A Hong Kong–Gqeberha Exchange
For four weeks, Andy, Emily and Anya traded Hong Kong for Gqeberha as part of the second exchange between YMCA Nelson Mandela Bay and the Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong.
The two YMCAs may share a commitment to young people and their communities, but the places they work in, and the ways they respond to them, are very different.
During their time with YMCA Nelson Mandela Bay, the three participants stepped into the day-to-day work of the organisation. They joined programmes, assisted with facilitation, spent time with young people, contributed to our meal initiative (Y-Care) and got to know the people and communities behind the work.
For the YMCA Nelson Mandela Bay team, having three new faces around also changed the energy in the room. Their presence sparked curiosity among programme participants, while their different ways of approaching activities and conversations gave the team something new to learn from too.
And then there was everything that happens outside the programme schedule: conversations about culture, food, work, communication and the small differences you only notice when you are actually living and working somewhere new.
We asked the three participants to reflect on their four weeks in the Bay.
Andy: “I love South Africa so much!”
For Andy, South Africa had once felt distant and almost unreachable. Four weeks later, it had become a place where he had worked alongside a local team, served meals to community members, visited schools and rehabilitation centres, and taken part in conversations about substance abuse, climate change, and sustainable development.
His background in geography made the environmental work particularly meaningful. But it was the people and the opportunities to connect with young people that seem to have stayed with him most.
One moment he remembers fondly was a Women's Day celebration organised by the team. There was food, conversation, and an opportunity to express how they were feeling through art, a very different kind of exchange from the workshops and community activities that filled their usual days.
He also came away struck by how warmly he was received.
“The locals are truly warm and welcoming, and their openness has allowed me to make many new African friends.”
His final verdict?
“I love South Africa so much!!”
Emily: A Different Pace, a Different Perspective
Emily arrived expecting an internship. What she found was an experience that made her look differently at service, work, and her own life.
Working with young people in schools and youth rehabilitation centres brought her face-to-face with some of the challenges young people in the Bay experience, particularly around substance abuse and the need for support, education, and positive opportunities.
She was also struck by the rhythm of working life in South Africa. The 9am–4pm working day, the breaks, and the time to talk and connect with colleagues, all of it felt very different from the fast-paced environment she was used to in Hong Kong.
For Emily, that slower pace created room to think.
“This creates a healthy space for self-exploration, which is much needed as a young adult.”
But perhaps her biggest takeaway was much simpler: service does not always have to be complicated.
Distributing meals. Sitting with young people. Sharing a lesson. Having a conversation.
Small acts can matter.
“Serving is not hard and is always feasible, and we should not make excuses.”
Four weeks in Gqeberha gave her plenty to think about long after the workday ended.
Anya: Learning Through Doing
Anya’s experience was shaped by the many schools she visited during the exchange.
Environmental protection was a major part of the work. Rather than only talking about the environment in theory, the team encouraged young people to think about their own role in caring for it. Substance abuse prevention was another part of the programme, opening conversations about the choices young people make and the pressures they face.
What stood out to Anya was how much she learned simply by being there.
Every school was different. Every group of students brought something new. And every day required her to communicate, adapt, and work alongside people she had only just met.
She credits our team with helping her settle into that unfamiliar environment.
“Their guidance made us feel relaxed and confident, especially when communicating with students and answering their questions.”
By the end of the four weeks, she could see changes in herself too, especially in her communication, teamwork, and confidence. And her reflection came back to something easy to overlook: change does not always begin with something big.
“Small things, like educating young people about the environment and healthy living, can have a profound impact.”
More Than an Exchange of Programmes
The exchange was never simply about showing three visitors how YMCA Nelson Mandela Bay operates. It was also about what happens when people who do similar work in different parts of the world sit alongside one another and compare notes.
The participants brought new ideas and approaches into programmes that our team already knew well. Their presence gave the programme participants someone new to engage with, and, in some cases, simply having international participants in the room was enough to spark interest and excitement.
For the teams, it meant practising how to communicate across different cultural backgrounds, noticing where assumptions differed, and finding new ways to work together.
One of the highlights was a shared meal day, where the teams prepared food from their respective cultures and sat down to eat together. It was less a formal activity and more a table around which everyone could teach and learn something: what we eat, how we prepare it, what we serve guests, and the stories that come with food.
That, in many ways, captured the exchange.
There was the work. There were the programmes and community activities. But there was also the everyday learning that happens when people make space for one another.
Four weeks later, Anya, Andy, and Emily left with their own memories of Gqeberha and the people they met here.
And YMCA Nelson Mandela Bay was left with something too: new friendships, new perspectives, and a reminder that even when YMCAs around the world are working towards similar goals, there is always something to learn from how another YMCA does it.
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