Riley is studying for a BA in Global Studies at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She joined to VACorps program in June 2022 and participated in a sustainability internship at an urban farm.
“I decided to come to Cape Town because I wanted to challenge myself to acclimate to a new environment where I didn’t know what to expect. I also wanted to learn more about myself through traveling and had never been this far by myself before.
I did my internship at an urban farm NGO, and I became a lot more confident in my ability to communicate, and I learned a lot about the origins of farming and sustainable practices. I think that I became a lot more comfortable asking questions, and having a good support system within my internship made me feel comfortable throughout the time I spent there.
Highlights of my time in the VACorps program include getting to live with other interns, making amazing friends, and spending time at my internship site. I loved how independent I could be throughout this whole experience and that I could make it my own. With each week, I was able to grow more confident and felt truly Capetonian! I also really enjoyed the garden route trip and getting to do fun activities like sky diving and bungee jumping. I think that coming to the program with set expectations isn’t necessarily the best route to go because you will be pleasantly surprised if you keep an open mind throughout the entire experience in the VACorps program.”
Meet our most recent VACorps program alumni:
Laila Wheeler, California, USA (2023)
Laila Wheeler is studying Public Affairs, Education, and Sociology at the University of California Los Angeles. She participated in a human rights internship from June - August of 2023. "Traveling to Cape Town was genuinely [...]
Innogen Naylor, Vermont, USA (2023)
Innogen joined the VACorps Program as part of her Gap Year in January 2023 and participated in an internship at a local school for learners from Zimbabwe who are attempting to integrate into the South [...]
Avital Strauss, Illinois, USA (2023)
Avital joined the VACorps PRogram as part of her Gap Year in January 2023 and participated in an internship at an NGO that supports and serves underprivileged communities in one of Cape Town's townships. [...]
William Monkarsh, California, USA (2023)
Will joined the VACorps Program in January 2023, as part of his GAP year, and participated in an internship at an eco-tourism company in Cape Town. "My experience with VAC has definitely been life-changing. [...]
Clancy Erickson, North Carolina, USA (2022)
Clancy recently completed her BA in Human Services Studies at Elon University. She joined the VACorps program in September 2022, and participate in an internship at an NGO that supports refugees in Cape Town. [...]
Dylan DeRosa, New York, USA (2023)
Dylan joined the VACorps program in January 2023 as part of his Gap Year and participated in a human rights law internship. "Cape Town and the VACorps have provided a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and experience [...]
