Aim The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of volunteers who remained active in the home-based care project located in Tzaneen (Limpopo Province) and thereby assist the project leaders to improve the recruitment and quality of the service in the future.

Methodology Structured questionnaires were completed with all the available volunteers trained during 1999. The questionnaires were quantitatively analysed manually.

Results Ninety-six (96) people attended the introductory phase of the home-based care course during 1999. Seventy-one (71) were volunteers and 25 were people living with HIV. Forty-six (46) of the participants completed the questionnaires (44 volunteers plus two people living with HIV working as volunteers). Twenty-seven (27) volunteers could not be traced, as they were no longer active in the project.

The following factors were associated with active volunteers: 1.

Married

Female

>30 years of age

Breadwinners themselves or have a husband/spouse who is the breadwinner.

Conclusions Presently, most of the active volunteers are married, female, older than 30 and are the breadwinner themselves or have a husband who is the breadwinner.