Overview
Johannesburg was a pivotal location for the struggle against apartheid and the ensuing years of truth and reconciliation. One might say that it was in Johannesburg that the new South Africa was born. Come, join us on the campus of the prestigious African Leadership Academy and volunteer at community service projects in impoverished communities and learn first hand about one of the greatest struggles in recent history. You will also have the chance to view some wildlife such as lions, elephants, tigers, giraffes and zebras.
Highlights include
- Go on a day safari and see lions, zebras, wildebeest, giraffes and elephants
- Relive history in the Apartheid Museum and the Soweto township
- Play with baby lion cubs in a breeding center
- Visit the Cradle of Humankind, the oldest record of human life on earth
Community Service
During the program, you will volunteer with the local youth at the KlipTown Youth Centre. You will provide support in their daily activities, such as working in the nursery, helping in the library, or aiding the kitchen staff in preparing meals. You will also be tutoring fellow students in an after-school program to learn math, geography, spelling, and writing skills. In a country where education is the best and perhaps only hope, you can help immensely by sharing your knowledge.
Soweto, a large and well- known township, is home to Moletsane Secondary School. You will work side by side there with local high school students to start a litter campaign and manage a huge trash problem, as well as help clean and maintain the neighborhood gardens. You will also help organize a peer counseling club and a math tutoring club.
Furthermore, those who love sports will have the chance to clear and paint new soccer pitches for students to play on. Once you are done, you can join the locals in some soccer games!
Learning
More than anything, this program will give you the opportunity to learn so much about South Africa – the successes it has enjoyed, and the challenges it still faces.
You will meet doctors working in poor township health clinics who are on the frontlines battling the AIDS epidemic as well as brave individuals who struggled to end apartheid. You will visit the Apartheid Museum to understand South African history and learn about the leadership style of Nelson Mandela. Johannesburg is a city full of examples of social change – you can’t help but become inspired.
In addition, you will learn to speak some of the local tribal languages as well as engage in thought-provoking discussions on leadership and other pressing issues of our time.
Excursions
Although Johannesburg is a city, just minutes outside of town there are wildlife preserves where Africa’s natural treasures can be enjoyed.
Lodging
Students will live together on the campus of one of the most innovative high schools in the country, the African Leadership Academy.
The African Leadership Academy is an international boarding school located in the quiet, peaceful outskirts of Johannesburg, in an area called Honeydew. The beautiful campus has all of the security features and amenities of any first-class international high school.
Two students will share a room, with a private bathroom. Students will have access to computer labs, classrooms, sports fields and a cafeteria. Vegetarian diets can be accommodated.
The African Leadership Academy was founded in 2004 with the belief that ethical leadership is the key to transforming the African continent. The founders sought to create an institution that would develop, connect, and support those individuals who will lead the continent toward a peaceful and prosperous future. We are proud to be partnered with this innovative and renowned institution.
