The major projects in Malungeni are teaching, labor, and capacity building. The needs are immediate and enormous, and the opportunities to make a genuine difference are many!

Teaching in the primary school: One of the tragic legacies of apartheid is that many teachers, especially in the rural areas, have not been sufficiently trained to teach complex subjects. Here's how you can help: Trained general elementary educators (kindergarten through grade nine) as well as professionals working in or retired from the following fields can teach at the elementary school:

• English (writing, spelling, speaking, composition)
  
• Math (all areas)
  
• Natural sciences (biology, chemistry, geology, physics)
  
• Social sciences (sociology, politics, history)
  
• Life skills (health, personal development)
  
• Economics and managerial sciences
  

Moreover, native English speakers, regardless of background, can teach conversational English.

Preschool program development: The community teachers have requested help to create a formal learning program and to procure materials and lesson guides. This assignment is especially suited for creative volunteers with good listening skills to help develop an early childhood education program.

After school English instruction: A nearby orphanage wants to teach English language skills to abandoned and displaced kids and AIDS orphans after 3 p.m. each day. Further, the staff say that the stimulation provided by volunteers will make a significant difference in the childrens' otherwise regimented lives.

Building repair: Community leaders would like to renovate the community center inside and out . This involves tiling a floor, painting interior and exterior walls, repairing the water tank, fixing windows, replacing the ceiling, and the like. It's not difficult work for anyone handy with a hammer or paint brush!

Capacity Building: Volunteers skilled in micro-business management, marketing, project development, fundraising, and logistics training can immediately and directly contribute to several exciting economic development projects such as:

• Brick making: Volunteers can train young adults in logistics planning and product improvement and procurement.
  
• Poultry farming: Volunteers are needed to help teach local women marketing and fundraising strategies as well as practices for maximizing poultry growth and feeding.
  
• Forestry: Community men and women need outside catalytic assistance for maximizing their profitability and crop cycle management in growing trees for firewood and fencing.
  
• Baking: A women's group, equipped with two industrial ovens and mixers, needs electricians to complete the wiring to get their bakery into production. Following that, volunteers will work with them on project management and marketing.
  
• Catering: A women's cooperative that cooks for schools, community weddings, funerals and local gatherings needs training on small business management and marketing.
  
  

"Many of these projects can benefit from skills development and logistical training. We have many people eager to be involved but lacking basic skills in the project areas. Since Global Volunteers is involved in similar projects in other developing countries, we hope that you can help train our community members." - Tribal Chief Ngubesizwe Madikizela