Posted 29 Jan 2009

A student from Darlington has spoken of her quest to raise funds so she can embark upon a gap year travel programme to help orphans in South Africa.

Sian Taylor, aged 18, needs to raise $4,500 to realise her ambition of volunteering abroad with a charity and gaining first-hand experience in medical care, reported the Northern Echo.

She is currently studying her A-levels in Carmel RC College and after her gap year, plans to study a degree in biomedical science at Newcastle University.

"I want to raise awareness about the problems of people in South Africa and help them as much as I can," she told the newspaper.

Ms Taylor added that she has "always wanted to travel" and that motivation is spurring her onwards in her quest to raise the funds.

A wish to try volunteering abroad is not restricted to Ms Taylor it seems, as a group of teenagers from West Cork in Ireland this week revealed that they are also trying to save cash to travel to Ghana, the Southern Star reported.

Category: Africa