I have reached my target :)

Any donations made after my total is reached will be sent to Project Trust and are still greatly appreciated.

I would like to thank everyone who has donated money or helped me in any way. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

I have now recieved information on my placement. I will be working at Cotlands Baby Sanctuary, a residential facility for children who have been abandoned, orphaned, abused or affected by HIV/AIDS. About 40 children up to nine live in the home. The volunteers assist in the creche, teaching under-fives and playing with and caring for children who have AIDS in its final stages. Volunteers like myself also havethe oppertunity to get involved in other areas of the organisation, from fundraising to running creative activities and helping to arrange trips. The Cotlands project is in a suburb on the outskirts of Johannesburg.

Over the summer holidays I travelled to the Isle of Coll for a Project Trust selection course. I had no idea what I was going to be doing for the five days or who I would be spending the five days with. I ended up having an amazing week doing lots of different things and meeting some fantastic people.

One week after I got back, I found out that I had been selected to spend a year volunteering in South Africa. South Africa is an extraordinarily diverse country, ethnically, geographically and economically. On the one hand it is a western industrialised nation, on the other a developing nation where many live at a subsistence level in rural locations with minimal infrastructure. It is most likely that I will be working in an orphanage or with young children. The work will involve caring for the children both emotionally and physically and will also probably involve some teaching.

This is an amazing opportunity and will be a life changing year. However to make it possible I need to raise £4,480. This is a very daunting prospect, but entirely possible.

I am organising a number of events to raise money, but any donations or help would be very gratefully received.

Donating through this site is simple, fast and totally secure. It is also the most efficient way to sponsor me: Project Trust will receive your money faster and, if you are a UK taxpayer, an extra 28% in tax will be added to your gift at no cost to you.

So please sponsor me now!

Many thanks for your support.