YOUTH FOR UNDERSTANDING (YFU) SOUTH AFRICA is an international youth exchange organization that promotes intercultural exchange programs between South Africa and the world. Our mission is to prepare young people for their responsibilities and opportunities in a changing, interdependent world. YFU South Africa is a registered non-profit, volunteer-driven organization and has been in existence since 1995. We form part of a world-wide family of YFU national organizations with offices in more than 45 countries. Although each national organization is autonomous, all YFU partners are bound and committed to specific international agreements and standards related to their exchange programs.
 
 

Rachel Andresen, founder of YFU, who brought a group of young Germans to the USA in 1951 to experience America

OUR ROOTS... The first Youth for Understanding national organization was founded in the USA in 1951. The initial purpose of YFU was to bring young post-second world war Germans to the USA to experience democracy by living with American hostfamilies and attend high school for one year. The idea spread from there, and today YFU is one of the largest and most respected international exchange organizations. In South Africa, the organization opened its doors in Cape Town in 1994, and we received our first exchange students from Germany in 1995. Since 1995, YFU South Africa has received and sent hundreds of high school students on our 6-week, semester or 1-year exchange programs.
 
Hans Strijdom, Rensche Strijdom (left) and Elsje Stander (right) with Karin and Ulrich Zahlten from YFU Germany in the late 1990's. YFU Germany initiated the formation of YFU South Africa in 1994.
 
 
  YFU SOUTH AFRICA IN A NUTSHELL:
  • We offer short term and long term exchange programs to 15-18 year old students attending high school (there are also 18+ programs available)
  • We are a registered non-profit organization under the South African Companies' Act
  • Our programs are based on sound educational principles
  • We adhere to the YFU International Basic Standards and Quality Criteria
  • We select students and hostfamilies irrespective of racial, cultural, gender or language background
  • We believe strongly in post-exchange program involvement and development of our former exchange students (returnees)
  • We aim to establish and maintain professional relationships with our partner schools, the backbone of our business
  • We provide, where possible, scholarship support to financially challenged, yet talented and well-motivated, South African students to selected countries
  • YFU South Africa is governed and supervised by an independent Board of Directors, all of whom are volunteers for YFU
  • We are active in various regions and provinces, with our national head-office situated in Cape Town
 
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