Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

I am a VSO volunteer.  As such, I am appealing to you to support the work of this  international development charity .

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 the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Please find out more about VSO by reading on, or alternatively visiting the VSO website @ http://www.vso.org  . 

Thank you for your time,  I hope you will feel able to dig deep and donate now.

VSO is an internationial development charity that works through volunteers. Instead of sending food or money, VSO send skilled professionals who can help make an everlasting difference in the fight against poverty.

There are currently 1,500 VSO volunteers working overseas in 44 of the world's poorest countries. They work in partnership with colleagues and communities to achieve positive change together, in the key areas of education, health, HIV and AIDS, disability, helping people to secure a living and encouraging people to participate in the decisions that affect their lives.

Your donation could help to send a doctor to set up healthcare services, where non currently exist, or it could support an experienced headteacher, like myself, to train local teachers and give a whole generation of children the skills they need to transform their lives.

Many of you will know, that during May, I was working in Zambia with the Book Bus Charity(www.thebookbusorg). Following my return I am now preparing for a VSO placement as an education manager in Rwanda. This will be a 3 month placement, later this year, from September to December.          

You will be able to find out more  about my work in Zambia and Rwanda by logging on to my blog @ http://outofafrica2010.wordpress.com

Also above you will find a selection of photographs of children I had the pleasure to meet and work with in Zambia. Please help me to put a smile on the faces of more children like these in Rwanda .

I should stress that any contribution you may make will not go towards funding my personal overseas placement. Instead VSO decide where your money is most needed at the time, to maximise its effect. 

Many thanks

Phil