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preparation information

How to Access my Account:

1.     Go to www.heartforafrica.org

2.     Click on “Log-in” (in top right corner).

3.     Enter your Kindful Email and Password.

FINANCIAL/ MONEY DETAILS

Your trip cost will be based on lodging, length of stay, flights, and ground transportation needs. Trip costs are located on our website and explain what is included. 

There are may unique ways to raise funds for your trip. Mailing support letters, selling Khutsala Artisan bracelet and/or keychain kits, garage sales, hosting dinner parties, etc. Our staff is here to help guide you with advice and best practices of others. A sample fundraising letter and other great fundraising ideas can be found on the Fundraising page. Please feel free to use this as a guide in writing your letter to family and friends.

Funds can be donated in these ways:

1. Telephone: They may call Heart for Africa Customer Service at (678) 566-1589 to complete a credit card donation.

2. Mail: They may mail checks made out to Heart for Africa to the address below. They should include your name on the check to ensure it is applied to your account. Heart for Africa P.O. Box 1308, Roswell, GA  30077. 

3. Trip donation: They may make a donation using most major credit cards by using your crowdfunding page (your personal fundraising page you created for your trip).

4. Cash donations:  We welcome donors to contribute cash towards your fundraising account, however, please let your donors know that cash donations are NOT eligible to receive a tax receipt.

There are two ways to make a donation on behalf of a volunteer.  They can do this from the volunteer’s crowdfunding (personal fundraising page).  The volunteer will need to provide the specific web address for their Heart for Africa fundraising page.

 

They may also make a donation following the steps below.

1.     Go to www.heartforafrica.org.

2.     Click on “Donate” at the top of the page.

3.     Scroll down to “Make a donation to a volunteer trip account”.

4.    Select the trip date of the volunteer to be taken to the trip fundraising pages.

5.     Scroll down, find and select the trip volunteer you would like to make a donation to .

7.     All tax receipt letters are mailed in January (just prior to tax time) for the previous year’s donations.

Heart for Africa is a 501(c)3 charity and because of this, we cannot refund donations. Please keep in mind that the funds you raise must be solicited and donated with the understanding that Heart for Africa has complete discretion and control over the use of all donated funds. In order for the funds donated to allow a tax deduction, they are not yours, or contingent upon your ultimate participation, but are Heart for Africa’s funds to be used to further its charitable purposes.

 

We understand circumstances may arise that require you to cancel your involvement in a service trip. Likewise, unforeseen events may require Heart for Africa  to cancel a trip due to travel restrictions. Please note that all monies are non-refundable. However, in the event of any cancellation, we are committed to holding a participant’s trip funds until December of the following calendar year, to be applied to a future service trip in that time frame, less a $250 admin fee. If a participant is unable to travel on a service trip by the end of the following calendar year, Heart for Africa will reallocate trip funds where they are most needed. Participant may also elect to donate trip funds to the General Fund at the time of cancellation, if they choose.

If their are any questions regarding this policy, please contact our trip coordinator at tricia@heartforafrica.org.

If you call in a donation, the card will be charged immediately. If a donation is made online, the card will be charged within three business days. If a donation is sent via mail, allow at least 10 business days for processing.

We understand circumstances may arise that require you to cancel your involvement in a service trip. Likewise, unforeseen events may require Heart for Africa  to cancel a trip due to travel restrictions. Please note that all monies are non-refundable. However, in the event of any cancellation, we are committed to holding a participant’s trip funds until December of the following calendar year, to be applied to a future service trip in that time frame, less a $250 admin fee. If a participant is unable to travel on a service trip by the end of the following calendar year, Heart for Africa will reallocate trip funds where they are most needed. Participant may also elect to donate trip funds to the General Fund at the time of cancellation, if they choose. For any questions regarding trip cancellations please contact our trip coordinator at tricia@heartforafrica.org.

TRIP LOGISTICS

Your team will take a tour and then work at Project Canaan throughout the week. Work on Project Canaan will be determined by the needs of the farm at the time you travel. You will also visit a family homestead in the rural community. A day may also be set aside for a Game Park and shopping at a local craft market.

We make sure our teams stay in comfortable, safe accommodations so you are able to rest and get refreshed each evening after serving all day. The specifics regarding where you will be staying will be emailed and/or mailed to you. 

