2025 Service Learning Experiences

Kenya: Hospitality and Healthcare Accessibility in Kenya

Dates: May 20th – June 4th

This program will immerse students in Kenya, providing a comprehensive understanding of hospitality in the Maasai Mara region and urban settings. Participants will engage with the local communities, gaining insights into traditional hospitality practices and how they integrate into the tourism industry through environments such as hotels, clinics, and community centers. Students will engage with local healthcare and hospitality organizations, learning of the daily operations of hotel operations, hospitality entrepreneurship, and local supermarkets, as well as engaging with a local healthcare facility to observe and understand the role of hospitality in patient care. Participants will work with organizations such as Maa Trust, Limuru Children’s Center, Utalii College, and Kimlea Training School. They will also have the opportunity to explore Kenya, including sites such as the Brackenhurst Indigenous Forest Walk, Bomas of Kenya, Home Visit and Cooking Exchange with local families, the Giraffe Center, the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trush Elephant Orphanage, and the Maasai Mara National Reserve Game Drive.

This trip is in collaboration with the School of Hospitality Administration. Please see their Service Learning website here.

Note: Sargent students must apply through the Sargent application, NOT through the School of Hospitality Administration.

Ghana:

Dates: July 14th – July 28th

Ghana is a stable democracy, with a rich and diverse cultural heritage, fast-growing economy, and strategic location in West Africa. It is a key destination for investment, tourism, and trade, known for its gold, crude oil, timber, and cocoa exports. In recent years, illegal gold mining, known locally as “galamsey,” continues to cause environmental damage and economic losses, including polluted rivers and an estimated $2 billion annual loss in tax revenue.

For students taking part in the service-learning trip, Ghana offers a unique and invaluable educational experience that combines history, culture, and hands-on learning in health and development that aligns with academic and professional goals. In Accra, the national capital, students will explore the University of Ghana School of Public Health, UG Medical Centre, and the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, enhancing their understanding of healthcare training and research infrastructure. Following that, students will visit the University of Ghana Nutrition Research and Training Center (NRTC) in Asesewa, Eastern Region. The Centre brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines and clinicians at the Asesewa District Government Hospital to tackle complex nutrition and health challenges. Students will gain real-world experience in rural nutrition and health research, clinical practice, and public health interventions in community settings. Additional visits to the Koforidua Regional Hospital and Ghana Health Service headquarters in Accra will provide insights into Ghana’s healthcare and public health structure.

Beyond academics, students will immerse themselves in Ghana’s vibrant culture, enjoying traditional music and dance performances by the University of Ghana School of Performing Arts and visit historic sites like Cape Coast Castle, a key landmark in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. For additional leisure, students may visit the Wli Waterfall in the Volta Region, following a learning tour of the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Hohoe, or enjoy a cruise on the Volta Lake at the Royal Senchi Resort & Hotel. The trip promises a holistic blend of education, culture, and adventure, making Ghana an unforgettable learning destination.

South Africa: Global Health Service Learning in Cape Town

Dates: August 11th – August 24th

South Africa faces challenges of high unemployment rates, poor educational outcomes, poverty, and the outcomes of Apartheid apparent in the nation’s infrastructure and society. Students will have the opportunity to explore several aspects of public health systems in Cape Town, South Africa’s capital city. While engaging in service learning, students will visit with community health workers at the YMCA and hear of their work and challenges, visit Khayelitsha, the largest township in Cape Town, learn about LGBTQ+ rights and history with the Pride Shelter Trust, work with Kidz Africa to support vulnerable children’s movement and nutrition, and engage in environmental justice projects with the Princess Vlei forum. Students will also have the opportunity to explore other aspects of Cape Town, including viewing the city from atop Table Mountain, visit Robben Island, home of political prisoners during the colonial and Apartheid years, including President Nelson Mandela, see penguins at Boulders Penguin Colony, and take a game drive at the Aquila Safari Private Game Reserve.