Vicky Drake, a retired IT professional from Cawdor, Ross-on-Wye, will be working in southern India from January, to help young boys with their English and computer skills.

Vicky told the Gazette: “I have travelled quite extensively, visiting over 40 countries. My experience is, that as a tourist, you only get to see the top layers of a country and this has piqued my interest to experience living within a foreign community, to find out what life is really like for the local people in a totally different environment to my pretty cushioned existence in the first world.”

Vicky said that she wanted to do something to help to improve the lives of people living in poorer parts of the world.

When the time came for Vicky to consider retiring, she decided this would give her the perfect chance to pursue her long-term ambition to do volunteer work overseas. She considered what skills she possessed and how she could best help within a charity volunteer programme. “IT was an obvious skill and I was also aware of a big demand for native English speakers to teach all over the world,” Vicky said: “This led me to look into gaining a TEFL qualification (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) to add to my existing skill set.”

Since completing her TEFL qualification, Vicky has been accepted to volunteer for the charity, Adventure Ashram, which operates health and education projects in India.

When Vicky goes to India, she will be working for four weeks in Tamil Nadu, in Mysore, which has a boys’ home for rescued children, including those who were victims of trafficking, abuse, child marriages, et cetera. She may also be working in Masanagudi that has a number of after school tuition centres. Vicky said: “My exact responsibilities will not be determined until I am in India - I will work wherever the need is and as directed by the local charity.”

Vicky must self-fund her volunteer role, and she needs to raise £1000 for Adventure Ashram before she departs. She said: “To raise this money I am tapping into my craft and cooking skills by knitting and crocheting items for individuals and, later in the year, I will be catering for dinner parties in my home for up to eight people.”Vicky added: "If anyone would like to take advantage of my skills or make a donation to the charity, please contact me on 07387 565961 or [email protected]" Vicky has set up an online donation page, and so far, she has managed to raise more than £400. If you would like to sponsor her, please visit her Just Giving page.

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