Duffle bags line the halls of Principia School on Sunday afternoons as the 12 students participating in this year’s Simunye service trip spend hours categorizing, packing and sorting the voluminous mountain of donated clothes they’ll bring to kids in South Africa.
From sweatshirts and shorts to pants and winter coats, the students know the goal is not to pack light, but to pack smart. The more clothes they can fit into a duffle bag, the more of an impact they can make. The need is great, and when they’re over 8,600 miles away from the St. Louis campus—on a 17-day journey—there’s no turning back for more, even when more is needed.
But limits and finite capacity aren’t what the Simunye trip is about. The Simunye mission extends well beyond what fits into a duffle bag. It spans into a lifetime of service, broad-minded, sustainable thinking, and a global shift in perspective.
The students embark with one purpose in mind: to make a lasting impact for the most people possible, all while working hand-in-hand with local organizations to help create a sustainable future for the communities they visit. Once in South Africa, the students get straight to work on everything from distributing clothes, painting schools, and installing playgrounds to repairing wells, plumbing pipes, and installing toilets.
“It’s one thing to read about sustainability in class,” says trip leader, and Upper School Principal, Sam Dry. “It’s another to actually get your hands dirty and help create something that will continue to change lives long-term. That’s when the lessons truly hit home.”
As part of their hands-on learning experience, and under the guidance of local experts, students will also dig mandala gardens—an ingenious design used to capture precious run-off water—and grow sustainable gardens and food that can feed an entire crèche for years to come.
Speaking of the long-term impact the students are expected to make, Dry says, “The trip is about creating longevity, and they will put their backs into it. It’s good to get them out of the classroom and into the world where they can really see the good they can bring and contribute. Students can see the actual fruition of their hard work, building sustainable food sources, plumbing for fresh water, and providing clothes for growing kids. That’s when they really start to understand the world, and more importantly, their place in it."
With over 600 duffle bags having been delivered since Simunye’s inception, along with countless hours of fundraising and old-fashioned hard work, the students and leaders of this Simunye trip will have learned to think critically, work together, and solve problems in real time. Of the students, Dry says, “They will experience the full arc of the process: fundraising, traveling, making decisions, and seeing the direct results of their efforts. The skills they will gain aren’t just useful for a trip to South Africa—they’re life skills that will serve them in any path they take.”