We will do our best to honor all roommate requests. We have a policy of no male/female roommates unless you are married or family members. Single occupancy accommodations can be arranged at an extra fee of $500 per person. Please complete your roommate request on your online current trip profile.

The food prepared by our hotel is safe, however, we do provide bottled water for our teams. We send a packed lunch with you each day. Of course, we cannot ensure that you will not contract a food-borne illness while serving in Africa, so we recommend that you bring over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medicine with you. You may also talk to your physician about a prescription antibiotic. 

Shopping in Africa is always a big event. You may visit the Candle Factory as well as one of the local “African markets” where you will have the opportunity to purchase handmade items. You will also have opportunity to shop at the Khutsala Artisans Shop on Project Canaan. If time permits, your group will stop at the Glass Factory on the return to Johannesburg.

Do not bring Traveler’s Checks as they will not be accepted at most locations. We encourage participants to travel with a major credit card as they are accepted at Project Canaan and most establishments. They are also helpful in the event of unforeseen emergency. We are often asked how much spending money to bring and that is totally at your discretion. We often suggest that you bring $100-$300 spending money for extra snacks, gifts, crafts and souvenirs. There is no need to tip the wait staff, maids, etc., at the hotel. Tips are included in the cost of your trip. 

Travel

Yes! Please go to http://travel.state.gov/ for more information regarding passports. Your passport must have at least 4 blank pages and be valid six months past your departure date from the country you are visiting. Please make copies of your passport to leave at home with family and/or friends as a reference in the event you misplace your passport during your trip.

 

Effective September 2014, the South African Immigration Act, 2010, was approved and the following regulations regarding passports must be adhered to:

 

Regulation 2 (1)(d): Passengers traveling to South Africa must be in possession of a passport with two unused pages required for endorsements. The two unused pages when presented for purposes of endorsing a port of entry visa, visa, permanent residence permit or entry of departure stamp.

 

Regulation 2 (2): The passport must be machine readable however, the foreigner may be admitted into or depart from South Africa with a non-machine readable passport provided that:

 

a)     He or she is from a foreign country that is issuing machine readable passports and has not   completely phased out the non-machine readable passports; and

b)     His or her passport was issued after 24 November 2005 and its date of expiry is before 24 November 2015.

No, a Visa is not required for travel to Eswatini if you are a United States Citizen.

 

In accordance with the duty of Heart for Africa to provide and maintain a workplace and work environment that is free of known hazards, each of the Board(s) of Directors for Heart for Africa (Eswatini), Heart for Africa (Canada), and Heart for Africa (U.S.) have approved this policy to safeguard the health of Project Canaan’s residents, employees and their families; the people and organizations receiving services from Project Canaan; and the community at large from the spread of COVID-19. All travelers must comply with international travel restrictions and with the operational requirements mandated by Project Canaan. 

 

Please see Heart for Africa’s Participant Agreement for more information about rules and policies related to travel to Project Canaan.

Please refer any questions about this policy to the Executive Director, Heart for Africa.

The average flight to Johannesburg, South Africa is 16-18 hours from the east coast of the US.  The drive from Johannesburg to Eswatini is approximately 5 hours.  

Baggage requirements vary by airline and intra-Africa flights. The current standards for Delta Airlines is 50 lbs. per checked bag. You are limited to TWO checked bags. If you are traveling by air within multiple countries during your time in Africa, you are limited to one checked bag.  All airlines vary, so please refer to your booked airline website or your tickets for complete information regarding baggage limitations.  Click here to download a RECOMMENDED PACKING LIST.

Your child must travel with a guardian. To ensure streamlined travel for your child while traveling through immigrations during their upcoming international flight, it is very important to provide both the child and their guardian with an AFFIDAVIT and their unabridged (original) birth certificate or an official certified copy. A certified copy would be obtained through the vital records office in the state where the child was born (NOT a photo copy of your current birth certificate). Please follow the instructions below provided by the U.S. Embassy and Consulates in South Africa in order not to be denied boarding in Atlanta.  

