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Local Students Travel to Africa
Helping Underpriveledged Children for 5 weeks.
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Two Locals go to Work in Africa!
While most of us are thinking about holidays abroad or relaxing
on a sunny beach in the south,
Katie Pepper and Johdi Young from Kirkby Stephen,
recently flew from Manchester airport to start a voluntary placement
with a group of students working with local communities of the Volta Region
in Ghana.
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This expedition to Africa, organised by MADventurer (Mottery
African Development)
will help with the implementation of projects, which will be extremely beneficial
to the African local communities.
It is expected that travelling so far away from home and becoming involved in
such an important project,
will be a great experience and it is hoped that they will gain a valuable insight
into life through this valuable work,
the culture exchange and the various forms of travel they undertake.
Katie said, ‘We will have the opportunity to become involved in local
construction projects
and be required to give our help in local schools, teaching conversational English,
Maths and other subjects.
We will be working alongside large agro-forestry regeneration projects,
delivering sports equipments and encouraging and coaching village children.’
The school and communities they are hoping to help are situated in the Volta
Region, East of Lake Volta.
Most of the area has no electricity or water and since devastating fires swept
through the Volta region in 1983,
its inhabitants have turned from the farming of cash crops to simply cutting
down trees for timber.
Through the planting of new crops and participating in education programmes,
they will be taking part in the implementation of a very important long-term
sustainable development programme.
‘We are hoping that African students might find that our presence and
teaching brings added benefit and help to their communities.
Giving enthusiastic support should be a tremendous benefit to the teachers who
work hard to provide good education in the face of poverty.’
Johdi said, ‘We are required to be both determined and well motivated.
This will be a good test for our communication and teamwork skills.
These combined experiences will be extremely valuable to us in the future
and will allow us to gain insight into a new and exciting culture.’
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Katie and Johdi flew out to Accra on Saturday 2nd July
and will return home next month.
Prior to their departure they were required to raise the major
funds for the project.
With the help of businesses and local friends and neighbours, through raffles,
a disco
and other ventures they raised nearly £5,000, the final raffle being drawn
only two days before their departure.
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The two adventurers said that were grateful to their parents
who had been tremendously supportive
like so many of their good friends.
Carol Pepper said that they had been very determined to go on this trip
despite a number of difficulties which they had subsequently been able to get
over.
In order to immunise themselves against a series of possible ailments they had
taken over 15 different types of medication.
Packing was almost an adventure in itself and included sleeping mats, plates
and cutlery as well as loads of insect spray!
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Only when they return will we know the effectiveness of all their careful preparations.
Pictures
Mike Angelo Photography