In June 2019, I will be heading off to Peru with The Vine Trust and a team of other students from Perth Academy to spend 2 weeks in 2 orphanages.

I have always wanted to volunteer in a foreign country where I can help and improve a certain situation and now this is my once in a lifetime opportunity to give back to the most vulnerable. Once I heard that my school was doing this trip, there wasn't a doubt in my mind for one second about going.

The Vine Trust do many expeditions to Peru and Tanzania regularly and not only do they do school expeditions but also medical and home-building expeditions. They also provide HIV support for women on the islands of Lake Victoria. The two orphanages I will be working in are situated in Arequipa and Lima. I will be thrown into work as soon as we arrive at the orphanages and will be working to provide children with a safe and loving home where they can stay. The work me and my teammates will be carrying out will vary from helping to build a classroom to renovating the outdoor space the orphanage has or simply colouring in with the children on a rainy day.

To have this opportunity shows how fortunate I am that I am able to give back to people who are born into these situations and have no control over them. These projects need volunteers to go out and help provide the man power to enhance these children's lives not only in their living environment but their education and quality of life. I cannot begin to imagine what it must be like to live the life of these children without a family to support or care for me. Luckily, however, The Vine Trust and other organizations help to give the children hope for their future by organizing volunteers like myself to go out and rebuild communities so children can live safely and happily.

I am taking part in this experience to help the local communities, and make a positive difference to their lives. I hope to see this as a new perspective in the way that we live as a community and broaden my horizons globally. This project will be demanding, enriching and transformative for those we are directly helping, myself and the whole team.

This is one mechanism for fundraising which will directly go to my contribution for this expedition, myself and the team from Perth Academy hope to organize other fundraising activities in the not too distant future. I also have a part-time job and I will be putting away part of my wages to fund this trip.

Thank you for taking the time to read my JustGiving page. Any contribution you can make will be greatly appreciated. Thank you again for helping me on this amazing experience!