Please print, fill out and make copies of the affidavit attached. Click here for AFFIDAVIT.  The temporary guardian should carry the original, the minor should carry a copy, and the parent/legal guardian should keep a copy as well. We also ask that you send an email to trips@heartforafrica.org to notify Heart for Africa who will be acting as guardian for your child. 

NEW SOUTH AFRICAN REGULATIONS REGARDING TRAVEL FOR MINORS EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 2014 (taken from The South African Immigration Act, 2010). Revised on June 01, 2015. 

These rules apply to children who are entering or departing South Africa. Therefore, the required documents should be retained in all circumstances throughout the stay of the child in South Africa.

The South African regulations use the term “unabridged birth certificate.” The exact contents of unabridged birth certificate vary among the different jurisdictions that issue birth certificates (countries, states, counties, cities, etc.), but the key distinction between an “abridged” and “unabridged” birth certificate is that an unabridged birth certificate identifies the parents of the child. 

All documents must be original or copies certified as a true copy of the original by a commissioner of oaths or the equivalent commissioning authority.

  • Where BOTH parents are traveling with a child, parents must produce an unabridged birth certificate of the child reflecting the particulars of the parents of the child.
  • In the case of ONE parent traveling with a child, he or she must carry an unabridged birth certificate and:

(i) Consent in the form of an affidavit (issued no earlier than 3 months prior to travel dates) from the other parent registered as a parent on the birth certificate of the child authorizing him or her to enter into or depart from South Africa with the child he or she is traveling with.

(ii) Copies of the identity documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian of the child;

(iii) A court order granting full parental responsibilities and rights or legal guardianship in respect of the child, if he or she is the parent or legal guardian of the child; or

(iv) Where applicable, a death certificate of the other parent registered as a parent of the child on the birth certificate,

  • Where a person is traveling with a child who is NOT his or her biological child, he or she must produce:

(i) A copy of the unabridged birth certificate of the child;

(ii) An affidavit (issued no earlier than 3 months prior to travel dates) from the parents or legal guardian of the child confirming that he or she has permission to travel with the child.

(iii) Copies of the identity documents or passports of the parents or legal guardian of the child; and

(iv) The contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child, (Note: Where the parents of the child are both deceased, and the child is traveling with a relative or another person related to the child or the child’s parents, the South African authorities have the discretion to approve such a person to enter or depart South Africa with the child.)

  •  An unaccompanied minor must produce:

(i) Proof of consent from one or both his or her parents or legal guardian, as the case may be, in the form of a letter or affidavit (issued no earlier than 3 months prior to travel dates) for the child to travel into or depart from South Africa.  In the case where one parent provides proof of consent, that parent must also provide a copy of a court order issued to him or her in terms of which he or she has been granted full parental responsibilities and rights in respect of the child (see sample affidavit of consent);

(ii) A letter from the person which is to receive the child in South Africa, containing his or her residential address and contact details where the child will be residing;

(iii) A copy of the identity document or valid passport and visa or permanent residence permit of the person who is to receive the child in the South Africa; and

(iv) The contact details of the parents or legal guardian of the child.

http://www.dha.gov.za/files/Brochures/Immigrationleaflet.pdf

To use your own Frequent Flyer miles, you would need to arrange your own flights and register with Heart for Africa as a “No airfare through Heart for Africa” volunteer (self-booking). It is vital that your flight arrangements coincide with Heart for Africa flights. (Please see answer below “Can I arrive early or stay later?” for clear understanding of your responsibilities if you arrange your own flights.) Please send your itinerary to trips@heartforafrica.org to confirm your flights before booking.

Once your flights are booked it is the responsibility of the trip participant to add  frequent flyer numbers in order to earn miles. To log frequent flyer miles, you will need to submit your Frequent Flyer Number with the airlines.

 

Effective for new bookings made on Delta on or after September 1, 2012: These unpublished fare tickets will earn miles based on a percentage of distance flown rather than full mileage credit. These special fare tickets are typically sold by specialty agents or by a third party.

 

Examples include: Group fares, Student fares, Consolidator fares, flights included as part of a cruise package and Discounted tour packages.

 

Please note that this change impacts a small portion of all tickets issued and you will continue to earn full miles as you do today for published fares and tickets purchased directly through us. These include tickets bought via delta.com and Delta Vacations®, as well as for government, military, and corporate sales. You may visit delta.com for more details and specific mileage levels.

