Reviews
Would you recommend One Heart Source?
27 reviews
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(2014-11-04 22:45:22.0)
OHS is an organization of passionate and dedicated individuals genuinely trying to change lives in the township of Imizamo Yethu. Their program was well run. It brought together a very diverse group of people from around the country with whom I shared a great experience volunteering and exploring South Africa.
(2014-11-02 10:28:00.0)
I highly recommend OHS. If you want to understand the world from a new lens outside of news reports, or anecdotes, this is the way to do it- first hand. By becoming a volunteer teacher, you are immediately exposed to your students' worlds, new realities on what it means to grow up without much of the access and privileges we may take for granted, day to day. You and fellow volunteers form tight knit groups, and there is much an education of the volunteers as there is for the students. We watch videos, have discussion, engage in community events, take tours, as well as have time for weekend fun (excursions, safari, shark diving, etc). Highly recommended.
(2014-11-02 09:43:23.0)
As a student in my college's African Studies program I had been hoping to travel to Africa for some time. I had been presented with a variety of opportunities to make spending time in East Africa a reality and I found that One Heart Source stood out amongst other study abroad and volunteer opportunities. The combination of living in a homestay and teaching in a local school in Zanzibar made my time volunteering with One Heart Source beyond meaningful. The joy I felt after classes where my students were able to confidently respond in recently taught English phrases or subtract with borrowing correctly was immense. The close relationships I developed with my Zanzibari teaching partner, my mentorship students and my fellow volunteers are relationships I will cherish for the rest of my life. My time spent in Zanzibar with One Heart Source presented an honest depiction of the warmth of Swahili culture and the progress that can be made when you're willing to step outside of your comfort zone
(2014-11-02 09:21:04.0)
An amazing organization where you are not only empowering children but also it also encouraged to think outside of the box. You are exposed to different cultures and issues all around the world. You are able to see how our small choices have a bigger impact on the world. A very humbling and experience, like none I have ever had before.
(2014-11-01 06:46:52.0)
The experience in One Heart Source has affected me in ways I did not foresee. Ever since I was a child, I have always wanted to be a teacher. A Chinese proverb says, “Education is using one’s life to influence the other’s”, which is also the reason why I choose to join a 4-weeks volunteer program with One Heart Source in Cape Town, South Africa. It presents me with the wonderful opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of children while also influencing myself.
I believe a good teacher passes on to their student not only knowledge and skills, but also positive moral values. It is the reason why a whole person’s development takes a significant role on the development of a child’s health, and this is the short-term goal I wanted to achieve with my students throughout the program. I believe children deserve a happy childhood in their early years and to have equal opportunities in education, status, and most importantly, life. However, there are still a large amount of chi
(2014-10-31 12:00:58.0)
My 4-week volunteer experience with One Heart Source in Cape Town, South Africa this past summer was an incredible, fulfilling, and eye-opening experience. Volunteers form such close, special bonds with their students that by the end of the program, it is incredibly hard to say goodbye. My students taught me patience, gratitude, diligence, and compassion, and I certainly learned just as much from them as they did from me. Not only do volunteers engage closely with students at Moravian Primary School, but the directors of OHS offer various tours and educational outings in order for us to understand the history of South Africa and the context in which our students are living. I walked away with enhanced knowledge about apartheid, HIV/AIDS, living conditions in townships, and social inequity in modern South Africa. My experience with One Heart Source has motivated me to pursue non-profit and public health work in the future, and I am inspired to continue volunteering thanks to OHS!
(2014-10-29 15:49:18.0)
One Heart Source has forever changed my life for the best! The staff is amazing, the excursions were immeasurably beneficial to my growth, and the students were a pleasure to work with. I really appreciated the balance between working at the school and learning about the greater context through trips and meetings. I struggled at times but I always felt supported. I can honestly say I would do it all over again if I could!
