What inspired you to work for Hero Holidays?
The need that I saw with small business owners that have to run their company, be responsible for their own marketing, as well as the every-day functioning of their company. Assistance is needed in the daily functions, without necessarily having to employ someone full time.
Party with the kids
Describe a typical day at work.
I assist the business owner with their daily functions by coordinating small projects, assisting with digital marketing, liaising diaries between clients and Business Owner, and maintaining small CRM systems.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Projects Management and seeing the full life cycle of the work that's been done. I enjoy seeing how happy a small business owner can get when you've assisted in a project that now makes their lives a little bit easier.
The skyline of Johannesburg
What are some current projects you are working on?
Maintaining the CRM system & getting marketing emails out, setting up Google AdWord & Facebook digital marketing campaigns, and creating websites for clients.
What advice would you tell your pre-travel self?
Always be open to experience a new country's culture. Don't take over your own culture because it's comfortable. See, smell, taste, and feel everything a new country and culture has to offer you. Embrace this experience.
What makes Hero Holidays special?
The incredible charitable work done for children in a country where a lot of people struggle. The work our organization does, doesn't just positively impact the children, but also the struggling single mothers that need to work and need a safe space for their children to be able to stay every day.
School Children taking shelter under a big tree
What hopes do you have for the future for Hero Holidays?
That we can reach out and touch even more lives with the beautiful work that we do. That we can take on more and even bigger projects for the schools to assist them.
What makes Hero Holidays easy to market to potential participants?
We all want the future of humanity (i.e. the children) to be safe, comfortable, and educated. Joining in with a project from our organization will give you the opportunity to touch the lives of the young ones that could grow up to be future leaders in this country.
What do you hope participants take away from your programs?
The cultural diversity and the fact that there's people on this beautiful earth of ours that really need our assistance in order to move forward in life.
Kids playing at the school
If you could participate on one of Hero Holidays' programs, where would you go and what would you do?
I would love to participate in Babies in the Bush and I would help them with the organic vegetable gardens and preparing healthy meals for the children.
Why is it important for people to travel abroad and experience new cultures?
To realize that no man is an island and that what we do in our own space also affects other countries - climate, economy, recycling, etc. Every affect has a ripple and very often it is the poorest countries that gets hit the hardest by decisions first world countries make.
What advice do you have for individuals thinking about going abroad?
Absolutely grab the opportunity! Especially while you are still young and have few responsibilities at your own home. Live in that moment and enjoy the experience and know that when you join into one of our projects that you will most definitely be making a change in someone’s life.
What does meaningful travel mean to you?
When you contribute to the growth of the country and the people of that country when you travel. When your travel isn't just about your own pleasure, but it is in balance with giving back as well.
What qualities in program & host community relations are important to you?
The host community needs to be open to accept other cultures from all over the world into their personal space. The program needs to be easy enough to follow for young participants so that there's also an element of fun involved in helping the community out.
