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Host rating
100 %
Last replied
14 Dec 2025
Reply rate
96.8 %
Usually responds within 3 days
Feedback
33
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Description
I am English, I grew up in France and lived 15 years in Spain. I have been living in South Africa for 15 years.
I have open minded and open hearted children of 12 and 15 years old, a boy and a girl. My name is Joanna.
I am deeply curious single mother / deep ecology facilitator /wilderness guide and traveller / artist . Your presence will allow me to share daily kid care and house chores, plus some DIY, daily chit chat and the nurturing of our garden so that my daily routines are shared and I can free some space for myself, my time with my partner, for my work and my hobbies.
I am mainly dedicated to parenting, tour guiding, making ceramic art, and organising 'deep ecology events'. You can see my website gaiaspeaking for more information on me.
We'd like you to be part of our family, share our meals and join our community and lifestyle!
We usually only need assistance during the school holidays at the moment but some profiles and some circumstances can make that change, so please apply anyway,
On your side, open mindedness, good communication, strong itiniative and organisation skills, and a positive outlook on life are important. This exchange is for people who are independent, and who understand what it means to live sustainably and prioritise their relation with nature. It might not be suited for people who work online or who spend a lot of time on internet. Experience and interest in teenagers and their activities, and a capacity to engage with them. as well as enthusiasm for household chores are musts.
Types of help and learning opportunities
Gardening
DIY and building projects
Animal Care
Babysitting and creative play
Creating/ Cooking family meals
Help around the house
General Maintenance
Cultural exchange and learning opportunities
You will learn a lot from our lifestyle but also from the culture and wildlife of this small region called the Southern Peninsula, the Cape Peninsula or the Deep South.
This community is very focused on conscious living, and Scarborough is a 'conservation village'.
This is a beautiful and very sought after spot close to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, settled in the UNESCO Table Mountain National Park, home to the Cape Flower Kingdom. A nature lover's paradise. Kite surf and surf spot (if you have own transport and gear). Hiking.
Great food, etc...
Projects involving children
This project could involve children. For more information see our guidelines and tips here.
Help
I offer free accommodation and meals for a minimum of 3 weeks in my house in exchange for household tasks and childminding. I am looking for a well travelled and environmentally conscious person, and most importantly with experience of living independently. Most weeks I need support some evenings and weekends too, so work is not limited to weekdays only. Every day the working hours vary but the total amount of hours is maintained within the maximum stated.
Please only apply if you have volunteered before and (a) have experience working with children and also (b) enjoy housework and importantly if you are (c) used to living in nature and 'alternatively'. Experience with kids can be personal (siblings, family) or professional (teaching, babysitting, au pairing).
NOTE: Only for women because of the intimacy of the living space
If you are working online it will have to be very discreet and flexible as we want true presence.
I would also include you in the care of our garden and house, so your gardening and DIY skills are a bonus for us too.
My kids are used to having a volunteer in their lives but as they are teenagers you will have to find ways to proactively engage with them, using your experience and confidence. They are schooled the Waldorf / Steiner way. Have you heard of that or are you curious about that?
Languages spoken
English: Fluent
Spanish: Fluent
French: Fluent
German: Beginner
Italian: Beginner
Portuguese: Beginner
Accommodation
A single room in the main house, with shared bathroom and kitchen that you can use also on your free days.
Healthy vegetarian meals shared with the family /ingredients. No cooking of meat please. I can also make vegan food for you. Not all special dietary requirements can be catered for, so you might have to cater for your own meals if you have a different diet to us.
What else ...
The village is not connected to bus transport. There are nice venues to eat out on your days off in the village and 2 food shops too.
You will organise your own Ubers to and from the airport - or from Cape Town City Centre if you are already there-, and during your stay if you need to go anywhere else.
You can use Uber drivers to any spot around Cape Town or to the closest train station (Simonstown).
South Africa is water scarce so please be aware of that too while you are here. Please reduce garbage and processed foods.
If you are interested please send us a message, so that we can organise a video chat and find out more :-)
Looking forward to meeting you! :-)
A little more information
Internet access
Limited internet access
We have pets
We are smokers
Can host families
Can host digital nomads
Only if small flexible workload and happy to be offline most of the time
Space for parking camper vans
yes, single person
How many Workawayers can stay?
One
My animals / pets
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback (9)
It was not easy but Fabienne always managed to find a way to make things work out well for the whole family.
She was excellent with the kids, they really liked her and she helped me a lot when I went travelling for work.
I also appreciated her… read more
Unfortunately on our side the children were not receptive but that was due to their teenage attitudes.… read more
Thank you Lena
I had the chance to spend a month in the beautiful home of Joanna and her two wonderful kids, Iris and Leon. I truly enjoyed my time with them. From the very beginning, Joanna made me feel welcome and went out of her way to include me in her everyday life. Not only was their… read more
Photos
Chat with Workawayers who've visited this host
Feedback
These are extra optional ratings when members leave feedback. The average rating left for each option is displayed.
Accuracy of profile:
(5.0)
Cultural exchange:
(5.0)
Communication:
(4.8)
It was not easy but Fabienne always managed to find a way to make things work out well for the whole family.
She was excellent with the kids, they really liked her and she helped me a lot when I went travelling for work.
I also appreciated her… read more
Unfortunately on our side the children were not receptive but that was due to their teenage attitudes.… read more
Thank you Lena
I had the chance to spend a month in the beautiful home of Joanna and her two wonderful kids, Iris and Leon. I truly enjoyed my time with them. From the very beginning, Joanna made me feel welcome and went out of her way to include me in her everyday life. Not only was their… read more
It was my first workday experience and… read more
The accomodation was tidy and cosy.
The people of Scarborough I experinced are very friendly and helpful. Meet them at Camel Rock or anywhere else and have a nice time with… read more
Stay in touch :-)
Thanks for everything!
My heartfelt thanks to Joanna, Iris & Leon for welcoming me so warmly into their fold and for enabling me a fulfilling experience and exchange.
I have thoroughly enjoyed the variety of tasks - & indeed the flexibility of the working day -… read more
