Student prepares for trip to Africa
The deposit has been paid and fundraising is in full swing to get Laura Robinson to Africa. The 17-year-old is saving to go on a volunteering trip to Mukono, in central Uganda, to help with a public health programme.
She has signed up for a threeweek trip in October where she will contribute to the general health and services of the community.
Mukono has a population of about 59,000. There is no running water, there are frequent power cuts and no Western toilets.
‘‘The biggest challenge will be the change in culture. I’m not sure what to think because I’ve been so sheltered in New Zealand.’’
Laura hopes to raise between $5000 and $6000, which will pay for the trip as well as purchasing items to donate to people in the town. Collection buckets have been placed in shops throughout Timaru including Highfield Mall PostShop, Sopheze Cafe, Heartland Cafe and Noodle Canteen.
She is also running a school social and producing a cook book with favourite recipes from family and friends.
Laura said the trip will be an eye-opener as next year she plans to study for a degree in public health and one day wants to work for an organisation such as Unicef.
The next step for Laura is getting her vaccine injections and learning common Swahili sayings.
To find out more about Laura’s trip, go to her Facebook page: Laura’s volunteer trip to Uganda.