My summer holidays … with the orphans
Most young people like to whoop it up on Ibiza or at other Mediterranean hotspots.
Not council clerical officer Rachael Dodds – she goes to a remote region once part of the Russian- led Soviet Union.
The 25- year- old heads to the poor northern country of Kazakhstan and into the orphanages. And this year she took out 150 football strips which had been donated by young footballers in Ayr.
Rachael revealed: “I don’t think the boys and girls had ever seen so many strips.
“And I cannot thank the mums and dads of Ayr for putting a smile on a lot of wee faces in the orphanages.”
Former Belmont Academy girl Rachael joined the Antares Foundation which has been helping orphans in northern Kazakhstan since 2004.
She returned from her second two- week trip last Sunday – and an Ayr football club’s colours were everywhere.
Ayr Boswell donated two entire sets of strips so Rangers and Celtic colours were outnumbered for once.
Kazakhstan is so big Western Europe could fit in it. Despite its size, which includes vast steppe, only 18 million people live there.
Rachael spent two weeks in four orphanages, the Regional Boarding School, Sokolovka, Poludino and one called simply Childrens’ Village.
Many of the 200 young souls have no family.
The major city in the area is Petropavlovsk which is close to the Russian border.
Rachael said: “I am happy to spend holidays there and for a few years before I went out I gave the charity money for child sponsorship.
“The charity does a lot of projects with the children to make their lives better.
“It can be very emotional . . . and once you go over there you get really attached to the kids.
“I am likely to be going back again to see them.”
She flew the 3500 miles from London to the Kazak capital Astana and then it was a five- hour car journey to be with the orphans.
There is no cash support – she pays all her flights, accomodation and food herself.
Rachael said: “It is clear there is quite a lot of poverty in areas, but some of the landscapes are stunning.
“In the orphanages we play with the kids and organise sports and arts and crafts. They are well looked after and the buildings are quite nice – it’s just the very fact they are there that is sad. All of them are so grateful when they are given things, it’s heart- wrenching.
“And when they see you coming they are so happy to have visitors. It is quite special.”
Rachael has made penpals with some of them and in letters she tells them about Ayr and life in Scotland.
This year she was one of seven volunteers.
And, as you would expect, her dad Colin, mum Shona and sister Hannah, 21, are all immensely proud of her.