BY HEIDI EGGLETON

After finishing GCSE's most sixteen year olds in the country are off out at parties or jetting off to a five star resort with their families for a well-earned break.

However, this August I am volunteering in Africa.

Many travellers wait until they hit eighteen or after finishing university, but in my opinion the earlier you can explore the world the better.

I will be travelling alone and staying with a Ghanaian family for three weeks – but I don’t think it will be as straight forward as staying for a sleepover at a friend’s house.

During my trip, I will be expected to eat like a local, travel like a local, but most importantly wash like a local – experiencing the use of a bucket shower.

In my first week volunteering I will be coaching children in a variety of sports as well as educating them on general hygiene skills.

I will also be visiting a slum in the area to educate families on topics such as HIV and AIDS.

In my second two weeks I will be busy renovating a school and caring for the orphans there.

The plan will be to teach them basic maths, English and educational games as well as giving them some TLC.

The two projects I am working on will be sustainable and hugely beneficial to the community as a whole, but mainly the next generation of young people.

To make this trip possible, I have had to fully fund it myself.

Due to the fact it will be highly impactful on the locals, it has not been cheap to plan so I have had to fundraise more than ever before.

I have done lots of cake sales, bingos, raffles, community work, as well as applying for several grants.

If I am honest, when I originally decided I was going on this trip last September, I never realised how much work goes into fundraising, but I know that all of the effort I have put into it will definitely be worthwhile.

So overall, this trip will not only benefit the local villagers in Ghana, but I also hope that many other younger people will go out and volunteer no matter what problems seem to stand in your way.