Without doubt the most life-changing month of my life was spent volunteering in a primary school in a deprived are of Cape Town.

I spent the month working in a Science class (with some English lessons also) for Grade 6 and 7 pupils. The work itself varied from helping individual pupils, answering questions, assisting with admin, looking after the class and general teaching duties.

The children made an instant impression on me. Their interest in education varied widely from the very attentive to those with a complete lack of interest in school. It made some experiences challenging but it was completely understandable – if you grow up in a society where meritocracy is a fantasy and no link between education and future career prospects where is your incentive to care about photosynthesis?

Yet even with the most challenging kids there was such gregariousness and energy that I found myself warming to them instantly. In the evening of my first day I scuttled around in taxis going to 5 different bookshops until I could finally find some Science textbooks that I could study in my evenings to ensure I was able to help the kids as much as I could and make up for my 14 year void since I last read a science textbook – this was a level of motivation to learn that sadly eluded me during 12 years of formal school education!

When I first started I remember what joy it gave me to make the kids laugh and be it from my dress style, horrendous attempts at dancing or the worst rendition of Wonderwall heard since karaoke night at my old students union there were plenty of sources of hilarity for the kids both with me and far more accurately at me!

After my first week the teacher I was working with commented on me building a quick connection with the kids and I remember what a warm glow it gave me hearing that and yet it was the start of a change in my perspective.

The more that I learned about the barriers these kids faced as they negotiated the South African education system and structural inequalities they had to endure the more I thought about my own happiness at making the kids at school laugh.

As I reflected on it more, the penny finally dropped that whilst it is undoubtedly beneficial to build rapport with kids you are teaching that the real reason I got such a kick out of the kids reaction to me was that it was an ego boost to have dozens of kids laughing at your every word and it was far more about me than the kids.

It was following this light bulb moment that I redoubled my efforts to make sure I devoted the remainder of my time to make sure I would actually assist the children’s learning. It was why it didn’t bother me in the slightest assisting with admin tasks; anything that freed up my teachers time to teach these kids who have had their life chances handicapped thanks to the cruel lottery of life was time well spent.

People often talk about ‘poverty tourism’ and the crass nature of wealthy westerners going to Africa under the guise of helping and how much it actually makes a difference and it’s something I reflect on a lot as I travel.

When people think of volunteering in Africa their mind often wanders to a heart rendering charity appeal of starving children. Whilst the school works on very tight resources and there are undoubtedly gigantic budgetary restraints, it is not just the poverty but the inequality that was so shocking in Cape Town.

South Africa is frequently dubbed the most unequal countries on earth with a vast gulf between rich and poor that even makes a country as unfair as the UK seem like a paragon of egalitarianism. Others are far more qualified than me to detail the structural barriers that prevent building a more meritocratic society but I was frequently told that social mobility is a myth and money seems to beget money more than anywhere else I have ever visited.

I worked with the most inspiring, remarkable, enthusiastic, creative, innovative teacher I have ever come across and the school do lots of remarkable work and organise field trips to expand the children’s horizons yet it feels like trying to push a boulder up a mountain with all the obstacles in these kids ways.

I would be fascinated to see what becomes of these kids in 10 years’ time and see what affect such incredible teaching and effort has made.

Of course in  4 weeks I had a negligible impact on these kids and they undoubtedly had a far greater impact on me than I ever had on them. The feeling of satisfaction of at least trying to assist those who need it most was a complete novelty for me.

I’ve no idea what I will end up doing with my life when I finish traveling but these 4 life-changing weeks in Cape Town have entirely solidified the notion in my head that whatever it is has to be focussed on helping people.