Sharing Love and understanding

I am planning to take 1 year sabbatical from my job in the UK in November 2016.

I am leaving my job, my home and all my securities behind for 1 year to help raise awareness, offer support and education to women and children who have suffered and are suffering Rape, Sexual Abuse and FGM.

I will be living with poor families in Egypt Luxor (west bank) for 1 year. My aim is to live amongst the locals reaching out to women and children who have suffered and are suffering.

I will be working on a voluntary basis, living as they do, eating as they do and working as they do. The community that I will be staying with are very poor in money but rich in love for each other and their communities. I know I will learn much more about love, community, sharing and living with very little.

I have already spent 6 weeks in Luxor between 2015/16 with the local communities and was overwhelmed by the women and children wanting to sit with me and share their stories of shame, fear and pain from the abuse suffered.

My ultimate objective is to create a coffee shop/centre for women and children, to have a place for them to share their feelings of their experiences.

I plan to do this by using my skills, knowledge and experience in Counselling and Psychotherapy. I currently work for a rape and sexual abuse service supporting people who have suffered this traumatic experience and the impact it has on them.

My passion comes from my own personal experience and that I work close with others. For this reason it is really important for me to make a difference in the lives of others and to empower them for their future.

The reason I'm asking for support is to enable me to sustain my year in Luxor working voluntary.