Thembelihle...

So...I guess I should really say a bit more about what it is I will actually be doing in South Africa. Obviously I haven't been to the project yet, but I have heard loads about it. I will be able to give you a better idea when I have spent some time there and have uploaded some photos for all you wonderful people to seeeeee!!!

'Thembelihle' is the name of the project, and it is a 'home of safety' for around 25-30 children aged 5-18 who have suffered from, or are at risk of abuse in their home setting. The home provides 24/7 care for the children, for as long as it takes, whilst court cases are being processed etc. As a volunteer, my main role will be as a teacher; planning and organising the childrens’ timetables, lessons and exams from scratch, before teaching a wide range of subjects, covering a broad curriculum. Because of the backgrounds the children come from, they are unable to attend local schools whilst The facilities in the home are very basic, and the classroom is limited to one room in the courtyard of the home, so I will need to use my imagination and creativity to make sure the children get the best education possible.

As well as home-schooling, Thembelihle provides for the psychological needs of the children. The nature of the backgrounds from which the children come from, means that they lack the love, care, stability and security needed by children of their age, and it will be my role as their primary carer, to enable them to develop their social skills through a range of extra-curricular activities which I will organise and run. Out of school hours, I will also be helping with the running of the home, doing jobs in town, and taking the children to hospital/dentist appointments etc. I’m really looking forward to working alongside their social workers to ensure they are set up for the best future arrangements, whether it be a return to their families, or to new foster parents.

Living in the home with the children 24/7 is going to be tough, but it means I will have the opportunity to get to know the children better, and provide additional care; reading bedtime stories for example. Although this may seem like a simple task, it is often what the children appreciate most, as it is something which none of them will have experienced before bedtime back home! It sounds like such an amazing and worthwhile charity and I can’t wait to fly out there to be a part of it...

With only 6 days to go, i'm starting to get a little nervous...as usual, i'm not prepared at all, but I am going to do my best not to leave everything to the last minute!!! I had my leaving party last night...made it all seem so real! Thank you all so much for coming...you truly are the most amazing friends ever ♥ I'm so proud of all of you with your results, and best of luck next year with whatever life throws at you! :) Enjoy...I'm going to miss you all so much!

Maya x

A massive thanks!

So after a successful raffle in town today (my final fundraising event), I am pleased to say that I have reached my fundraising target of £4950...1 day before the deadline...good timing, eh!?

I just want to take this opportunity to say a massive thank you to everyone who has helped me over the last 9 months to achieve this huge target...I really couldn't have done it without you, and I don't know how I can thank you enough!

Maya x

Where to start...

So maybe Training isn't the most ideal place to start my blog; after all I have been through so much with Project Trust over the last 9 months - an awesome selection course last October, the (what seemed like) long wait for my offer/rejection letter to arrive the following week, £4950 worth of fundraising, a parents' meeting in London, my mid-May placement letter, a project change, and the excitement and nervousness leading up to training...but here I am, training complete and only 31 days to go until I depart for South Africa!

It was great being back on Coll...such a beautiful island, and a great place for Project Trust to be based. I got to meet my partner, country group, and the other amazing volunteers heading off to Jamaica and Malaysia this summer. The course was really intense, but so much fun - the staff really couldn't have prepared me/us better for the year that lays ahead (thank you PT if you're reading this!!!)...

The course covered everything you could imagine; from teaching effectively, to safety overseas, local customs, to essential house-keeping skills...PT really know their stuff, and I now have every confidence that this coming year is going to be the most worthwhile and enjoyable of my life so far. I found out more about my country and project, and I cannot wait to go now! We were also given our long-awaited departure date which is August 25th...it's come around so quickly! 

Below is a picture of our country group...24 girls and 1 boy, heading off to all corners of the country to make a difference to their local communities.

Maya x