Program Reviews

KIVU offers a unique experience filled with cross cultural opportunities you cannot get anywhere else. From home stays to less common destinations and rewarding internships, you are equally challenged and provided with safe engaging fun and growth. This program is not always glamorous but is always rewarding and exciting while growing you in a way other travel experiences will not. I would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to learn more about themselves and humanity and to gain a stronger global perspective about the world.

Kivu Gap year was one of the best decisions I’ve made in my life. I would highly recommend this program to anyone. My first destination was Denver Colorado. And yeah it doesn’t sound to glamorous or adventurous on the surface but it was place I experienced the most growth on Kivu Gap Year. The staff they sorround you with in Denver are amazing, they go above and beyond and I still keep contact with them today.
My second destination was The Holy Land/Jordan. The Middle East changed my view of the world completely. Being there taught me what forces drive human behavior. Also it was a ton of fun. I would go again just to dive off the sand dunes of Wadi Rum.
Last destination was Africa. First we went to Rwanda. This country is beautiful and misunderstood. The people are amazing at forming community and if you go, you will become a part of it. It was hard at first being in a completely different environment but looking back now I think it really opened my eyes to the world. We also spent two weeks in Uganda and 1 week climbing Kilimanjaro! Kilimanjaro was a top experience of my life time and Kivu gap year put us with the right people not just on Kili but the entire time while over seas.

There are Gap years where you go more places but I would pick Kivu anyways. They put you with the right people and focus so much on personal growth, which at the ages of 17-21 I think people really need. Such a great program.

I participated in the KIVU Gap year program after one year of undergraduate study. I entered college as a science major and quickly realized that I wanted to change my area of study...but I had no idea what to pursue. My time away from the classroom and in the real world with KIVU gave me a strong sense of direction. The program has changed a bit structurally since I participated but generally, the lessons and main ideas have stayed the same. While in Rwanda, I lived with a local family and worked at a community development organization. Overcoming cultural barriers was difficult, but the Kivu staff provided support and advise throughout it all. The host family I was placed in was very kind and hospitable. I stay in touch with them to this day. My experiences abroad showed me the value of mastering a foreign language. Consequently, I changed my major when I returned to college. I continually recall my gap year experiences as a source of motivation when the classroom becomes boring and seemingly pointless.

Taking a gap year with the KIVU gap year was the best decision I ever made. I had never been more stretched to grow then I had while I was on KIVU gap year. The friends I made through the program I still keep in touch with today and our bond hasn't weakened. Taking the KIVU gap year opened my eyes to what the world is like without traveling in luxury. You meet real people who live in the country that you're visiting, form relationships with them and learn more about the culture, it's an amazing experience and I would recommend it to everyone.

Most amazing gap year!!! I decided to take a gap year because socially I wasn't ready for the college environment. I was in Denver first semester, and I would say this was the best part of gap year for me. I grew so much personally- believing that I was loved and beautiful. We focused on a personality test called the Enneagram. We were able to see our strengths and weaknesses, but also see how we can best relate to other people in our group. We lived in a house about a mile from downtown Denver and we got to explore so much.
The abroad portion was defiantly not easy. I was uncomfortable, scared sometimes, missing home, but it was so worth it. I was able to expand my worldview and challenge my beliefs more than I ever had. I learned so much about other cultures and also how I handle uncomfortable situations. Throughout all gap year, we were pushed to be uncomfortable, but we were surrounded by an encouraging community. Our leaders were so encouraging and supportive when I was struggling or just needed to verbally process what I was experiencing. In addition, I made the best friendships with every person on gap year. I'm closer to them and still keep in touch. In each destination, we stayed with host families and living with my host families were the best way to learn about each culture. I still keep up with all my host families and I hope to visit them again! The Middle East was my favorite part because we learned so much about the conflict and were able to see both sides equally.
This was the best decision I've made and I miss it every day!

Heading into Kivu I was lost. I had no direction, no real faith, and negligible understanding. I was enthralled for college; or paramountly the party scene. It is a massive understatement that Kivu changed my life. I decided to enroll subsequent graduation of High school which ensued to possibly become the best decision I may ever make.
First Semester I was living in Denver with eight other students; the time shared and bonds formed became nothing short of amazing. The material covered in classes and at the dinner table was beyond necessary for the growth I yearned for and needed to become the man I am today. Furthermore the space allotted for adventuring throughout the city for fun while finding places to spend time processing, creating or reading was pleasant. The support and accessibility of Kivu staff was truly exceptional domestic and overseas; Luke, Josh, Emily, Andy, Greg, Millie ext. were always a phone call away if not in my presence.
In the Middle East I verily felt just as safe if not more than I did in my hometown or first semester. The hospitable culture is so far unmatched in my book along with the people we were coalesced with that even furthered my intrinsic feel and adore to ignite friendships.
Africa was the hardest but possibly the most valuable overseas destination. Rewiring a typical American - task oriented, productive - mindset was challenging. The idea of simply being was enticing, however increasingly difficult to assume. After time in a "being" and relations oriented culture I grew to understand and accept it.
After experiencing so many people - turned life long friends -, cultures, histories, religions, oppressive systems, foods and social constructs and thought processes I am now exponentially more understanding of myself, my God and the people of this earth. That will never be eradicated from my memory until my eyes lay for a final rest, unlike some lectures and reading assignments that will inevitably be forgotten the moment the class is dismissed or the book closed.

