Bridport teacher Elizabeth on VSO vocation (From Bridport and Lyme Regis News)

Bridport teacher Elizabeth on VSO vocation

12:00pm Saturday 12th January 2013 in Bridport

FORMER Bridport teacher Elizabeth Barnes has been chosen to work as a volunteer in Africa.

She’ll be spending the next two years in Rwanda with Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO).

She goes this month and will be there teaching the teachers rather than youngsters.

Elizabeth said: “I have spent several years teaching in both Dorset and London.

“My placement will involve working on the UNICEF ‘Child Friendly Schools’ Programme in Rwanda for the next two years.

“I will not be teaching in Africa, but volunteering with the Ministry of Education as a teacher trainer, running a teaching resource base and completing outreach work – on a motorbike!"

She said it was a fantastic opportunity to forge links with schools in this country and as part of this project, she has written a geography curriculum about Africa.

Schools can request it from her website life-near-the-equator.co.uk Elizabeth added: “I will also be keeping a weekly public blog and photo diary of my experience for schools, family and friends.”

She has also to fundraise for her placement and has a Just Giving page under the name Elizabeth-Barnes-in-Africa.

A few Bridport schools are already involved and Elizabeth hopes more will want to join in.

She added: “The money will go towards many of VSO’s fantastic long term projects.

“VSO reached more than 15million people living in poverty through improved services in health, HIV and AIDS, education and secure livelihoods.”