August 2012 is permanently marked in my calendar. This is when I joined Conquest For Life as an international volunteer. My passion and respect for the people of South Africa had been a key driving factor since I read about Steve Biko as a college student. It was an important decision for me to be made and it was only the result of months of researching about where to go and what to do. All my initial fears and doubts about my ability to humbly contribute to any social need faded away when I landed in CFL’s facilities. 

Since day one, I was told to progressively involve myself in different programs that addressed real social needs. To begin with, I conducted Computer Training Courses for computer-illiterate people. With different socio-economic profiles on board (e.g. different professions, age groups, previous experience, etc.), this program was very transformative for these students in terms of acquiring new skills and aiming at different job possibilities in the near future. Combining these morning sessions with the Aftercare Program for school children in the afternoon was a good example of how effectively we can address specific social within the same facilities. 

As I was gaining more experience and coping with some self-training for other programs, I was asked to be part of the Building Bridges Diversion program. Hand in hand with other co-workers, we were able to teach crucial life skills for the youth at risk. Being able to open their minds to alternative ways of managing anger, solving conflicts, understanding the value of giving back to their communities and overcoming their individual problems was a realistic /down-to-earth way of changing people’s life forever. It was beautiful to see how some of these youngsters became volunteers later on in their lives. Very transformative! 

Finally, my learning experience about the strengths and weaknesses of this vibrant country was further enlarged by sporadic visits to schools with the JFK program and prisons with the Reathusana program. I can only be thankful for these opportunities to learn from South Africans of any possible background and modestly approach them under the CFL umbrella, hoping to assist them in overcoming life difficulties. 

If any international volunteer is considering joining this or other NGO, please make sure that you first listen, learn and respect before you decide what you want. It is about their priorities and needs, not about yours or your way of understanding those.