The experience I’ve got at HOPE Cape Town is difficult to describe.
Even for me as a journalist it is not easy to find words for this extraordinary adventure. I am grateful, deeply touched and thoughtful at the same time.
When I applied for a volunteer position at HOPE Cape Town I actually just wanted to do something different, something meaningful. Sometimes, my work can be very fast-moving and superficial. Once I was accepted as a volunteer at HOPE Cape Town, I was very excited, but I also asked myself if I am actually able to do that. And what is waiting for me in Cape Town?
But all my expectations were surpassed. The awesome work, the many charismatic and impressive people I met. At the end, I even had the feeling that I’ve got more back from the children than I was able to give to them. Besides my work in Blikkiesdorp, I had the opportunity to work on a film project about the HOPE Community Health Workers together with another volunteer. This work gave me more insight about this well-structured organisation and its real impact on the people.
To be honest, the work in the township was very emotional and exhausting. Sometimes, I experienced difficult situations and I didn’t know how to deal with them. But the team of HOPE Cape Town never left us volunteers alone and we always had the feeling of being part of the team. As bathetic as that may sound, it is true: After a few weeks as a volunteer you start becoming another person. Grateful but also more realistic. Everything I saw on TV in the past, suddenly became realistic, concrete and overwhelming.
I really like to recommend to everybody to get involved in the fantastic work of HOPE Cape Town, be it as a volunteer or through a donation.
April 2020
Lisa Maria Siewert
