Update- There has been a change of plan and now instead of going to India to do english teaching I'll be going to Mauritius to work in a social care project for a year- very different, but amazingly exciting.

WHO am I?                                                                                                          charlotte.ogilvie@live.co.uk

My name is Charlotte Ogilvie and I live just outside of Edinburgh in Scotland. I am in my sixth year of high school studying for my advanced highers and intend to go to university to study social anthropology and possibly South Asian studies too. I am passionate about photography, languages and working and am an artistic, often quirky and determined. I love a good challenge and like getting out of my comfort zone. “It’s possible to have roots and wings,” is probably the quote I can most relate to.

WHAT’s this all about?

Well, in August 2010 I will journey off to Mauritius, with volunteers from my country group to the Island of Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean. I will be working in a 'Centre de l’Education et de Développement pour les Enfants Mauriciens' (Education and Development Centre for Mauritian Children) CEDEM was founded in 1984 in order to provide a better, safer future for children, including those with physical and/ or learning disabilities.Volunteers, such as myself, will be based in residential shelters teaching English, IT and extra-curricular activities in schools/homes and helping with handicrafts and puppet shows which are income generating.

During my stay I will be living with my partner in one of CEDEM’s residential centres. We will share a bedroom and eat with the children each day with the option to cooking if and when we want to, particularly at weekends

I feel that the project here will be very worth while.

PROJECT TRUST? (see: www.projecttrust.org.uk)

Project Trust is a registered educational charity who has sent school leavers overseas for over 40 years. Their aim is to provide young people with an educational and challenging experience by sending them to live and work with people in communities very different to those in which they grew up. Volunteers are selected over an intense 4 day period and are trained before they leave.

MAURITIUS?

Mauritius, surprisingly as it is such a small island, is a unique country of stark contrast. It boasts quite a variety of cultures, ethnicities, religions and languages.

It is best known for its honeymoon style resorts and beautiful beaches, however this does not reflect life for the majority. Most of the population tend to work in sugar cane plantations and refineries, small scale agriculture and fishing. is still an African nation, with huge numbers of the population dislocated, homeless, illiterate and not educated beyond primary level.

 

The Project here is ideal for girls who can work well within a bit of structure and are culturally sensitive and aware. There is a strong atmosphere of protecting CEDEM children and volunteers are expected to be exemplar role models for the children.

Currently there are 2 volunteers in Mauritius with Project Trust.

But first?

I need to raise £4,850 for the whole year:

Broken down, by a clever volunteer I’ve seen on Just giving (http://www.justgiving.com/Tanya-Compas)  the costs look like this:

£13.30                   1 day in Mauritius

£93.30                   1 week in Mauritius

£404.20                 1 month in Mauritius

£2425                    6 months in Mauritius

This money will cover: training, flights, accommodation, support and insurance for volunteers

So far:

I have written to lots of charitable trusts, done a sponsored unicycle from Balerno to Edinburgh City Centre (3.5 quite uncomfortable hours), taken wedding photographs and made albums, had a Quiz night, a coffee morning (held by my granny in the South of England) held stalls at two local Christmas fayres and sold Christmas cards. I have also done a number of commissioned works of art. So far, with your help, I have raised about : £4200

What I’m going to do:

I am going to write to lots more charities, have an open house in Kent (with my grandmother and her husband),continue selling handmade photography cards (through orders)  and  I'm also available to do commissioned art work, so if you're interested, please get in touch. I still have to raise just under £700 (preferably by the end of July)

So, all of your help would be greatly appreciated and will go towards an amazing and very challenging year overseas which I’m sure will change and shape me in ways I can't quite imagine for now!

If you'd like to get personally in touch or you have any fundraising tips/ideas please e-mail me at: charlotte.ogilvie@live.co.uk

I'd love to hear from you!

Lots of love,

Charlotte/Charlie/Lottie/Charlie-Buckles/Wonder-Chuck/Froggy (depending on who is reading!)

IMPORTANT

Methods of Payment:

 JUSTGIVING CHARGES apply to all online donations (except from UK Taxpayers who tick box to give gift aid and then charges are paid for by government's contribution) If you are NOT a UK TAXPAYER please: 1. Send a cheque addressed to PROJECT TRUST to my house: Miss. C. Ogilvie, 20 Kirkgate, Currie, Edinburgh, EH14 6AW,  or 2. E-mail me for my bank details and I will transfer the money into a cheque and send on to Project Trust  or. 3. Send cash to my house and I will transfer it into a check and send it on.

P.P.S.Check out the Project Trust Video in my video section, seeing it was the beginning of my journey.