I had visited Cape Town once before and fell in love with it! The lifestyle is what drew me to applying for an internship program here and I wanted to experience life in another city after graduating!
My interest in human rights, specifically women had grown in my final year at university. This pushed me into finding an opportunity that would further my understanding about an NGO environment; their policy frameworks and how effective their approach stands.
My actual internship was exactly that! I worked at Embrace Dignity, a women’s rights NGO advocating to abolish prostitution and assist those who want to exit the system. I was involved in their legal advocacy projects which was such a great opportunity!
While Bridging Gaps did mention that Cape Town work culture is generally more relaxed, it took a while to adjust to the environment of an NGO. It can come across as unstructured at first. However, I found that this gave me more flexibility to evaluate what projects I felt my skills would work for. So the level of supervision was present, but the majority of the time is was independent work followed by frequent discussions.
Yes, once I found the projects that I was super passionate about, they were able to trust me with it and always took my opinion into consideration when coming to a final decision. I was always eager to engage with them on various other projects. This led me to establish a great relationship with the team!
Yes for sure!
Yes! This line of work deals with vulnerable people of society which can be tough to be in. However, I focused on a positive note and realised why this NGO was so significant. It was there to radically change their reality. I became more aware of the importance of always engaging and asking questions, debating challenging ideas, and advancing my research skills specifically with South African law! This hugely impacted my personal life and shaped my future career goals!
I think my main fear was adjusting to another country far away from home! But with the help of family around and Bridging Gaps, I felt so comfortable and settled in really quickly!
Already trying to figure out when I can come back!!
I LOVED IT! The people, beaches, wine, and markets! There is a never-ending list of activities to do! Most importantly though the breath-taking scenery and mountains always left me in awe of this city!
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! It will be one of the best decisions you will make!
From the minute I had been in touch with Lucie about applying, she made sure that the placement I was looking for matched perfectly! From then I had full faith in them as they always kept me up to date and briefed me on what to expect when I arrived! Bridging Gaps provided one of the best services I have experienced so far!
They really take care of you, make sure that you’ve settled in well and assist you wherever they can!
The activities and dinners with other interns were always fun!
From the minute I had been in touch with Lucie about applying, she made sure that the placement I was looking for matched perfectly! From then I had full faith in them as they always kept me up to date and briefed me on what to expect when I arrived! Bridging Gaps provided one of the best services I have experienced so far!
YES 100%!
Well worth it! :)
It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that you’re investing in and I personally found it worthwhile!! From the internship learning experience and all the activities they offer; Bridging Gaps make sure you get the full experience you’re looking for! Thank you, Lucie and Luigi for everything!!
Click below to see more a more detailed description of our programme to see if it can give you the career boost you're looking for.
Social justice, Refugee work
Women’s rights
Healthcare
Youth empowerment