My Nonprofit Reviews

My involvement in One Heart Source began the moment I happened to read an invitation in one of my 1,500 emails. It then proceeded as a leap of faith as I decided to spend my first time out of the U.S. volunteering in Cape Town, South Africa with a group of people I did not know. Volunteering abroad was always something I wanted to do but I had no idea that the 4-weeks I had spent so much time preparing for would so profoundly change my life. “Life changing experience,” is the cliché everyone hears when someone speaks of his or her time abroad. But what do I mean by life changing? I say that because I realized my worth through my capability to exponentially impact others. I am indefinitely grateful for my experience with One Heart Source. I now carry a newfound consciousness to not only strive to make change in Sub Saharan Africa and other unjust parts of the world, but in my community, my life, and myself.
What sets OHS apart from other organizations is that it is a very personal experience. My time working one on one with my student Anele was my favorite part of my experience. In my efforts to teach her she inadvertently taught me more than I could have ever imagined and the bond we developed truly opened my heart. As we had all come together for a common goal, I grew incredibly close to the diverse group of individuals I worked with in Cape Town. OHS is a team and a family that radiates positivity and genuineness in their efforts to right existing global injustices and to create volunteers part in that. Along with our time in the classroom we also learned a lot about the history and culture of Cape Town that really put further meaning to our purpose there.
This is an experience I would recommend to everyone and in the case of facing any uncertainty or fear I urge you to take a leap of faith. Although my knowledge of OHS and Africa was very limited preceding my trip, I now have not only more knowledge of that but also a newfound understanding of myself and the world around me.