Volunteer in Cape Town with Connect-123!

I spent three months interning in Cape Town, South Africa, and it will forever be some of the best months of my life. I gained valuable experience in my field while working for a human rights organization and in the South African Parliament, all while experiencing the unique culture of South Africa and making lifelong friends! Looking for internships is hard, and I didn’t even know where to start after deciding on Cape Town. Thankfully, Connect-123 was there throughout the entire process! Robyn and the crew at Connect-123 helped me find the perfect internship. They also set up my housing before I arrived and met with me when I got to Cape Town to ensure I was settling in! They were always just a call away if I needed anything, and while I never had a single issue during my three months in Cape Town, knowing that they were there if anything should go wrong was reassuring. Connect-123 also set up different events and excursions for all of the interns which was a great way to experience new and unique things that South Africa had to offer. I wouldn’t trade my months in Cape Town for anything, and I’m glad I now have a home away from home in my favorite city in the world.

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Interning in Cape Town through Connect’s program has been absolutely wonderful! After working with Connect in Dublin and having a great time, it was the first program I looked at for an internship this summer. They placed me at a great internship where I’ve been able to really get hands on experience in the non-profit sector. My coworkers were excited to have me join them and wanted me to get the most out of my time here, so right from the start I was able to do meaningful work, including grant writing, event planning and participating in strategic meetings. Besides just the internship placement, Connect has really made my time here in Cape Town great. They organize events, arrange housing with other program participants and are always there to help with anything that isn't working out. All the Connect staff I’ve worked with have been so friendly and have always gone above and beyond to help me with anything I need, from local restaurant suggestions all the way to fixing the TV in my apartment. The program Connect offers, where you get to spend more time in a city than just a normal vacation, is truly one of a kind. Living abroad has taught me so much about myself and I’ve gotten to see and do some amazing things that I might not have gotten the opportunity to otherwise. There is so much more to do here in Cape Town than I expected, from hiking and museums to wine tours and safaris. I’ve met some incredible people here in Cape Town, including locals, other students in the Connect program and people from all over the world also enjoying everything Cape Town has to offer.

I am forever grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a special, impactful organization. I worked at a local youth development nonprofit, assisting with Monitoring and Evaluation of programs as well as research for the organization. I was given an immense amount of responsibility right from the get-go of my internship, which is something that defined my entire experience. I was constantly affirmed and supported at work, and I know I am leaving Cape Town with a true family and amazing friends that I will have for the rest of my life. This city, this country, and this internship will always be in my heart.

I had the opportunity to work with one of the leading human rights NGOs in the country that gave me hands on experience with the social problems of South Africa. I could see immediate results from the volunteer projects I was asked to lead and the field work I participated in showed me the impact my work had on the communities. Cape Town is certainly a city that grows on you with never-ending excitement and entertainment to keep you busy once the work day ends. My stay definitely wasn’t long enough and I look forward to returning there one day as it is a place that I’ve made some of my most treasured memories and friends!