By Lindsay Coleman-Marsh, Associate Director of Greenheart’s Career Advancement Program for Intern/Trainee
What Serving in South Africa, Sweden, and Spain Taught Me About Community and Connection
When I think back on my time abroad, the moments that changed me most didn’t happen in classrooms, on tours, or during cultural excursions. They happened in kitchens, in crowded school hallways, and in donation rooms filled with mismatched clothing and boxes of canned food.
Volunteering — not because I had to, but because I wanted to — became the thread that tied my experiences together across three different countries. Each place taught me something new about the world, but also about myself. And each community welcomed me not as a visitor, but as someone who could contribute, even in a small way, to their day.
Below are the stories of those experiences, and how they shaped my understanding of service, of culture, and of people.
Johannesburg, South Africa: Elton John Masibambisane Centre (via Jo’burg Child Welfare)
This volunteer experience abroad took place in Eldorado Park, Johannesburg — a community with immense warmth but also deep socioeconomic challenges. The Elton John Masibambisane Centre supports children who have lost parents, who live in unstable homes, or who simply need a safe place to grow.
Walking into that kitchen for the first time, I didn’t know what to expect. I found myself surrounded by huge pots, stacks of plates, and a team of people who moved with purpose and heart. We were cooking lunch for more than 200 children, and the energy in that kitchen was a mix of urgency and joy.
The moment that stayed with me most happened while serving the food. A young girl (six or seven) looked up at me and whispered, “thank you”. It struck me how something as ordinary as a meal — something many of us take for granted — could be a lifeline for someone else.
That day taught me that service isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it’s a warm plate, a smile, or simply showing up when someone needs you.
Rinkeby, Stockholm, Sweden: Tutoring Refugee and Immigrant Children
Rinkeby is different from the postcard version of Stockholm. It’s vibrant, multicultural, and full of families building new lives after leaving everything behind. Volunteering at a school there meant stepping into a space where dozens of languages, identities, and stories collided.
I brought fresh fruit and snacks, and tutored refugee and immigrant children in English — but in truth, I often felt like I was the one learning. Their resilience amazed me. Some had been in Sweden for only a few months, navigating a new language, a new culture, and the weight of their pasts.
One student, a quiet boy from Syria, barely spoke at first. We worked slowly, sometimes only exchanging a few words during our sessions. By the end of our tutoring session, he surprised me by reading a full sentence aloud — not perfectly, but bravely. The way his face lit up with pride is something I will never forget.
Volunteering there reminded me that education is more than grammar and vocabulary. It’s confidence. It’s belonging. It’s hope.
Málaga (Costa del Sol), Spain: Adintre Foundation
My final international volunteer experience of 2025 took place at the Adintre Foundation. It is an organization that supports individuals facing homelessness, poverty, and social exclusion. If South Africa taught me about nourishment and Sweden taught me about language, Spain taught me about dignity.
At Adintre, I helped prepare meals and organize donations — simple tasks on the surface, but deeply meaningful in their impact. The foundation served a wide cross-section of the community. That included elderly people living alone, new immigrants struggling to find work, and families who had recently lost their homes.
Service, I realized, isn’t just about what we give — it’s about recognizing the humanity in everyone we meet.
Reflecting on these three different volunteer experiences, I realized how closely they align with the values behind Greenheart’s Career Advancement Program (CAP). CAP encourages global citizenship, cultural immersion, and personal growth — and volunteering brings all of those elements to life. To find out how, check our “Volunteering deepens cultural understanding” blog post.