Hola, and thank you for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page!

(Please note that if you would like to make a donation please untick the ‘Gift Aid’ Option; this is due to the Institute of Fundraising’s guidelines which DUCK are following.)

My name is Alexander Erasmus; a Namibian afloat in England, studying at Durham University.

From 6 July to 15 August I, along with 16 others, will embark on the journey of a lifetime in Peru, as part of an expedition arranged through Durham University’s Charity Kommittee (DUCK).

As a trip to Peru would not be complete without seeing Machu Picchu, we will be commencing our expedition with a 5-day trek along the Salkantay Route, reaching altitudes of 4800m!

However, that is only the beginning of the great adventure!

During the 6 weeks, we will be volunteering at a Globalteer project - Picaflor House in Oropesa (a village near Cusco), which is an after school project aimed at keeping vulnerable and impoverished children off the streets by offering them a safe environment to play, learn and develop. As volunteers we will be teaching the children English, Arts and Crafts, and Sport; getting them involved in engaging activities; and helping with the maintenance and renovating of Picaflor House. We will also be volunteering at another project for a weekend - the Kiya Survivors' Rainbow House, an orphanage for children with special needs.

You might ask yourself - why should I care?

Well, quite simply, I need your help. Over the next few months, prior to the expedition, I will be working and taking part in numerous fundraising events to raise the £3050 I need (this includes a sizeable donation to Globalteer and Kiya Survivors, as well as covering the travel and living expenses) to allow me to part-take in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to Peru and give something back to society.

In addition to the money raised at these events, I kindly ask you for donations, no matter how big or small. In gratitude for your donations, on 26 June 2014, I will complete the Yorkshire 3 Peaks Challenge - a combined 1600m ascent over 40km in 12 hours.

So, if you would like to see me make a fool of myself (as I am very fit!) or have the trip of a lifetime (or both), please donate – every penny makes a difference.

If you have any queries please email mr.alex.the.llama@gmail.com

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and, possibly, your donation!

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to DUCK. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for DUCK.