Unfortunately, we can’t accomodate anyone serving on Project Canaan earlier or longer than the scheduled trip dates.  If you do decide to stay longer than the schedules trip dates, you will need to make your own travel arrangements and you are required to confirm them with Heart for Africa by emailing trips@heartforafrica.org.  You will also be responsible for meeting the group at the airport or hotel in Africa.  If you arrange your own air travel, Heart for Africa will not be responsible for connecting you with the group.  This will be your responsibility.

Warm clothing in child, teen and adult sizes are always appreciated. Please do not bring candy or toys. Some great gift ideas include: coats, jackets, fleece, sweaters, umbrellas, socks and new underwear. We will email you if there are any specific items that are needed at the time you are traveling. 

We recommend that you exchange currency at a local bank or at the airport prior to departing for your trip. It can take up to a week for the funds to come in if you place the order through your bank. It is a good idea to request money in small denominations as this will be beneficial if you are bartering in the marketplace where they typically won’t have change for large bills.

IMPORTANT: You should exchange your currency for “South African Rand.” South African Rand can be used in both South Africa and Eswatini. The Eswatini currency “Emalangeni” will only be accepted in Swaziland. You will most likely receive change in this currency while in Eswatini, so plan to spend it before you leave. You cannot exchange Emalangeni for United States currency. 

SPECIFICS

Packing for eleven days in Africa can be intimidating. To help guide you through this, Heart for Africa has developed a recommended packing list that is included with this travel guide.  Please use this list to help you as you prepare for your trip. Here is a link to the RECOMMENDED PACKING LIST. Ladies will be required to wear a wrap or a skirt in the community. Here is link for more information: http://www.heartforafrica.org/wraps.aspx

 

Clothing Requirements: In all cases, modesty is the best policy, so please dress and pack accordingly. We try our very best to be respectful and sensitive to Swazi culture. Please see the packing list above for specifics.

 

For July travel: Temperatures are mild during July. Be prepared for cooler temperatures especially in the mornings/evenings.

For November travel: Temperatures are hot so please pack accordingly.

 

The weather may vary dramatically depending on your destination and time of year. We recommend that you check weather.com. If you are traveling during the summer months in North America, it will be winter in Africa with the temperature being chilly in the mornings and in the evenings, and mild throughout the day. We suggest you bring a jacket/fleece. Regardless of the season, you should still pack sunscreen. 

To use electronic devices you will need the appropriate plug adapter for Eswatini. To view a photo of the adapter, go to http://www.power-plugs-sockets.com/swaziland.

 

You may also need a power converter. Please check the manufacturer’s label to determine the type of input your equipment can handle. You may find a label that states the device is certified for input at AC 100V-240V.  This means that the device is manufactured to be used over a wide range of voltage levels. If this is the case, then you will only need a plug adapter. Fortunately, many digital cameras and video cameras today come with adaptable power supplies.

In accordance with the duty of Heart for Africa to provide and maintain a workplace and work environment that is free of known hazards, each of the Board(s) of Directors for Heart for Africa (Eswatini), Heart for Africa (Canada), and Heart for Africa (U.S.) have approved this policy to safeguard the health of Project Canaan’s residents, employees and their families; the people and organizations receiving services from Project Canaan; and the community at large from the spread of COVID-19. All travelers must comply with international travel restrictions and with the operational requirements mandated by Project Canaan. 

 
Please refer any questions about this policy to the Executive Director, Heart for Africa.

Travel Emergency Medical Insurance is provided by Heart for Africa. However, we STRONGLY recommend that each participant purchase additional insurance to cover cancellations, delays, or interruptions due to travel restrictions or illness.

 

Should you acquire additional traveler’s insurance, it will be at your expense.

Check with your doctor, health department, or visit www.cdc.gov to see what vaccines are recommended for Eswatini.

We encourage you to be fully present in Eswatini and “disconnect”, but we do realize you might need to communicate back home. There is Internet access at all of the hotels for a fee paid directly to the hotel. However, please keep in mind that it is not always available and certain times of the day may be easier to gain access than others.

Have questions?

Please contact our Trip Coordinator, Tricia Ford at tricia@heartforafrica.org.