Medfield's Holly Oppel Hopes to Volunteer in South Africa

Holly Oppel of Medfield has set up a GoFundMe page in hopes of raising enough money to return to South Africa for seven weeks to teach and tutor schoolchildren in South African school systems. 

She hopes to raise $3,000 and has raised $245 to date. Here is some information from her page entitled Teach Abroad: South Africa... 

As many of you know I studied abroad in Cape Town, South Africa and fell in love with the country. My experience in Cape Town was challenging, adventurous, inspiring, and most of all, humbling. By studying abroad in a Third World Country, I discovered what it means to be American and just how fortunate I am to have had all of the opportunities that I have had in my life. Many of the people of South Africa lack the basic opportunities that we, as Americans, take for granted everyday such as safety, education, health etc.

South Africa provided me with an experience of a lifetime, and now I have a chance to give back to the country that gave so much to me. This summer through a volunteer program titled, Dreams to Reality, I will be returning to South Africa for 7 weeks where I will teach and tutor kids in the local school systems. Many of the schools in the townships of South Africa lack basic resources and the students are in need of a positive influence in their lives.

I am looking forward to volunteering in a South African school and I am determined to give it my all and make every effort to help the students to learn and also to be a positive role model. While I am eager to volunteer abroad, the cost of doing so is expensive. There are program fees, transportation expenses, resource purchases, travel insurance fees, and more. One of the goals of Dreams to Reality is to raise awareness of the educational crisis in South Africa. So, while I recognize that not everybody has the time or the means to volunteer abroad themselves, I invite you to be a part of my experience and donate towards this cause. 

Check out the program that I will be working with:http://www.dreamstoreality.co.za/