Mission

The Volmoed Trust (for Healing and Reconciliation in South Africa) is a retreat and conference centre in Hermanus, Western Cape, South Africa. The focus of its mission for the past thirty four years of its existence is reconciliation, focused on racial reconciliation, and reconciliation within families and groups. Volmoed is an Afrikaans word meaning 'full of hopeful courage'. It provides a beautiful, peaceful space in nature, as a container for confronting the difficult issues of race, gender, family conflict, differences of culture or religion or class. This beautiful, peaceful place provides the setting for courageous conversations and difficult dialogues. Many people have found that Volmoed affords them the opportunity ro confront and discover their differences, or their brokenness, and find resolution, wholeness and peace. There are many stories over the years, of reconciliation reached in very challenging situations. Groups and individuals come for training programs, conferences focused on reconciliation, group learnings, wellness retreats and relaxation. It is a very special place, the perfect place for its dynamic Volmoed Youth Leadership Program (VYLTP). This vibrant program is forming a movement of courageous young leaders who ignite transformative justice in their communities, for the planet. The program gathers diverse groups of young leaders age 19-26 years of different races, classes and genders from South Africa and other countries for a residential ten-week program at Volmoed. The mission is to form and train wise, strategic leaders for the future of our communities, our countries and our planet, by creating a safe space of learning through courageous conversations that empowers them to facilitate transformative justice in their own communities and countries.