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Tag: Africa

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By dpmitchel

Sawubona (Hello)! I'm currently abroad on the School of International Training (SIT)'s Community Health and Social Policy Program in South Africa. I chose this program because instead of traditional study abroad where you take classes at a foreign university, SIT is a program based on experiential learning. This morning, our Academic Director discussed with us exactly what "experiential learning" is. Instead of straight lectures, it's a combination of concrete experiences, reflective observation, abstract conceptualization, and active experimentation. Basically, this means that we will be integrating trips to museums, NGO's, hospitals, and having discussions on-site at various places around South Africa. To culminate our trip we are each required to do an Independent Study Project (ISP), which completes the experimentation portion of SIT. ...continue reading "Sawubona from South Africa!"

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By tinavisc

I've done it! I've crossed 'Safari' off my bucket list for once and for all. The experience was actually quite amazing. The company picked me up at the crack of dawn yesterday morning and trekked about 10 of us 2 hours out of Cape Town straight in to the bush. ...continue reading "Lions and Zebras and Elephants"

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By tinavisc

Following the train along the N2The following post is inspired by Elon Musk's design for a hovercraft disguised as the Hyperloop.

Students, plagued by insolvency and open mindedness, have a unique opportunity to travel around this world unbound from the ordinary. My own experience on the matter has equipped me with tools to help along my fellow peers seesawing on the fulcrum of adulthood. Thus begins a tour through Cape Town by virtue of my own terrestrial body: ...continue reading "5 (fun) ways to move your body in Cape Town"

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By tinavisc

Considering I've amassed a curiously wide range of eatery wisdom in Cape Town since I've arrived, and all human beings, by nature, fancy a bit of food here and there, I can only conclude that the best and safest way to introduce Cape Town to the outsider is via the global arena of delicious chow.

!. Steers is the half-Burger-King, half-Mcdonalds, wholly-fabulous chain of fast food restaurants here in South Africa. I was introduced to this gem my first evening in Cape Town. After 24 hours of airport travel and one terrifyingly awkward night of conversation with strangers in a strange land, that bacon-avo-cheesebuger with Steers' "special seasoning" (MSG) gave me the strength to veto my brain's votes for fear and provided me with some comfort in the face of the unknown. ...continue reading "5 (Fun) Ways to Feed Your Body in Cape Town"

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By jamfanous

My time in Ghana is rapidly ending and our project is almost done!  This entire semester I worried that something would go wrong and prevent this project from completion but now, so close to the final product I believe it will carry on after we leave.  Many of the students and teachers are invested in the project and will continue it, as well as CDDF staff that have many more ideas for the school and will be keeping a close eye on the recycling being done. ...continue reading "the end of the road"

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By skatz14

My most recent volunteering experience was really different for me because I was the only volunteer in my classroom. It was the day before UCT’s spring break started, so the three other people who volunteer with me in my classroom could not attend, due to pre-break midterms and papers. Every classroom was really lacking in volunteers that day, so I learned what the schools must be like, since they tend to be so understaffed. Because I have around 15 students in my class, the beginning of the lesson was really difficult. SHAWCO aims to have a 3:1 ratio with students to teachers, so 15:1 seemed like the impossible. Eventually, I asked if one of the volunteers who had a much smaller 15-person 5th grade classroom could join me since it was too much, and she agreed. There was another volunteer in her class that day, so she was able to help me ...continue reading "Difficulties and Successes"

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By jamfanous

April 1st:  Discuss any updates with your volunteer work/research, any challenges you have faced, and any accomplishments you are particularly proud of.  Have there been any current international or domestic issue that have affected your volunteer work/research, has your work become more relevant or has it been overshadowed?  What kind of impact do you think you are making on the local community and do you think that impact will have a lasting affect?   

 

The Waste Management Project has made a lot of progress in the past weeks, we are hoping to have the project fully completed by the end of April.

This past month has been all about making connections with the community.

Firstly, in order to start a project in Ni Boii Town you must send a ‘letter of intent’ to various individuals in the community including: the chief/ traditional leader, metro education and health offices, metro assembly, the Community Directed Development Association as well as school administrators.  It’s all a simple formality for everyone in community to be aware of our work and to give them the opportunity to object or ask any questions. ...continue reading "sachets, sachets, sachets"

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By skatz14

Alas, I have begun volunteering in Cape Town! I am volunteering through an organization that is run through the University of Cape Town. It is called SHAWCO, and it is one of South Africa’s largest student volunteer organizations. SHAWCO’s goals are to help with skill development and provide educational programming to youth in Townships and communities around the Cape Town area.

SHAWCO is the base organization, but it has many branches, or sub-organizations, which each have programming specific for that branch. The branch of SHAWCO that I am volunteering with is called Kenstep and it is located at a SHAWCO center in a community called Kensington, about twenty minutes from the University. At 2:45pm every afternoon that I volunteer, a bus picks up all of the volunteers and brings us to Kenstep! ...continue reading "SHAWCO: The Beginning of a Beautiful Friendship"

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By jamfanous

A lot has happened in the last month!  My work with CDDF has really taken off and I recently began work on a waste management project at a grade school in Nii Boi Town.  The project plans have finalized into a Solid Waste Management and Beautification Project.  Thus myself and another CIEE intern are developing basic recycling and composting systems.  Since most waste produced at schools consist of mostly plastics and biodegradable products such as orange peals, the best option for a school is to recycle its waste products in order to generate a small income or make use of its materials.  Of course this project comes with many different variable and approaches, however: we plan on beginning with an educational seminar for the students regarding recycling, the environment etc, and why it is important to recycle and keep the earth clean, hopefully we will present to the students and teachers next week.  After the initial presentation to the school, we are hoping to conduct a few more throughout the semester on a smaller scale, regarding environmental awareness and health. ...continue reading "Volunteering in Ghana"

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By skatz14

Hello from Cape Town! So far, this trip has been indescribable and I have begun falling in love with this place. While I have been exposed to all of the wonderful things that Cape Town has to offer, it has also been shocking to see the huge wealth disparity between the different people of Cape Town. Although it can be comparable to the U.S., I have really never seen anything like it. ...continue reading "The beginning of my experiences in Cape Town!"

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