Travels through South Africa with Global Citizenship Initiative

4/13/2018

Chatham Hall

As part of our global citizenship initiative, forty-seven people, including students, chaperones, parents, and alumnae, traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa for an incredible journey which provided the group with many opportunities to interact directly with South African students and peers.

Throughout the trip, the group visited three different schools, a sustainable garden, a children's youth center, and attended services at Grace Bible Church in Johannesburg. At Kingsmead College, an all-girls private high school, Chatham Hall travelers had the opportunity to participate in classes with the students, as well as participate in an instructional drum workshop. The group also went to Ramahale Elementary School, where the girls read to the children in their classrooms and then participated in a storytelling workshop in the afternoon, writing stories for the kids. The time at Ramahale proved to be a highlight of the trip, with Chatham Hall travelers dancing, playing, and even exchanged friendship bracelets with the children of the school. At Hendrik Verwoerd High School, the girls engaged in small group discussions with their South African peers, talking about cross-cultural issues such as the controversy surrounding historical monuments, gun control, and social issues. It was an intense and insightful morning, followed by a fun barbecue with lots of laughter and sunshine, along with hugs at the end of the day. The last two days of the trip were spent at Pilanesberg National Park, where the group had the chance to go on three safaris over the two days. The group met with a conservation specialist who discussed issues such as rhinoceros poaching and animal repopulation projects and had the chance to see lions, giraffes, zebras, and elephants in their natural habitats.

When reflecting on the experience, chaperone Dr. Erin McHugh said, “My favorite part was seeing the girls engage with everyone that we met and connect with their peers. Seeing new sites is great, but meeting new people can be life-changing, and it was so rewarding to see the girls make those connections.” As senior Shannon Huth said, “It was amazing to see how incredibly happy and thankful people were for what they had. When we went to the Elementary School, every child was so enthused to have us in their classroom, interacting with and reading to them. It was a powerful moment that I will never forget.” The travelers shared their experiences with the larger Chatham Hall community with a South Africa Chapel Service on April 6.

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