Tooting Youth Walks London To Get To India

April 17, 2009 - PRLog -- Southfields Community College student Merlain Makiadi, of Tooting, has given up using public transport, getting around London by foot for a whole month, to raise £2,000 to fund a volunteering trip to India.

After completing his A Levels at Southfields, Merlain, 18, is taking a gap year to travel to North East India with Lattitude Global Volunteering in August this year.  He is waiting for his placement to be finalised, but Lattitude’s caring projects include looking after children with disabilities and those who live on the streets. During his four month project, Merlain hopes to play an active role getting to know the community within which he will be working.
Lattitude has granted Merlain a bursary funded by the Jack Petchey Foundation to cover part of the required fee, but he needs to raise the remaining £2,000 for travel and other expenses, so is asking local businesses to sponsor him, to give up his free travel pass for one month.

Merlain, who has grown up in care, explains “People in developing countries, especially children, have to travel many miles just for water to help their families live, or for a half decent education, but I have had free travel to school since I was 14.  I wanted to empathise with these people by compromising my own travelling privileges”.
Merlain has given up all modes of public or other transport, opting to walk everywhere, including the hour long walk to and from school every day.  

“I’ve overcome a lot of difficulties in my life and achieved a lot, through my own clear determination and getting the support I needed.  I have given back to my community, but there is more I can do” says Merlain.  “I want to help children who might be like me, who need help, but don’t have that support”.

Merlain has already given a lot back to his own community in Tooting and London, by founding the advocacy service CLICK (Children Living in Care Kouncil), helping to give children in care a voice, so that they can work in partnership with the senior managers who make decisions for them.  “I believe that if decisions are going to be made to benefit children, then they should have an input” he added.  Merlain also represents his peers in the Wandsworth Youth Forum and the London Youth Forum, and now he wants to do some good further afield.

The purpose of Lattitude’s projects is to make a positive difference to communities around the world, as well as to the volunteers who gain invaluable life experience, often getting as much out of the projects as the communities they work with.  Merlain chose the not-for-profit organisation to help arrange his gap year, because it met with all of his personal requirements.  Lattitude and its staff have shown support of his plans to help children in India, in organising the trip and offering a part funded placement to help Merlain on his journey.

Merlain’s friends are also being supportive “My friends love the idea of me giving up my travel pass -they like the morals behind it.  A few have walked with me to school sometimes, but it’s a bit early for some of them to do it for the whole month!”
To find out more about Merlain’s fundraising walks, and how you can support him, contact Richard McKenzie at Lattitude on RMcKenzie@lattitude.org.uk or call 0118 956 2936.
For further information about not-for-profit organisation, Lattitude Global Volunteering and its various projects, visit http://www.lattitude.org.uk

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About Lattitude:
Lattitude Global Volunteering (Lattitude) is a charity specialising in volunteering for 17 – 25 year olds. We have a global vision and aim to provide unique experiences of voluntary work placements for young people from around the world.
Lattitude has a global network of placements that spans 17 countries for British volunteers and includes projects in conservation, caring, community, camps and outdoor, medical, sports coaching, teaching, and language assisting. Current destinations include Canada, Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, Brazil, Ghana, Malawi, Tanzania, South Africa, Australia, China, Fiji, Japan, New Zealand, Vietnam, Vanuatu and India.
The cost of a Lattitude placement is a flat fee of £1,500 (travel expenses and insurance not included) and overseas hosts provide food and accommodation. Lattitude currently send approximately 2000 volunteers overseas each year.