Hello Everyone!
Here is a short (hopefully) introduction to how my 3 months in South Africa will be spent.
I am doing an internship through York’s International Internship Program. (Any returning York students check them out, there are some amazing opportunities!) While these internships can take you around the world, mine will be taking me to Johannesburg, (Joburg for short) South Africa.
I am working with an organization called Nkosi’s Haven which provides holistic care to women who have HIV/AIDs, their children and AIDS orphans. Nkosi’s provides housing, food and support in two self-contained communities in Joburg. As you may know HIV/AIDS has had particularly devastating effects in South Africa with around 17% of the population currently living with AIDS. Those infected frequently face social stigma and alienation as well as the physical effects of the disease. This is why organizations like Nkosi’s are so important.
I will be living and working at their larger community called Village which is located just outside of the city, south of Joburg. My internship is focused on marketing and promoting Nkosi’s Haven but since I am going to be living in accommodations provided for volunteers on site, I am sure I will be learning all the time. Given my academic background in international development and communication studies, this position is an awesome combination of both my fields of study.
Since I have never been to South Africa, or any part of Africa, before I am excited to experience a life very much outside my own context. (Also stay tuned after my internship ... I’m going to be going to Brisbane, Australia for 2 and 1/2 weeks to visit my aunt, uncle and cousins who live there.) I hope to be able to learn as much as I can from this experience and I will do my best to share it on here. This is my first time really blogging so I’m sure I’ll learn from this too. Doing my best not to sound like I’m writing an essay or a cover letter. :P
Below is a touching commercial that Nkosi’s has created.
