Michael's South Africa Experience - completed as part of the Oklahoma State University Master of International Agriculture Program - http://miap.okstate.edu

1. International Experience in
South Africa
BY: BEAU

2. South Africa
 Land area: 1,219,090 sq km / slightly less than twice the size of
Texas
 Climate: mostly semiarid; subtropical along east coast; sunny days,
cool nights
 Population: 49,052,489
 Life expectancy at birth: 48.98 years
 Ethnic groups: black African 79%, white 9.6%, colored 8.9%,
Indian/Asian 2.5%
 Languages: IsiZulu 23.8%, IsiXhosa 17.6%, Afrikaans 13.3%, Sepedi
9.4%, English 8.2%, Setswana 8.2%, Sesotho 7.9%, Xitsonga 4.4%,
other 7.2%

3. Recent South African History
 1948- The National Party was voted into power and
instituted apartheid; which was known as the
“separate development of races” and favored the
white minority at the expense of the black majority.
 The African National Congress led an opposition
against apartheid which led to many of its members,
such as Nelson Mandela, being jailed for decades.
 Early 1990’s-Due to boycotts from western nations
the National Party negotiated a peaceful transition of
power.
 1994- Nelson Mandela was elected president,
officially ending apartheid.

7. The Thanda After-School Program
 The Thanda After-School Program was founded in
2008 as a means of reducing the rate of HIV/AIDS
prevalence and increasing the students chance of
passing the Matric as well as building essential life
skills.
 Thanda’s classes include computers, art, soccer,
basketball, netball, and construction/agriculture.
 Thanda is held at the nearby Khati High School from
3-5 on weekdays.

11. My Goals/Responsibilities
 My original goal of volunteering with Thanda was to
build up the knowledge of the
agricultural/construction teacher on all things
agriculture.
 Another goal was to perceive any agricultural
innovations that could be implemented in the
community to help ease poverty.

13. Project #1
 My first project that I worked on was a “chicken
tractor”.
 In the local community chickens are mainly free
range and are not contained, thus leaving the owner
to search out where the chickens laid their eggs
everyday.
 The “chicken tractor” could be built relatively
cheaply and could keep the chickens contained to an
area while and also could be used to fertilize gardens.

18. Project #2
 My second project was to develop a garden that the
agricultural students could get practical experience
working in.
 A new movement in the community is practicing
permaculture. Twin and I made a contact with an
agricultural coordinator at another school down the
road who practices permaculture with her students.

22. Project #3
 Thanda started a new entrepreneurship class for
recent graduates in February
 The only student that showed up was interested in
starting a chicken business
 I worked with him for four weeks on ideas for his
business and took him on field trips to similar
businesses around the community

33. Trip Expectations Met?
 Overall, I enjoyed the culture, people, and places.
 However…….the coordinators of the organization led
me to believe that there was a need for me to be there
when there really wasn’t.

34. Advice For Upcoming International Experience
Trips
 Extensively research the organization/company.
 Search out contacts who have worked with the
organization.
 Have at least one phone call with someone in the
organization before you go.

35. Travel
Port St. Johns

43. Travel
 Cape Town
 Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope/Cape
Point, Boulders Bay