LYDNEY student Helen Wilson is preparing to spend a gap year in Zimbabwe helping to tech young children in rural areas about health and social issues, particularly AIDS.
"I'm getting very excited about it now," said Helen, who has just achieved A-levels in geography, biology, economics and general studies.
Her adventure begins next month but she is hoping to raise £3,000 to help her and a fellow Zimbabwe worker undertake the eight-month programme.
Fundraising is well under way and she has taken a full time job to help, but she would still be grateful for any local sponsorship from firms or individuals.
She will be working for Students Partnership Worldwide, a charity with more than 10 years of experience in youth-led volunteer programmes in the developing world.
She will be joining the formal teaching staff of a rural school and will be working with her Zimbabwe counterpart setting up small scale sustainable activities such as desk-making, organising school clubs and planting vegetable plots.