AN CHARITABLE graduate is about to embark on the trip of a lifetime when she visits Borneo to volunteer for three months.
Sarah Cusack, 20, is volunteering with Rayleigh International and will be working with the people in Borneo to do everything from building kindergartens, developing eco-sanitation and conserving wildlife.
The former Luton Sixth Form College student has to raise enough money to cover Rayleigh’s costs, and is holding a fun day to raise the final £1,000 on August 11.
Sarah said: “I always knew I wanted to go and volunteer. I have a couple of friends from school who did it and I’ve been looking for a few years just trying to decide which organisation to do it with. Rayleigh seemed like the most worthwhile. The fundraising goes straight to them and covers their costs of being based in Borneo all year round. The diversity of what I’ll get to do when I’m out there and the variety of work also appealed to me.
“Rayleigh volunteers stay in the country all year and work with the community so everything we do is stuff they need, unlike some other charities where it’s like voluntourism.”
Sarah has just graduated from Roehampton University with a 2.1 degree in Dance Studies and says she hopes the experience in Borneo will help her decide if she’d like to do more voluntary work in her future career.
She said: “It’s going to be quite tough; working in the heat, living on rations and missing friends and family, I think it will be quite emotional. I’ll have no contact with anyone back home except by letter so that’s going to be a challenge. It will all be worth it though, definitely.”
Sarah’s fundraising event will take place on Saturday August 11 from 1pm - 6pm at Oliver’s in Luton.
There will be a raffle, cake sale, bring and buy, a bouncy castle, face-painting, barbeque, refreshments and plenty more to keep the whole family entertained.
Donations are also welcome at {http://www.justgiving.com/sarah-cusack|JustGiving|JustGivingSarah-cusack}