Thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I have applied for and been accepted onto the International Citizen Service (ICS) scheme, a government-funded, voluntary placement abroad. I will be leaving the UK in March. Since its launch, ICS has seen 30,000 people sent on placement to work with partner charities in locations spanning multiple continents, working with individuals and communities most in need. 

I applied to work with Balloon Ventures, a charity whose focus is on creating sustainable development through enterprise. The charity is founded on the idea that supporting local entrepreneurs to build businesses, or supporting the growth of existing micro-businesses, with commercial skills coaching is a method of truly sustainable growth. I will be living in Kericho, Kenya, with a host family in the community. We are taught the Balloon Enterprise Curriculum, which includes learning key entrepreneurial tools and approaches covering customer development, lean startup principles, design thinking and the business model canvas. This curriculum has been developed with leading entrepreneurs and experts from across the world. We then work directly with local entrepreneurs to develop their ideas, before helping them to pitch their business to a panel, with the hope of attaining real investment. Balloon Ventures has the support of Citi Bank's charitable arm, the Citi Foundation.

Since Balloon's inception in 2011, 2,500 entrepreneurs have been supported with 200,000 volunteer hours, and £250,000 of investment through low interest loans, which has resulted in a 48% average revenue increase of Balloon businesses. Even without the application for loans, the entrepreneurial skills coaching that is integral to the scheme ensures that a lasting impact is created. I will be living with a host family for the duration of my trip, and will have an incredible opportunity to immerse myself in a completely different culture. It is a charity whose methodology I passionately believe in, and I am looking forward to directly effecting positive change in a local community.

As this is a government-funded scheme, the money that is fundraised is not a payment for my place on the programme - that is already guaranteed. Instead, it goes directly back into Balloon Ventures and ICS, allowing for the continuation of this incredibly valuable work. 

I hope that reading this has been worth your while. I would be so grateful for any contributions that you can make to this amazing cause - thank you in advance! 

You can donate by text - it will take less than 30 seconds! To donate £1, £2, £3, £4, £5, or if you're feeling extra generous £10, text my unique code CCBV96 and the amount to 70070 - i.e. 'CCBV96 £10' 

https://balloonventures.com

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