Cape Town – Mesmerizing Beauty and People

In reflecting on my time in Cape Town I can honestly say it was a once in a lifetime experience and I finally know what everyone who embarked on the trip before me felt. Every day the beauty of Cape Town was mesmerizing and the people we met were very special. It was nice to be consistently surrounded by such breathtaking beauty while learning about the life changing work local social entrepreneurs were conducting. While abroad I learned so much about myself and people in general and I’m so grateful for the experience.

One day that stood out the most was our site visit to Quirky 30. Quirky 30 is a nonprofit and public benefit organization located in Langa Township. Quirky 30 teaches youth and adults computer skills such as graphic design, cloud skills, and google digital skills. In the Western Cape alone there are over 23,000 unfilled software development jobs, Quirky 30 trains people to fill these vacant positions. While there we heard from CEO and Founder Sihle Tshabalala who shared his story with us. It was inspiring to hear about his life growing up and the time he spent in jail. What impacted me the most was hearing how after spending over five years in jail and returning home he saw how his township had not grown or changed at all, inspiring him to teach himself how to code and using that knowledge to start Quirky 30 and better his community.

Students at Quirky 30 with CEO and Founder Sihle Tshabalala.

All over Cape Town there are people just like Sihle Tshabalala who are using their gifts and talents to better their communities and make the world a better place. Moving forward I hope to use what I learned in Cape Town and the wonderful people I met to impact the world for the better. I now assume positive intent and hope to keep the beauty and peace I found in Cape Town with me always.

Students at the University of Cape Town

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens