This was Gilbert when I first met him in Malawi aged 7, living in abject poverty, no shoes, rags for clothes, and not many prospects. His mum had recently died, his dad was not involved and life was tough. You can see the uncertainty and fear on his face. We had just adopted his baby brother and are committed to helping his wider family.

The photo below was taken a few months ago when I went to Vryburg, South Africa on the occasion of Gilbert's graduation from Tygerkloof school. An incredible transformation.

Gilbert has worked hard, faced the challenges in his life, dreamed big and is now ready to move on to get practical skills to enable him to stand on his own feet and be a success in the world. He speaks great English, is renowned for his integrity and is a hard worker. His mum would have been really proud of him.

The International Hotel School in Cape Town, South Africa have accepted Gilbert to start training as a chef in July 2018. They run a practical diploma course, with hands on experience in hotels and great post-graduation employment rates. They have an excellent reputation and accept students from all over the world.

The total cost per year will be £13,000 and the course lasts for 2 years. So far, we've raised £7,500 per year personally and with some help from some family and friends. We still need to raise the balance of £5,500 for this year and the same again for next year.

Can you help us make this dream come true?