(2014-10-28 19:21:13.0)
A huge leap of faith is what brought me to Cape Town, South Africa during the summer of 2014. Being accepted to volunteer abroad with One Heart Source (OHS), a non-profit/grassroots program, was the the life affirming moment that I had been in search of. For four weeks, OHS provided me with the opportunity to educate and empower vulnerable youth of sub-Saharan Africa as a mentor through social and academic support. In an effort to address and close the achievement gap in the classroom I first had to gain an understanding of just how connected we all are through our humanity. Living in the birthplace of Nelson Mandela, rejuvenated my activism and pushed my consciousness to new depths. To be humbled by kindness, loved and cared for by strangers (who quickly became family), to learn and live within a culture unlike my own, and be an agent for social change halfway across the world has caused me to question what work still needs to be done so that we may achieve a non-racial society.
(2014-10-28 10:40:48.0)
Volunteering with One Heart Source in Cape Town, South Africa this last summer was a life changing experience! I had the opportunity to meet and connect with the most inspiring and beautiful people. We spent everyday learning and trying to make a positive impact. It was an experience of a lifetime!
(2014-10-23 17:39:21.0)
Volunteering with One Heart Source was one of the most formative, life-defining experiences for me. The experience far exceeded my expectations as it was much more than just volunteering. I met and got to work one-on-one with some incredible students who both inspired me and influenced me as much as I hope that I influenced them. My time with them showed to me the importance of alleviating social injustices, particularly those affecting youth education. The staff of One Heart Source is also incredible. They facilitate discussion that challenge you to ask big and important questions about the world that we live in and the inequality that we see. I learned so much and grew immensely. Overall, the experience is incredible and has left me with the desire to pursue social justice through my career and for the rest of my life.
(2014-10-23 08:10:36.0)
I applied to be a OHS volunteer for four weeks during summer 2013. I thought it would just be an interesting learning experience and I had no idea how much it would completely change me as a person. I thought I would be traveling to South Africa to volunteer and give my time and knowledge to those who needed it and I did not realize how much I would receive in return. I taught the students I worked with math and English skills and in return they taught me how to be a more patient, kind, and understanding student. By the end of my time in South Africa I felt like there was no way I couldn't return and continue working with One Heart Source. I then returned for a second summer in 2014 and am planning another return in 2015, I strongly urge everyone to give One Heart Source a chance and I promise you will not be let down!
(2014-10-23 07:36:57.0)
Volunteering with One Heart Source was and continues to be the most life-changing, empowering and absolutely incredible experiences of my life. I first volunteered with OHS in Zanzibar, Tanzania in 2013. I felt the need to volunteer because I had been so fortunate to have amazing educational opportunities that had prepared me for success and welcomed many opportunities for personal and career growth. I had countless thoughtful discussions during my volunteer program, and I was challenged to think critically about the world around me. I felt awakened by the community I served in and empowered by the students I taught and mentored every day. I came back to the States a more responsible, compassionate human, and jumped at the opportunity to work as a part of the One Heart Source team in their Cape Town location the following year. I highly recommend applying to volunteer with OHS! I learned so much from my volunteer experience, and I truly feel that anyone can similarly benefit!
(2014-10-22 13:26:28.0)
One Heart Source gave me such an eye-opening experience, which I have referred to time and time again since I've returned to the US from Cape Town. Probably the most important idea I learned from this trip is that I understand very little about the world. Going on this trip and working closely with some of the most taboo problems of society opened my eyes and deepened my understanding of what was really going on. Unlike most other NGOs, One Heart Source gives their volunteers the responsibilities to communicate and work closely with the advisors and the founders of the organization. I felt like my opinions on what we could do were received and discussed by the coordinators of the organization. In fact, communication during the program was fantastic. There would be a meeting every morning to discuss our goals for that particular day, and there would be a debriefing after dinner to discuss what we learned and how we can better work. I returned with better leadership and independence.
(2014-10-21 13:59:53.0)
If you are looking for an adventure, a chance to grow as an individual, and an opportunity to give back to a community less fortunate than your own, One Heart Source is the best program out there. Something about the program resonated with me that I couldn't initially describe. So I took the chance and volunteered in their Cape Town program.
