University of Chester student excited to help South African communities more after life-changing experience

Ruby Jones was in her second year of studying Digital Marketing when she became part of a group of five students from the University for the Study Abroad placement with Edge of Africa. As well as enjoying the natural and cultural highlights the region had to offer, Ruby also revelled in supporting a range of community and social impact projects.

Now in her third year of studies, Ruby will be heading back to Cape Town, mentoring a new group of University of Chester students in her new role of project co-ordinator, assisting local townships with education, infrastructure and social support, as well as working on biodiversity projects to protect South Africa’s unique ecosystems.

Ruby said: “When I departed Manchester Airport, I was very emotional and nervous for my first time away from home with a group of people I had only just met, but I was just as sad to leave the experience after growing so much as a person and missing the experience.

“Our unforgettable trip began with three days in Cape Town exploring all it had to offer; from Table Mountain to the famous Chapman’s Peak Drive, Boulders Beach, a tour of Robben Island from a former inmate, walked the colourful streets of Bo-Kaap, dining at traditional south African restaurants as well as having some downtime to explore Cape Town’s nightlife.

“After an exciting and fun-filled stay, we started our day-long scenic drive to Knysna, stopping along the way to refuel with various treats and even capture some pictures of baboons. Once arriving in Knysna, we were introduced to the rest of the Edge of Africa team and welcomed into our new home for the month.

“The weeks that followed were full of fun, education, and life-changing memories. During the week we would volunteer in various community supporting projects in the Knysna township, and at the weekends we had activities including feeding elephants at a local sanctuary, skydiving, bungee jumping off the world’s tallest bridge bungee, going on a boat trip to the Knysna heads and visiting local craft markets.

“Whilst volunteering, we contributed to multiple social impact projects, including pre-school teaching and educational activities, environmental restoration projects such as beach clean-ups, community support projects such as the swap shop recycling project and food distribution programmes such as the soup kitchen.

“During our last week of the trip, we drove over the border into the Eastern Cape to Addo National Elephant Park for a three-day camping safari. This was truly one of the many highlights of the trip with opportunities to spot the ‘big five’ whilst on safari and come back to camp to a delicious braai for dinner. Whilst on the safari we spotted lions, rhinos, buffalo, kudu, meerkats, and lots and lots of elephants!

“Study Abroad allowed me to gain invaluable skills and experience that I can carry into my career and personal life, such as teamwork, compassion and adaptability. During our stay we had the opportunity to meet so many amazing and unforgettable people. The trip really opened our eyes to other cultures and lifestyles and allowed us to develop strong bonds, not only in our small volunteering group, but with the people we met along the way. Their welcomeness, kindness and respect will stay with me.

“My short-term placement was the perfect opportunity to get out of my comfort zone, push my boundaries and gain new experiences. We took part in important community projects, giving me unique opportunities to develop strong cross-cultural communication and interpersonal skills through daily engagement with community members, skills that I would not have gained in other areas of work experience.

“My time away strengthened my independence and self-management skills through co-ordinating daily life and projects abroad. During my placement I was able to create marketing and promotional materials for Edge of Africa. Since returning to my final year of study, I have had the opportunity to produce additional promotional content for University of Chester’s social media channels, showcasing Study Abroad opportunities to fellow students. Study Abroad allowed me to successfully adapt to unfamiliar environments, strengthening my independence, resilience, teamwork and problem solving, as well as giving me unforgettable memories.

“I am extremely excited I have been offered the opportunity to return this year as a project co-ordinator for the 2026 University of Chester volunteer group! I am looking forward to all the experiences from exploring Cape Town, hopefully ticking off a couple more of the ‘big five’ on safari, the delicious food and, most importantly, helping the community. I am excited to reconnect with the people I met last year, and those I am yet to meet. But most of all, I am looking forward to being a part of this year's volunteers' group and seeing how they will also love it as much as I did.”

Candida Darling, Overseas Learning and Study Abroad Lead, Centre for Student Exchange and Language Development at the University, said: “After demonstrating exceptional dedication and cultural empathy during her initial placement, Ruby will now oversee the logistics and mentorship of a new group of students. Her role involves bridging the gap between our volunteers and the needs of the local communities in the South African townships.

“Through these initiatives, students gain a global perspective while providing hands-on support to grassroots organisations. Ruby’s promotion highlights the success of the programme in developing young leaders capable of managing complex, high-impact projects in an international setting.

“Edge of Africa and the University of Chester have been working together for nearly 20 years and we are incredibly grateful to the organisation for the opportunities they offer Chester students.”

For more information on Edge of Africa, visit: https://edgeofafrica.com/  

Top image: University of Chester students Adam Hicks, Kelly Thompson, Madison Degg, Ruby Jones and Joshua Cox meeting members of the community in South Africa.