteers to help bring this vision to completion. All help is needed as there will be many tasks to complete. We will be staying in Mayuge in the heart of rural Africa and on the shore of Lake Victoria. There will be plenty of opportunity to mix with the local community and get an amazing insight into a totally different way of living. There will also be the chance for excursions such as white water rafting on the Bujagali Falls on the Nile river near Jinja and a visit to the gorillas in the jungle in the north of the country.
ÂŁ995
excluding flights
Bolivia, Cochabamba Dates tailored for you
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e are excited to be returning to work in Bolivia, probably the poorest country in South America.
We will be supporting the work founded by our friends Gwen (a former Soapbox team member) and Marcos Quinteros in Cochabamba, a bustling, colourful city nestling in a beautiful valley at an altitude of 8,500 feet in the Andes. The ministry is in a very poor and needy community on the outskirts of the city, Sumumpaya, and are needing help in a variety of ways to make a difference among the local people and children. There will be the opportunity to see the sights of Cochabamba and maybe get up amongst the majestic Andes.
See also http://www.integralchurch.co.uk/beginnings-of-the-project.html
Contact for prices
Medical/Nursing/Midwifery Electives and Pre-med Dates to suit you
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et Soapbox Trips, a part of Act4Africa, organise your placement and we’ll ensure you get the best out of your time in Africa. Whether you are a medical or a nursing student looking for a challenging yet rewarding medical elective we can design a placement to suit your requirements. For 18-25 year olds we can offer unique medical work experience packages. The health sectors in Uganda, Tanzania and Malawi are challenged by a number of factors that present significant obstacles to health service delivery, including: critical shortages and unbalanced distribution of qualified health workers at all levels of the public health system; shortages and irregular supply of essential drugs and medical supplies. Placements are tailor-made to suit your skill, expertise and interest. As an experienced deliverer of health education in Africa over many years, Act4Africa is uniquely placed to understand your requirements. Our programmes are negotiable to suit your own medical speciality and run all year. You can choose your placement package at a time to suit your needs. Just let us now when you would like to go.
On a Soapbox Trips/Act4Africa placement you will be able to gain practical medical experience in one of our rural village clinics, regional referral hospitals, and volunteer in home based care projects, and assist with our community health care/prevention programmes.You will be offered a mix of experiences to suit your own interests and you will be given the opportunity to view various medical procedures with the supervising doctors and consultants. You have the choice of two locations in Uganda, Jinja, resting on the shores of Lake Victoria, or Kasese in western Uganda, the heart of untamed rural Africa. We also offer placements in the tropical coastal city of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania and in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi. What does Soapbox Trips offer? • A guaranteed clinical/nursing placement, organised by professional staff in Africa. • Ongoing support from our staff throughout the placement. • Expert advice from our UK team before you go out to Africa. • The knowledge that as well as being a registered charity, any surplus money goes directly back into our overseas projects and into the heart of the communities on the ground. Act4frica has developed strong relationships with the medical staff over many years and our students always score us highly on the quality of our placements.
£995 Tanzania £1,095 Uganda
Malawi
£1,195
four weeks excluding flights
Additional Weeks
£150
Teachers and Educational Trips 30 July - 13 August 2016
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inja, Uganda, East Africa. Designed for qualified classroom teachers, deputy and head teachers
You will have a “hands on experience” assisting teachers with their classes, stretching your skilled innovative teaching methods to the limit as you take the reins in the classroom or work intensively with children in small groups. This might be with gifted children to accelerate their learning or to go through class work at a slower rate with greater repetition to enhance learning.You will be part of Soapbox Trips/Act4Africa’s programme of teachers eager to learn from each other in order to give the children of Uganda a better future. We work closely with the teachers and schools to establish and enhance lesson plans which promote active participation and understanding (teaching the basic understanding and methods of the Thematic Curriculum as used in most UK schools). You will experience a totally different way of teaching where classes of 60 plus is the norm. Children are taught by rote, squashed into rows of desks, with little or no equipment and a school day that can stretch from 7.00am to 5.00pm.Year groups that include children who, for a variety of heartbreaking reasons, are years behind in their schooling results in young people in primary school who are in their teens. Add to this
discipline that at times can only be described as Dickensian and you find yourself a world away from the easy comfort of every UK classroom norm. However, the African children’s passion for learning coupled with a desperate desire to be in school, plus their warmth and joy will reward you with satisfaction beyond belief as you make a lasting difference to the lives of these wonderful children. The children and teachers in the schools will benefit from the input of new ideas in all areas of education from curriculum content and delivery to planning and assessment. Teachers from the UK will get a real taste of this captivating culture by working right at the heart of the community as well as learning a wealth of new skills.You will excite your children on return to the UK by opening their eyes to another world and broadening their horizons. Soapbox Trips/Act4Africa members have challenged themselves to change 5 million lives.You can be part of this movement to improve health, wellbeing and education and provide brighter futures for some of the world’s poorest communities. By using the gift of your time you can change young lives forever. When school is over for the day you can step out into a world waiting to be explored. In the evenings you will be free to absorb the beauty of an African sunset and chill out. You will stay in secure accommodation. All rooms have fans, mosquito nets and netted windows. The nearby hotel has a swimming pool situated to give stunning views over the mighty River Nile where you can either cool down in the pool, or simply relax at the end of a satisfying day. What is included in the cost? • Pre-departure orientation briefing. • Bed, breakfast and evening meals. • Up to 2 litres of drinking water a day • Airport pick ups and transfers on arrival and departure. • Daily travel to and from school. • All expedition logistics including risk assessment and community liaison. • 24 hour logistical support from Soapbox Trips/Act4Africa in country staff and UK HQ. • Assistance and support during your project from Soapbox Trips/Act4Africa staff. • Any surplus money goes directly back into our overseas projects and into the heart of the communities on the ground.
£1,250
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hy go with Soapbox Trips/Act4Africa? We have over 20 years extensive experience of taking volunteers from the ages of 16 to 75 years to the developing world for periods from 1 week to 12 months. Over this time we have developed strong and lasting relationships with the indigenous people in the areas where we work. Soapbox Trips/Act4Africa employs local staff who are always on hand to deal with any problems or emergencies and provide support with understanding local customs and traditions.
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nless stated otherwise all Soapbox Trips include: • aall internal transport • accommodation • food • full insurances • orientation event • sightseeing * Please note, flights are not included.
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re trips like this risky? They can be, but most things in life worth discovering involve a risk element! Having said that, we are very careful in our planning to make sure that we have carried out a risk assessment for each location and we heed the advice of the Foreign Office in London who advise on travel and security. All applicants will be briefed on Health and Safety issues and we have a clearly defined Child Protection Policy. A PDF is available on request. On return we offer debriefing and an aftercare helpline for people should they require it.
For more information and to secure your place on a 2016 Soapbox Trip contact Kathy & Shaun Murphy: Tel: 0790 242 2275 Email: soapboxtrips@act4africa.org Web: www.soapboxtrips.org
Act4Africa is a member of Global Connections. Act4Africa is recognised by Global Connections as operating under the Code of Best Practice in Short-Term Mission 2013 to 2016 Act4Africa is registered as a charity in .England, registered number 1092074. Registered Office: 17, Seamons Road, Altrincham, Cheshire, WA14 4ND.