Lesotho Day 0: Preparing for the Unpreparable

Tomorrow is the day!

At 4.30pm I will leave these rainy shores for the distant far off land of Lesotho, living and volunteering for ten weeks in the local community. For those of you that are potentially interested in what I'll be doing and getting up to while I'm away, I'll be continually updating this blog whenever possible, hopefully with some colourful pictures to add some context.

Lesotho is located to the east of South Africa, completely landlocked by the latter, and is an independent state. It is has a population of around 1.8million, and according to the World Food Programme, it's expected life expectancy is 41.2 years. During my time away, I will be volunteering to increase HIV/AIDS awareness, gender equality and crime prevention, through active learning. This programme is called 'Coaching For Hope'.

'Coaching For Hope' is part of the charity, Skillshare International, who I have been fundraising for before I go away. In total, I raised £862.00, all of which goes to the programme to keep it sustainable and ensuring that development goals are met. During my first week away, I'll receive training to prepare me for the ten week placement and be told whereabouts in the country I will be placed.

So, that's just a brief primer of what I'm doing and where I'm going. My future blog posts will have a bit more substance, keeping you updated in what I am doing and any particular musings I have on the country. Hopefully you keep interested, and are checking back from time to time to see the incredible work that Skillshare are doing across Africa.