Ben Harris
California, USA
2021

Ben, pictured on the left, is currently studying history and film at Dartmouth College and took a term off in order to participate in the VACorps program in March 2021. Ben participated in an internship at a local NGO that creates educational opportunities for underprivileged children. 

“In the middle of COVID, I was looking for the opportunity to get off of Zoom and travel abroad during an off-term from University. Luckily, I learned about VACorps through a friend and inquired about the program. I had abroad planned through my university for the past winter, but they were canceled due to the pandemic. So, the opportunity to travel to an amazing place like Cape Town was an opportunity I had to pursue. The process was extremely easy and helpful, and I began working at the educational non-profit in the Crossroads Township. Throughout my time at my internship site, I learned both about the history of townships and South Africa, and the relationship between education/after-school programs and crime/gangsterism. As for my specific work, I worked with my friend and fellow intern Mateo, helping to grow the online presence of the organization through media and video. I filmed and edited Portraits of Crossroads, an interview series showcasing the most prominent members of the Crossroads community. During my time in Cape Town, the VACorps staff ensured a smooth transition into the city and constant support through my stay.”

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Meet our most recent VACorps program alumni:

Chris Doe, Massachussets, USA (2023)

Chris joined the VACorps program in January 2023 as part of his Gap year and participated in a human rights internship.  I decided to come to Cape Town to do an internship because I […]

Nico Theunissen, New York, USA (2023)

Nico joined the VACorps Program in January 2023 as part of his Gap year and participated in an internship at a clean energy engineering company.  “Living in New York City, coming to Cape Town […]

Derya Tunçaral, Istanbul, Turkey (2023)

Derya is a recent graduate of Istanbul Bilgi University where he earned his bachelor’s in International Relations. He joined the VACorps program in November 2022 and participated in a political science internship.  “It was […]

Isabelle Ryan, Illinois, USA (2023)

Isabelle joined the VACorps Program in January 2023 as part of her Gap year and participated in a business internship.  “Originally, I was nervous about coming to Cape Town. I had never been so […]

Alize Serez, Istanbul, Turkey, (2023)

Aliza has recently earned a bachelor’s degree in International Relations from Istanbul Bilgi University.  She joined the VACorps Program in September 2022 and participated in a Political Science Internship.  “The reason I chose Cape […]

Carley Adams, Ontario, Canada, (2023)

Carley is a recent MSc graduate of the University of Edinburgh, specializing in Medical Anthropology. She joined the VACorps Program in January 2023 and participated in a public health internship.  “Cape Town is such […]

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