Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving – they’ll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer. So it’s the most efficient way to donate - I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

To explain, last year I undertook a long distance charity cycle ride in Tanzania. It was a real challenge but thoroughly worthwhile and it re-awakened an interest I have had for a long time in Africa.

However the charities - worthwhile as they were - were UK based and it got me thinking that perhaps I could do something that was both more substantial and more directly of benefit in an African country. So that's how the idea of volunteering with VSO came into my head and once I had established that it is not something only for young people I applied and I have now been accepted as a volunteer.

I have now heard that I have been accepted for a placement in South Sudan from 1st October 2012 for 9 months. The role will be based in the capital Juba working with the Government's Health Department on setting up health services and systems across the country.

South Sudan is a brand new country having formally separated from Sudan just last year and it will be a great privilege and challenge being part of helping to set up their arrangements.

There are still 5 months before I go but I thought I would start my fund-raising efforts now to give myself as much opportunity as possible of rasing funds towards the target whcih each volunteer with VSO is expected to achieve.

I hope you will feel able to support VSO by donating here.

Thank you

John.