Hi everyone! I'm Sam Carson. In September this year I'm volunteering with New Ways as a teacher in Malawi and Turkana, North West Kenya, for just over 3 months.

My fundraiser will help New Ways support my teaching activities in Africa, my parents are helping me with air fares, insurance, vaccinations, and other costs.

I want to help New Ways with the associated costs of the 2 schools I will be working in during my 14 weeks, and contribute to their overall running costs including additional costs of my stay. This will enable me to help make my time there the best it can be for the kids.

As well as teaching board diving to kids in Manchester for the past 6 years, more recently I've had the opportunity to go into schools as well as special needs communities in Manchester to teach animation.

The reaction has been fantastic, and I have been considering where else this could really make a difference, somewhere that I believe would always be overlooked for this form of education. Music too has always been a significant part of my life since I began playing piano and flute when I was 7, and being able to bring this to life for children that might otherwise never get an opportunity to explore the gift of music is really important.

I'll be working in primary and secondary education, bringing stop animation and music to kids there that have an amazing zest for life but who live in extreme poverty.

All funds raised will go to New Ways that already fund the schools and projects there, anything over and beyond the costs of my upkeep will go towards supporting the activities that benefit the children's education.

I've already met the team from Africa working with New Ways in London and spoken with the teams I will be working with in Malawi and Kenya over Zoom and they are excited that I can bring such a unique perspective which they believe will genuinely engage the children.

I leave on September 3rd and return in mid-December.

Anything at all you can contribute is gratefully received, and will be going to a great cause. I will be keeping everyone updated on my work through instagram and email.

Thanks for considering this!

Sam x