Hello,

I will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro on the 6th of July 2018 to raise money for the Commonwealth Girls Education Fund (http://www.cgefund.org/), a charity whose mission is close to my heart.

As some of you know, I was born in Mauritius.  I understand the daily tough decisions parents have to make as to whether they should spend money on a girl's education, when the girl will eventually get married, or buy food for the family.

Coming from a family of 4 kids, my parents always had to make that tough choice.  Life back then wasn't easy with my parents trying to raise and educate 4 children.  The obvious choice was to educate the boys as they were seen as the future supporters of the family.  However, my mother believed in me and she made sure that I sat for my A Levels by selling off her jewelry.  She understood the importance of education and today both my parents couldn't be any prouder of my achievements.

I was lucky that I had my mother fighting my corner but everyday, girls from poor families are being told to stay at home and learn to be a housewife instead.  At the end of the day, they are going to get married off and be someone else's problem, right? Who cares how much educated they are as long as they can keep a house clean and raise children?

Imagine all of the wasted potential, broken dreams and ambitions! This is why I want to make a change- at least to 1 girl's life.  If I am able to raise enough money to give that one girl a chance, I will have made a change not just to that girl's life, but to her family's too.  

I really hope that you would donate generously, to change that one girl's life who perhaps holds the knowledge for the cure for cancer (who knows!) but is forced to stay at home because her parents have to make the tough choice of whether to pay for her education or buy food for the family.

I really hope that you will all join me in this journey for changing a girl's life.

Thank you all for your generosity in advance.

Nish xx