Gap year student heading to India to make a difference

The former Angmering School student, who achieved four A* grades in her A-levels last summer, will be an International Citizen Service volunteer with Restless Development for three months.

She said: “I decided to choose this project because I knew I wanted to make some kind of meaningful difference in my gap year and felt this was the perfect opportunity to do so.

“I believe that it is important to help support and bring about change for young people living in developing countries, ensuring that every young person has a voice, a living and sexual rights, thus providing them with opportunities in the future.

“I hope that the work I will be doing will help to bring about this change in the community I will be working in.”

Natalie will be heading to Tamil Nadu in south-east India in April but before then, she will be raising money for the charity, which works to unleash the power of young people to change the world.

She explained: “Before I embark on my trip, I have a target to raise £800. In order to raise money, I plan to abseil down the Spinnaker Tower on March 30, and carry out various bake sales.

“I am fundraising for Restless Development because I believe they can make a difference.

“This money by no means funds my trip but instead contributes towards helping the organisation continue with their important work and service across the world by sending out more volunteers.”

The charity has been working with young people in Tamil Nadu on health issues such as nutrition, sanitation, HIV and AIDS, and livelihoods since 1985. The Department for International Development’s ICS project is one of eight programmes that acknowledge young people’s concerns and involve more than 200 volunteers.

Restless Development India is integrating a rights and gender-based approach and exploring how technology can both empower communities and support its dynamic accountability approach.

Natalie said: “Restless development is championing a growing movement, led by a new generation that is more active, more connected and more able to lead the change needed than ever before.”

Visit www.justgiving.com/fundraising/natalie-cleverly to make a donation.