6 Months Climate Activism in the Caribbean

Hello, my name is Mónica, I am from Portugal and join Richmond Vale Academy (RVA) as part of a 2-year program that started in Denmark. In RVA you will meet people from all over the world, who, most of the time come from a very different context than you. During my time in RVA, I had the chance to share my life with people from Colombia, France, Germany, Austria, Costa Rica, Belgium, New Caledonia, Japan, North Korea, Norway, Hungary, Honduras, Italy, Denmark, Brazil, and Saint Vincent. The common life and the friendships one develops are the best and the most challenging part at the same time. Sharing home, meals, cooking, and cleaning duties with close to 50 people can be challenging but it is also through this you learn about different cultures, learn more about your own country, learn to be more emphatic, and make friendships that will follow you when you leave.
The Climate Activist program has both theoretical and practical components. You will have courses about Climate Change, Coral Reefs, Caribbean History, Organic farming, and also some specific topics - in the case of my team was about mangroves. There is also a practical period both in RVA and in the communities. My team was responsible to improve the tree nursery and create 2 pathways that connect the school to the beach, through a fruit forest. During this period we had the real chance to team building, develop our leadership skills, and witness the power and the things you can accomplish when you work together.
Later on, we moved from RVA to nearby communities to develop the Mangrove project - for me, this was the most exciting period. When we live in the school we don't get the real feeling of Vincy culture, costumes, and its people. But when you move out everything changes! Everyone I met in SVG is super friendly and happy to share their stories with the students. Life happens more locally and there is a big sense of community.
It also comes with some difficulties, but nothing that one can not overcome with the support of its teammates. You'll learn so much about yourself and enhance your beliefs toward a more sustainable and conscious life.
RVA is located quite far away from everything on the island, so, if you want to move around to visit and explore the beautiful nature and landscapes be ready to spend some money since public transportation is very low on weekends and without actually schedules. Always remember to enjoy your time here!

Thankful that I was part of the 6 month program of the Richmond Vale Academy.
Firt of all, my experience would not be the same without the people I met here. It was amazing to learn and grow from and with each other.
I learned how important it is to take responsibility. I understood what it means to live in a community. And I recognized what is possible if you work together as a team. For me it is making the impossible possible.
Our main task as climate activist was to implement our Mangrove project in the communitys. For that we moved together in a house during two months. Like this we had the chance to experience St. Vincent with its people and culture to the fullest.
Honestly, mobilizing people can be very tiring especially if you are not the type for that.
Also if you sign in, you should bring flexibility and patience. If you don't have these skills, at least you should be willing to develop them.
Most of the time, things work in a different way than you expect at first.

I was part of a 6 month program at Richmond Vale Academy on the beautiful island of St. Vincent. We were working in several smaller or bigger projects to take action against climate change. Our main project was to build gardens with people from the nearby town of chateublair to create food security and spread the message of organic, permaculture farming. During the project I learned alot, and although not everything is perfect and I don't agree with every the community of RVA stands for, the time and experience I had I consider to be amongst the best time of my life! While certain aspects of life at RVA were suboptimal when I was there (like the food we were not growing majorly ourselve at that point in time and the use of land on the property),most things that were suboptimal were in the process of change towards the better. Everything needs time and work and RVA provides a great environment for growth, an opportunity to take action and you'll meet plenty of nice people on the way. Besides work and the project... The beach and the gorgeous paradise Island of St. Vincent are stunning and the volcano hike is definitely one of the most beautiful hikes you can do in your life!

Hi,
my name is Henrik and I participated in the 6-months-program in 2019/2020. I had one of the best times of my life in Richmond Vale Academy (RVA)! Starting off with a group of complete strangers from around the globe, sharing similar values in terms of ecology and sustainable living was exciting. Together, with other teams and the teachers we lived at the campus, which you can see on the Youtube Channel.

The program consists of theoretical and practical pieces in the beginning. Getting to know the techniques of ecological farming and using them at the schools garden were my first steps into work. On top of gardening, we could choose an area, in which we would like to work. Maintenance, Kitchen, Garden or Promotion are just some of them. I enjoyed working in the warm climate and making the life in the school possible. As everyone had its one responsibillity in the group we all highly rely on each other, which soon created a familiar atmosphere.

Apart from all that work the freetime activities are amazing too. Hiking the volcano for an incredible view with the team, going for a dive at our own divecenter, enjoying the local beach or visiting Kingstown made me falling in love with the island.
The biggest project, "The homegardens" came soon and my team including our teacher moved into a house in the village RVA had chosen to be covered by the program. Finally we could use all our knowledge to build gardens and teach the locals about the potential right in their backyard. Within 6 weeks we had built 10 gardens and developed relations in the village, that still exist! Seeing the results after a few months and the thankfulness of the clients were a great feeling. We knew, that we did sth. right!
After that project we continued working at the campus and met the knew team. It was always great to meet new people and they welcomed us after our trip. Some evenings we played games together or the sports team organised another beach olympics.

In the end I always look back on that time as a wonderful experience, that opened my eyes for other cultures, gave me a lot of new friends and another home overseas!

Go for it guys! You´ll we love it.

Hello my name is Finn Widera and I am from Berlin in Germany.

In summer 2019 I finished school and didn't knew what to do.

Then one day I found Richmond Vale Academy on the Internet and was thrilled by it instantly.

6 Months in the caribbean on St.Vincent, doing something pertinent with nice people, thats what I expected from the program and that was what I get from it!

In the end of the program we all grew together as a big family and shared so much wonderful experiences.

The Vincy (short for vincentian) people are amazing and I had the possibility to live with a vincy family for nearly a month and it was such an intense experience, which expand my horizon. The culture of St Vincent coined me a lot in a positive way. Unfortunatly because of the Corona Virus I had to go home a few weeks earlier, which was very sad, but life goes on.

One day I will definetly come back to the beautiful Island St. Vincent and to Richmond Vale Academy.

What can I say. What an amazing experience. Directly involved with the fight against climate change, working in partnership with people who strive for the same. Gained experience in a range of diverse and exiting projects which you’re able to have a say in, such as Home garden construction, Solar installation and Biogas production, making it your own experience too. Great people doing great things in the most beautiful country, which you’re given a bit of time to travel around. Couldn’t recommend enough. Would go back in a heartbeat if I could.

I stayed at Richmond Vale Academy in St Vincent and the Grenadines for a time period of six weeks. With an international team much younger than myself. Never felt more healthy and live. Lost some 10 kg and after returning had to put down my thyroid medicine. The diet, fixed supper times, own vegetables, fruit, eggs and meat. A lot of outdoor, working in the garden and adventures in the jungle made the trick. Not to mention the scenery, sunsets, diving and all other beauty around. Still the most memorable are the people at RVA and at the whole island nation.

I really enjoyed my six month stay at the Richmond Vale Academy. The programm was interessting. I Likes working with the people who live there and learning about their style of working and living. I am really proud of the two homegaedens me and my Team were able to build. But besides the project I had a really nice time there as well. The Island is extremly beautiful and there is a lot to explore. But for me the ost important thing were the people I lived with. All the people I met there we're really nice and interessting people. In the end we all became a big Family. I can really recommend the programm if you like to live in paradise and meet new interessting people.