The experience was one indescribable. The people I met, the experiences I had, and the community I worked with changed my life forever.
You will never realize the impact just a few volunteers can have on the outlook of an entire community. The kids I worked with changed my life forever, and I know the time our program spent with them changed their lives as well.
One Heart Source is also extremely flexible, and offers several programs with varying length to accommodate to prior commitments (internships, jobs, vacation, etc.). If you want to make a difference, One Heart Source can make it happen.
(2014-10-20 18:42:44.0)
I originally applied to One Heart Source because I wanted to help others outside of my community. But OHS is so much more than helping out in South Africa. The experience was so life changing because it was raw and real. You get to do hands-on work and interact with students as a teacher, no previous experience necessary. It challenged me to become a better mentor and leader everyday, and I hold the bonds that I made with those students close to my heart. During those 4-weeks, you learn how to become the best teacher you can be in order to help students learn not only Math and English, but also how to be confident, driven, and embrace individuality. I encourage everyone I know to become part of this community and volunteer because it it goes above and beyond general non-profits. It is so fulfilling to connect cross-culturally with students in South Africa and volunteers from around the globe to address and discuss issues of social injustice. It was the best decision of my life!
(2014-10-20 09:48:34.0)
My experience volunteering for One Heart Source marks a pivotal change in my life that I will never forget. It opened my eyes to issues of social justice, equality, and what it means to be human. Every day working with the students is so much fun and enriching, and every moment spent with the One Heart Source family is sure to change your perspectives and make you want to become the best version of yourself. Deciding to apply to volunteer with One Heart Source was definitely one of the best decisions of my life.
(2014-10-19 14:37:55.0)
Volunteering with One Heart Source was the most enriching, nourishing, thought-provoking, experiences of my life. The program allowed me to interact closely with the community I was working in. One Heart Source created a family within its volunteers. I have never felt so close to another group of people outside of my own family, and that closeness along with the fulfilling work is what brought me back to volunteer for a second summer. Volunteering with One Heart Source was the best decision I have made in my life and I suggest it to anyone looking for a hands-on, empowering, fulfilling experience with a group of amazing people.
(2014-10-16 00:16:48.0)
One Heart Source is by far one of the BEST decisions I've ever made in life! My friend told me all about her experience and how it changed her life, so of course I had to see for myself! I did some research, applied, and the rest was history!! OHS has truly opened my eyes and heart to people, places, and experiences that I could not have imagined before. Teaching 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students was incredible, but being taught by my students, community members, and OHS family was something I didn't expect! I learned so much about other people, cultures, communities, etc. and more about myself. I came into OHS wanting to go into law enforcement and left certain, that I want to go into primary education. And of course, I will be going back for 2 months next summer, because it is that AWESOME! I WISH EVERYBODY COULD EXPERIENCE THIS!! I LOVE OHS AND OHS LOVES ME!!
(2014-10-14 11:43:57.0)
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 ex
(2014-10-08 21:20:11.0)
One Heart Source is a family that is committed to changing the world by inspiring, empowering and educating one child at a time. During the summer of 2014 I spent four weeks in Cape Town, South Africa with my OHS family. While in CP I mentored and tutored three primary school children (each in third, fourth, and fifth grade respectfully) in mathematics and literacy.
Firstly, I experienced the inextricable human linkage between people around the world. This was demonstrated through a deep connection with and love that develop between the students and I. These children are extremely intelligent, absorb knowledge like fresh sponges, and only desire to learn more. As a volunteer I was able to assist teachers at their school by alleviating some of the pressure to teach and provide attention to 50+ students in one class.We strive to empower! We strive to give children the tools to be successful in any arena. Together, as a family working toward this common good, OHS is making a difference.
(2014-10-08 04:59:00.0)
You hear it all the time. "Volunteering changed my life." “It was the most meaningful experience of my life." But what does this really mean? After spending a summer with One Heart Source, I can guarantee you'll be that much closer to figuring it out.
