Leadership & Service Through Mandela's Example
Summer '25 Applications Open
The Take-Aways
Real-World Experience
Join local NGOs to support the community through service initiatives. Come home with a greater understanding of your leadership style and societal issues in South Africa. Be prepared to take action in your own community.
Credentials for Your Future
Topics for your college essays; experience to inform your future career; a Service Reflection Presentation documenting how you investigated needs, resources, and perspectives during your service; and a record of your service-learning hours.
Life Skills and New Friendships
Return with greater self-confidence, independence, and improved leadership skills. Enjoy a broader worldview and friends of different backgrounds from across the U.S.
50
Hours of Service-Learning
3
Weeks of Community Engagement
1
Life-Changing Experience
The Destination
Welcome to South Africa, a land of breathtaking natural beauty and a microcosm of African countries in transition.
Cape Town, a port city located on the southwestern tip of South Africa, attracts visitors from every corner of the world. It offers stunning beaches and views from the flat-topped Table Mountain, a World Heritage site that towers over the city and its busy harbor. Nicknamed “The Mother City,” Cape Town is modern and sophisticated. It’s known for its diversity in art, dance, music, food, and culture—12 official languages, including South African Sign Language, are spoken here. The city continues to grapple with vast socioeconomic inequalities inherited from its colonial and apartheid past. It has progressed, but NGOs are still hard at work promoting equality through community projects.
Cape Town is bursting with energy. Its shops, food markets, and the lively waterfront on the edge of the city’s harbor are the places to be when you’re not out on the water or exploring the nearby Cape Peninsula to catch a glimpse of African penguins.
Cultural Awareness
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Cape Town.
Weekly Learning Goals
Johannesburg orientation and travel to Cape Town. Investigate a community-identified need and prepare to participate in your service project. Start a Reflection Journal and deepen your understanding of South Africa’s history and the different ways that Apartheid impacts society today.
Begin your hands-on service. Learn basic isiXhosa language to support community interaction. In your Reflection Journal and debriefs, write and talk about what you are learning, the impact you are making, and how the experience is changing you. Start working on your Service Reflection Presentation.
Continue to reflect on your experiences through journaling and debriefs. Complete your service and celebrate with community members. To demonstrate your learning, share your Service Reflection Presentation and deliver a presentation on what you’ve learned, how you’ve grown as a leader, and how you’ll apply your skills back home.
Sample Activities
Just Imagine All the Fun You’ll Have!
- Go on a game drive outside Cape Town and try to spot the Big 5: lion, leopard, rhino, Cape buffalo, and African elephant.
- Summit Table Mountain by cable car and hike up Lion’s Head by sheer willpower. From the rocky perch, feast your eyes on Robben Island in the distant bay and Cape Town below.
- Connect with local teens as they share their experiences growing in Cape Town and play a game of rugby.
- Explore the magnificent Cape Peninsula! Go by boat to Seal Island and on foot down the boardwalks of Boulders Beach for a close-up look at African penguins.
- Tour Robben Island where Mandela was imprisoned. Hear from others who survived their time there and see the Stones of Remembrance, a symbol of the South African people’s struggle for freedom, dignity, and human rights.
Please note activities are based on past programs and subject to change at CIEE's discretion to adapt to local circumstances and participant feedback. Our goal when arranging activities is always to enhance your experience.
Hang 10!
This past weekend students explored local markets, travelled to Boulders Beach to see the penguins and saw the western-most cape which Cape Town was named after! Students also learned how... keep reading
First Impressions of Service-Learning PT 2
Once students settled into their service-learning site and had more time with the students, they were able to read a group of younger students' stories and get them interested in... keep reading
First Impressions of Service Learning
This week, after learning about the history and cultural context of their service-learning site, students began their service! Students were educated on literacy in the area and were told that... keep reading
Eligibility
- Participants must be 14 years old and above.
- Program open to all current high school students: Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors.
- For scholarship eligibility requirements, please check our Scholarship page.
- This program involves engaging in moderate to high intensity physical activities, such as hiking and extended observational time outdoors.
For more information, refer to the detailed Program Essential Eligibility Criteria.
Dates & Fees
Application Fee
$25
Program scholarships and tuition include iNext Travel Insurance, but do not cover the cost of flights. Find additional details about what’s included with your tuition.
More questions? Find answers, get application support, sign up for virtual presentations or contact us.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Costs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Program Summer Session I 2025 3 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Costs $4,950 | |
| Program Summer Session II 2025 3 weeks | Start Date | End Date | Costs $4,950 |
Ready to change your life?
What's Included
Interactive Classes
Housing
3 Meals/Day
(Dietary Needs Accommodated)
All Ground Transportation
(Once In-country)
Optional Flight Chaperone
(Flight Cost Not Included)
Pre-departure Advice and Orientation
Access to WIFI
(No international data plan or SIM card included)
All Cultural Activities and Excursions
Comprehensive Medical and Travel Protection
24/7 Emergency On-site Support
Our Staff
Nompilo Ndlovu
Center Director
Dr. Nompilo Ndlovu has over a decade of experience working within the academic, policy and non-profit sectors, focused on the African continent.
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