Furthermore, I would be more than happy to answer any questions or talk interested parties though any road blocks or apprehensions! "Everyman dies, but not everyman really lives" - William Wallace

This gap year absolutely changed the trajectory of my life. As a senior in high school, I had already put down my deposit to go to UVA with an Air Force ROTC Scholarship, but I was still struggling to reconcile the fact that I was expected to have my future all figured out by the time I was 18. My mom heard about the gap year on the radio, of all places, and told me about it off-handedly. I ended up applying behind my parents' back (so I didn't worry them about potentially changing my college plans). After much prayer and reflection, I felt confident that I was being called to the gap year, and I finally talked to my parents about it. At first, my dad was particularly against the idea. He had been in the military, didn't like the idea of the unknown, and was sure it was a bad idea. In what I consider a Divine series of events, my dad ended up flying to Denver for a business conference, but the meeting was cancelled as soon as he arrived. He decided to spend his time in the area by going to meet with one of the leaders of the Kivu Gap Year so that he could tell them I wouldn't be attending, thus ending the discussion once and for all. However, his conversation with one of the leaders completely changed his mind, and he called me crying to say that I could go on the gap year. This all happened to be the same day that I had finally laid down my ago and asked God to change my dad's heart so that I could go with Kivu. Anyways, the year didn't disappoint; through experience, relationships, and hard work, I learned so much about the God of the nations, the world, and myself. I left the year feeling much more confident in who I am and who I want to be. Instead of joining the Air Force after graduation, I (again through Divine means) got a full scholarship to Vanderbilt, where I now attend. The Kivu Gap Year balances structure and independence so that students can safely grow while simultaneously learning how to handle their budding adulthood. I'm forever thankful for it.

One of my greatest memories was our first few days in the Philippines, we landed in Manila the first day. The organization we were working with, ICM, one of their people unfortunately failed to have our travel plans finalized. Our leader Cole Crawford planned the trip however, our flight to Bohol was to leave at six in the morning the next day. We learned this at 11 that night. none the less we got up at four in the morning made our way to the airport and headed to the island of Bohol. once we got there we were met with a van, that seated around six people. The only problem was we had 12 people in our group. so we quite literally piled into the back of the van and found our way to the field office for ICM on the island. Now I realize this doesn't quite sound like the best story but the beautiful thing was we didn't complain or anything like that. It kind of represented our whole year because it was hectic and wild and just a little unpredictable.

The KIVU gap year has been transformative to my life. Coming out of my senior year of high school I was never sure what I wanted to do with my life, or what my place in the world was. However after my time with KIVU all that has changed.
While there is a still a lot of uncertainty in my life, like what I want to do for college (let alone after college) the way in which KIVU helped me was by teaching me how to understand, manage, and embrace the turmoil within myself and the world around me in order to live a fuller, happier, more meaningful life.
That came in many forms, including all the travel we did, seeing the streets of South Philly and the people that inhabit them, the hills of Rwanda, and its struggle to emerge from colonalisation and genocide as a strong, United leader among nations, to the political and spiritual turmoil within the Middle East, and Learning the heart of Latin American identity in Bolivia.
Beyond all the amazing and eye opening travels that I participated in, I learned more about myself through the classes we took, and the relationships I made with the other students, my hosts and my leaders.
I feel like I've matured as a person, ready to take on the physical, emotional and intellectual hardships that will come with living life and trying to make it more livable for me and everyone else.

While on the KIVU Gap Year, we had the chance to climb the tallest freestanding mountain in the world, Mt Kilimanjaro. Looking back now, the 7 day trek up this
Mountain was the biggest test of my faith thus far. I was born with severe asthma, induced by allergen and exercise induced. We came to Tanzania from Rwanda, which is basically sea level and I was completely unprepared and untrained. As the days of our hike went up, the number of my fellow KIVU students continuing to the summit went down. But I had faith that The Lord would take me where I was meant to go, even if that meant 19,000 feet up, without the help of an oxygen tank and WAY out of my comfort zone. I prayed through psalm 23, speaking "The Lord is my shepherd" every. single. step. of every single day and was forced to put my entire life in his hands, literally, because with little oxygen and lots of hiking, an asthma attack could have been deadly. I know it sounds dramatic but this is the truth!! But boy did God remain faithful to me. I only had to use my inhaler at the start of our 5-10 hour hikes ( for reference I can barely run on the treadmill for a solid 5 minutes or walk up multiple floors without using my inhaler a second time ) fast-forward through the toughest, most beautiful, humbling 7 days of my life + there I am standing at the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro, solely on the strength of my savior and the encouragement and prayers of my team, leaders, family and friends. It was to this day one of the most surreal moments of my life. I could have never had this, or any of the other life changing experiences I had abroad if it wasn't for the KIVU Gap year & for that I am forever grateful!