Ever since returning from Zanzibar the summer of 2013 and even more so since returning from Cape Town this past summer, everything has been different. The best way for me to describe it is, gaining a greater sense of connectedness to humanity, regardless of boundaries, and embracing the fact that I have a role in creating change.
So if you’re into expanding and changing your world view, or just want to have an amazing summer immersing in a new culture and teaching hardworking kids, One Heart Source is the program for you!
(2014-10-06 19:23:24.0)
I volunteered with OHS last summer in Cape Town, South Africa for four weeks. I travelled from DC to Cape Town and OHS staff members were at my gate waiting for me when I arrived. Not only were the staff members incredibly supportive and inclusive throughout my trip, but the other volunteers were as well. I volunteered with this organization knowing no one and I am in no way an extrovert. Yet by the end of my trip I made real friendships, many of whom I stay in regular contact with.
My desire to volunteer stemmed from the injustice I feel toward the inequality children face. Although I have a background in education, that is not at all needed in order to volunteer with OHS. Furthermore although we do teach children, it is much more of a mentorship.
I would recommend anyone and everyone to participate in a volunteer program with One Heart Source, and I promise your experience will be nothing short of positive and meaningful. Apply today at www.oneheartsource.org
(2014-10-06 17:48:15.0)
One Heart Source (OHS) is an awesome non-profit organization and I am extremely thankful to have volunteered with them. I had originally applied for the program to experience a different culture/travel, but gained so much more than I could have ever expected. The organization is run by a small group of people who are focused on empowering students through education. As a 4-week volunteer I was assigned one 3rd grader and three 4th graders. This small ratio is intentional so each student gets the attention they need. As volunteers, we created and documented daily lesson plans and analysis so that the next 4-week program of volunteers could take over where we left off with the students. Although a great majority of my time was dedicated to teaching, we also got the chance to learn about/visit historical sites in South Africa. I learned so much throughout those past 4-weeks and would HIGHLY recommend this organization to anyone and everyone! The experience was truly life changing. APPLY!
(2014-10-05 12:22:06.0)
I spent a month in Cape Town with OHS this past summer. When I met the OHS team and other volunteers, I really felt like part of the family. Everyone was really engaged and invested in their students, their personal growth, and learning about each other and supporting one another. It was really an aha moment for me, seeing inequality and privilege that blatantly in South Africa, and realizing how I could make a difference. I learned way more than I could have imagined and met some incredibly passionate and empathetic people. I loved seeing my students each day and got to develop relationships with them, their friends, and meet some of their family. I felt like OHS supported who I was and wanted to help me along my personal journey. I can't wait to go back this summer!
(2014-10-04 11:52:46.0)
The random click on a mass email from my faculty brought me to Cape Town, South Africa the past summer. I spent 4 weeks there, doing a lot of education work at a primary school in a township outside Cape Town. We were mentoring and teaching 3rd graders and 4th graders in English and Maths. Seeing my 3rd grader’s smile and my 4th graders’ eagerness to learn simply lit up my world. The experience was AMAZING!!! I've learnt literally A LOT from the trip and my future directions became clearer. This special volunteering experience not only empowered kids in Cape Town, but it's also a life-changing experience that empowered ourselves to be a better person.
Most importantly, people there are all welcoming, kind to everyone regardless where you came from. I was spreading love to kids there, but also receiving a lot of support and love from the One Heart Source family. I just can't wait to go back.
(2012-12-22 14:16:32.0)
Since day one, I knew I had made the right decision of volunteering with One Heart Source. I wanted to somehow combine education with health in my volunteer experience and that was exactly what One Heart Source did. We taught in classrooms to children, and also in the community as well. I really felt a connection with the non-profit and if anyone is considering volunteering they should definitely keep it as a great option.
(2012-12-19 22:08:06.0)
My decision to volunteer with One Heart Source was one of the best decisions i've made. My time in Tanzania taught me so much. This rare opportunity allowed me to utilize education in fighting injustice on a global level. It showed me what I want to do with my life. If you are considering doing this, all I can say is you should. I am in love with this organization. It has become such a big part of who I am.