International Volunteering

Gryphons Abroad

Each July University of Leeds students and staff travel to South Africa to deliver a life changing project working with hundreds of South African students, aiming to raise aspirations through activity and leadership. This is a student led project and is a once in a lifetime adventure where students gain a range of skills and experience which will set them apart once they leave the University.

The project is delivered at part of the Bambisanani Partnership Charity.

Find out more about the project by watching the video below.

Find out more about the project and find out how you could be part of the team going next year below.

Get Involved

Join the Team

Applications for the summer 2021 programme are currently closed as we consider the impact of the pandemic on this project. We hope to reopen applications as soon as we have more clarity on our options for 2021.

We usually take a team of around 15 students & staff members over to Kwa-Zulu Natal each summer as part of this life changing project. This is usually for 2-3 weeks in the month of July. Any student can apply for the programme – you do not need any previous experience in a sporting environment as full training is provided. This fantastic project gives students the opportunity to travel to a different country and experience a new culture while leading on a project and making a clear impact on students lives in South Africa.

To become a team member, students are required to fundraise £2200. This covers all costs associated with the trip along with a contribution to the project fund e.g. buying bikes. This is a challenge in itself however you’ll be given plenty of support from the staff team to help you reach your target.

Got any questions? Email Andy: a.lockwood@leeds.ac.uk

Project Information

The Gryphons Abroad project has two aspects

1. Inspire through Sport
2. Cycle to Success

Inspire through Sport

Working with four local primary schools we deliver an inspirational leadership and sports programme to all grade seven students based within the Eshowe district.
Over the course of the four days, over 100 children are taught leadership skills, sports activities and a range of classroom lessons by our University students. This culminates in a day where the South African students lead in organising a range of activities and a sports festival.
The impact of this week on not just teaching valuable skills to the students but also seeing their confidence improve is invaluable to their employability in this deprived area.

Cycle to Success

The Cycle to Success project is based at Mnyakanya High School in rural Kwa-Zulu Natal. During our four days at the school we teach 20 students to ride and maintain their own school bikes. Travel to and from school in these areas can be an issue due to the distance between home and school (up to 2 hours walk) and this is a barrier to some students accessing an education. This programme teaches students a skill which can be life changing and will help them to access further support locally as well as improving their confidence. This impact is especially clear with young girls as cycling is not a skill that is traditionally taught to women in their culture.

Mnyakanya High School

The team will be going to Mnyakanya High School, situated in the rural and remote Nkandla region of Kwa Zulu Natal, South Africa. The school, in the heart of traditional Zululand, was opened by Nelson Mandela in 2004 and is located in one of the most deprived areas of South Africa with one in three adults infected by HIV/AIDS, 90% unemployment and an adult illiteracy rate greater than 60%.The school serves a vast area and many students walk two hours to and from school each day. The area has many AIDS orphans. Class sizes are in excess of 60 and the school has very limited resources.