ISV - Volunteer Projects in South Africa

ISV is an amazing program to go with when you want to travel and do some volunteer work at the same time. They showed you Africa in a way that I can never forget. They opened my eyes to this beautiful country and it has allowed me to share my experience with others. I am so glad that I discovered ISV and I did this trip. I want to change the world and they allowed me to do it overseas and at home. This has been an eye opening experience and I can't wait to go back and go with ISV again.

I can't say I knew exactly what to expect when signing up for this experience. What I did know was this: 1. I wanted to travel and experience a completely different culture and 2. I wanted to volunteer and make an impact somewhere or on someone who needed it. Boy, did I ever get both and more.

You always hear about people travelling and coming home a "changed" person and I can honestly vouch and say they are probably telling the truth. My month in South Africa not only gave me an insight and new found appreciation for the beautiful country, culture, and people; but also humbled me as a person, giving me new perspectives and lessons on life which I find myself continuing to implement here at home.

I am so grateful I found ISV to guide me on this journey, especially being a first time solo traveller. They truly did a fantastic job balancing humbling volunteer work with adventure/ travel, all whilst evoking the TRUE South African spirit and culture.

I will never forget the kindness and joy of the local people (despite some having such misfortune), the breathtaking landscapes, the unique wild life interactions, and of course my amazing fellow volunteers and leaders I am glad to call friends.

If you're looking for a one of a kind, humbling, adventure filled, true South African experience that you will never forget then this is the program to sign up for.

Do not take it lightly when I say that my time spent in South Africa with ISV was the best month of my life in every way possible. I could talk about the positive and sustainable contributions we made volunteering at the Ann Van Dyke Cheetah Center, of which there are many, or I could tell you about what an absolute blast I had on the adventure tour doing activities from kloofing (so much fun) to caving (even more fun), but that's not what made the trip so special. What sticks with me, and the aspect that I miss the most beyond a shadow of a doubt are the people. I have never in my life been exposed and surrounded by so many unique and positive people. Absolutely every person I met, from locals, to staff at the cheetah center, to project leaders, to tour leaders, to activity guides and especially fellow volunteers, were among the most caring people I have met in my life, and they made the experience nothing short of extraordinary. Everybody is there because they simply want to make the world a better place and that's something that we don't see enough of in this world anymore. They will inspire you and bring out the best in you, and I can honestly tell you that I am a better person because of them. ISV's slogan is "impact your world", and after traveling with them for a month, I know that they have impacted mine.

Getting onto the plane to Johannesburg from JFK I never would have thought that the 2 weeks ibwas spending in South Africa would have such a huge impact on my entire life and way that I see the world. During my time in South Africa we worked with a local organization in the little town of Cintsa. We refurbished a school in an poverty ridden village off the beaten path. The smiles and laughter of the children in this school despite their daily sorrow really changed my whole perspective of what the true meaning of life is. We did all the fun stuff like cliff jumping and seeing the African big 5 but nothing compares to bringing laughter to the children and pride back to the school after years of being in shambles. I also left with not only friends but more like a second family. You become so close to the people you spend your time with that it becomes unbearable to say goodbye. I have been home for 3 days and am already planning a return trip. You will never see the world the same again.

To think that my trip to South Africa was going to have this much of an impact on my life, is a definite understatement. I expected it to changed my outlook on life; but it completely changed everything. During my month in the motherland, it was easily the best month of my life. As soon as I got off the plane, it just felt right. It's like I should've been from South Africa because it felt so right. The things that I saw and people that I met truly changed my life for the better and I can't thank Africa and its humbling atmosphere enough for what its done for me. It makes you want to be better, makes you forgot about all the stupid things that we as teens obsess over such as cell phones, looks and all materialistic things. It humbles you right away because you see the struggle in people's eyes and somehow, they are the happiest people on Earth and they have NOTHING compared to us. I am so lucky and blessed to have what I have such as clean drinking water, food, a roof over my head and clothes on my back. I will NEVER take that for granted again. I promise to always give more than I receive and will live my life always putting other people before myself because someone, out there has it harder than you. I will never forget my time in this beautiful country, and I promised myself that I will go back to see Mama Africa and relive all its amazing moments.

ISV is much more than it looks like, the programs truly stick to their mission statement of creating more active global citizens. But more than that they don't tell you that every single aspect of the program is so thought out that where you eat lunch, where you stop for gas, where you stay makes a difference in someones life locally. I felt that I made a difference and more so that ISV impacted me more. We helped children in Chinsta, South Africa and the gratitude and love from these children made me appreciate my life and want to do more. I have changed my life coming home and have traveled to several other countries, each culture and experience creating a piece of who I am as a person. I am forever thankful for the amazing program I went on and highly recommend ISV as a program!

One story I haven't shared anywhere else is about the amazing women who cooked for us daily and did all of our laundry during our volunteer stay. These two women went above and beyond to make sure our stay was amazing. They taught us their language and required that we use it as often as possible. "Enkosi Kakhulu!" means "thank you very much" and I would like to reiterate that statement to these ladies. They exposed me to their culture and welcomed me into their hearts. One had a young daughter who would often come to the house and hang out with us. We played Jenga with her, puzzles, and had many dance parties! Because of these people, I was still having adventures, even during our down time. They taught me how to appreciate life and gave me new perspectives on the word Family. I feel truly blessed to have spent two weeks in their presence and I hope to one day make someone feel as accepted and loved as I did with them.

Enkosi Kakhulu.

Going to South Africa with ISV was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I felt like I made a lasting impact with the volunteer work we did and I made life long friends in the process. I was also able to cross a number of items off my bucket list such as petting a cheetah, going scuba diving, going on a safari, cliff jumping, and caving. Even though many of the South Africans we met didn't have a lot, they were always happy and positive. This made me reevaluate the way I look at the world and I now find joy in the simple things. This trip has forever changed me and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to travel.