Exchange & Service Learning Programmes

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Faizel Petersen has worked with various international exchange groups over the past 10 few years, the likes of the University of Miami, University of North Carolina, Dartmouth College, University of Virginia (Semester at Sea), Marquette University, Poughkeepsie High School and The American School in London. These exchanges started through the Amy Biehl Foundation during 2008.

The programme and activities for each of these institutions is tailor made on their specific requirements and learning objectives, as well as catering for their excursions and exploring our local cuisine from our rich cultural backgrounds, during their period of stay in our city. FP Productions makes all the logistical arrangements and planning in conjunction with the trip leaders and has received very positive feedback on every programme he has put together and has had many individuals returning to Cape Town when their institution visited Cape Town again. To this day, some of the volunteers and students retains communication with us, sharing how their experiences in Cape Town has positively influenced their career choices and decisions made in their lives.

Students from the University of North Carolina and the University of Miami, joining Faizel for breakfast with Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape Town during 2010

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Addressing students on board the Semester at Sea / University of Virginia

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American School in London (ASL) group on a township tour, walking through the community of Masiphumelele, done in partnership with the Desmond Tutu Foundation

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German volunteers that were with the Amy Biehl Foundation

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Our partner, the Desmond Tutu Youth Centre was visited by USA president Barack Obama, during his official visit to South Africa in 2013

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Official welcoming of the ASL group by the Deputy Mayor of Cape Town and members of the Cape Town Junior City Councilors in 2014

Members of the Laureus World Sports Academy. Hugo Porta, former Argentinian Sports Minister, Faizel Petersen and Daley Thompson, USA Decathlete Champion in 2002, during the official launch of Laureus in South Africa

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Poughkeepsie High School students, from New York State, visiting Robben Island, led by the late and former prisoner, Mr. Eddie Daniels

During the period 2008 to 2011, we facilitated a series of youth camps in conjunction with the Amy Biehl Foundation. With most of these camps, we had international interns and volunteers with, who actively participated in developing the camp programme and assisted with facilitating the activities / programmes. One of the great achievements was bridging the divide and perceptions between the 2 racial and cultural groups, coming from areas the likes of Nyanga, Gugulethu and Manenberg. We had a series of indoor and outdoor activities and programmes, the evenings we had "stories around the camp fire" followed by hot chocolate and then bed time. The children absolutely enjoyed themselves and traditional games were played together and taught to those who didn't know those games. Some evenings the groups rehearsed for a talent show which always took place on the last evening of the camp, and this showed us the great success of breaking those boundaries that separated the children. Below are some photos sharing moments on these camps.