Orphanage visit will make Freya's dreams come true

Freya Blackman, 25 is currently arriving in Nepal and is living with a local host family while she volunteers in one of the country’s orphanages. She hopes to raise funds to buy supplies for orphans near the capital Kathmandu.

Although the supplies may appear basic to most in the West, Freya says they are desperately needed in Nepal – medical supplies, clothing, stationery, games, books, head lice shampoo, musical instruments – all of which can improve or even save a child’s life. She said: “Nepal has always been a dream. I remember watching a documentary when I was young about the levels of street children and thinking how can this be allowed and why aren’t more people trying to do something? Nepal seems all too often forgotten. Hopefully, I can make some semblance of a difference, even if it is having an impact on one child. One significant change since I first started dreaming of going to Nepal is the extent of the damaging earthquakes of 2015 in which more than 8,000 people died.”

Freya heads to Nepal after living and working in Wellington, New Zealand where she has au paired and been enjoyed her two passions of childcare and protection alongside her love of travel and visiting new and exciting places. Before that she worked in Rome and Beijing when she enjoyed ‘living like a local’ and her latest project is no different. In Kathmandu she will follow a daily routine of helping to feed, change and improve children’s English skills.

Freya also worked as a student support officer at Heathfield Community College supporting behavioural and pastoral issues and was also chosen to be a member of the Sussex Youth Police Commission working on drug and alcohol awareness programmes.

She says: “I’m not silly thinking I am going to change their lives. Something that’s clear is that our idea of happiness is different. I’m sure actually these kids will change my life. I am so excited to have moved to Nepal. What an opportunity. To live with a Nepalese family, immerse myself in their culture, eat local food, try to learn another language and live somewhere I am supporting them and giving back – all of this is wonderful and I feel like my dreams have come true!” Information: https://www.fundmytravel.com/campaign/9qcfqFmZd0 or email: [email protected].

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