Round Square International Service (RSIS) projects bring students from Round Square schools together from diverse cultures to work collaboratively on service projects in remote areas of the world.

Projects traditionally serve remote communities providing building support for periods of up to two weeks. For July 2026, 38 students and 5 staff from Round Square schools across the world travelled to South Africa, to work with the inhabitants of the Huhudi settlement, close to the agricultural town of Vryburg. Over a two-week period, students were involved with the construction of a shelter for a soup kitchen that provides essential nourishment to early years children in the settlement, many of whom struggle with having regular meals.

St Philip’s were represented by Ava McClain, Sophia Goodman (both Year 11 students) and Vicki Hutchinson as the Project Leader.

After arriving in Johannesburg, Sophia, Ava and Vicki travelled to Tiger Kloof School, a Round Square school near Vryburg which was their home for the next ten days. They spent many days working to build, using bricks and mortar, a three room building where the soup kitchen (currently run out of a shipping container) was housed. The girls got to work in small Baraza groups of 9 and 10 to learn the different building skills, mixing their own mortar, learning brick laying skills, as well as moving lots of bricks. They had help from a local building company to learn the different skills that they neededed, and worked hard to keep the building site clean and organised. Over the time, they saw the building come into shape, and were proud that on the last day that the building was opened by special members of the Tiger Kloof school community.

They didn’t work the whole time – they were lucky to learn local traditions like gumboot dancing, how to play the marimba, and participated in the cultural talent show on the last night. They lived at Tiger Kloof school in the Boarding House, and got to try lots of delicious South African foods and treats along the way. They created geometrically inspired art work for display around the school and had opportunities to develop thei leadership through leading groups on the worksite. They spent time at the Tiger Kloof Primary School teaching English, Art and PE and playing games with the kindergarten children. It was very chilly at night and in the mornings but they had warm days (and it was even drier than Alice Springs). They got to learn a lot about the history of South Africa from local experts, as well as from presenters at the Apartheid Museum and students from St Stithians girls school (another Round Square school), also in Johannesburg.

It was such a wonderful experience and they were so thankful to Round Square and St Philip’s for providing such a wonderful opportunity. There will be more opportunities for students to engage in both local and international service projects this year and next – students and parents are encouraged to keep an eye on Schoolbox for more details or speak directly to Ms Pollitt or Ms Hutchinson.

Vicki, Ava and Sophia.

Note from Ms Hutchinson:

I would just like to say how wonderful Ava and Sophia were. Not all the students were as wonderful, or thankful for the opportunity, but it was so heartwarming to see our girls represent us with such pride – it made my heart shine. They definitely deserve a big pat on the back!

Wanted - Pickles and Preserves