Larissa making a difference by sharing her time & talents

One of the most important aspects of our study abroad program is our activist project.  Each student is expected to find a volunteer opportunity to work on every week for the remaining time that we are in Cape Town, and we get to choose that project completely on our own.  One of my housemates, Avery, decided to team up with Africa Unite (a wonderful NGO focused on human rights & empowering young adults) to start an after school arts program called “Africa Acts Out” in a local township, Nyanga.  This is one of the oldest black townships in Cape Town, where there is unfortunately a 56% unemployment rate, and has previously been known as one of the poorest and most dangerous parts of Cape Town.  The kids here are dealing with issues that many of us in the US are privileged enough to never have to encounter, and they’re going to school and trying to be regular kids on top of everything else in their lives.  There aren’t many opportunities for them, so it’s amazing that we have the chance to offer them more. 

Africa Acts Out is going to have four sections; singing, creative writing, comedy (improv), and dance.  I’m honored to say that I get to work as the dance teacher for the students in that part of the program until we go back home!  I’ll be working with a group of up to 20 students, comprised of kids from grades 10-12, which could mean anyone between the ages of 15-22.  At the end of our eight weeks together my students will get to showcase what they’ve learned, as will the students from the singing, writing, and improv groups during one big show night.  I can’t wait to get started; we’re going to meet with the students in Nyanga this Friday, and then next week I’ll start my classes that will run every Tuesday and Friday until the end of April. 

I can’t stop thinking about how perfect this is for me- I get to start dancing again, and I get to teach.  I’m really looking forward to working with older children because I haven’t really had experience with this age group.  I’ve always preferred the youngest kids, so it’ll be interesting to work with kids who are actually old enough to talk to and share more with.  It’s a little overwhelming to know that I need to start planning dance lesson plans and mentally planning choreography for our final performance, but I’m really focusing on making sure these kids are provided with a fun, creative outlet and a safe haven to escape the craziness they live in.