The Sound of a Smile Program

Souhegan Ethics Forum is proud to be affiliated with the Sound of a Smile organization, which sends volunteers to Kurland Village in South Africa to better their community. The Sound of a Smile Program was created in 2018 as a volunteer program focused on improving poverty-stricken African villages' educational environment and experience. Kurland Village is a small community of about 5,000 people outside Plettenberg Bay, South Africa. Kurland is home to Black and Colored people speaking several languages, including Afrikaans, English, and Xhosa. The effects of apartheid still linger in the area, leaving behind inequality and poverty. The program focuses on numerous areas depending on the needs of the village at the time, a few specific areas include education and youth development. Sound of a Smile also provides job opportunities for those in the village by employing individuals living in Kurland.