Hey everyone,

This August, I’m headed to South Africa with UWE Bristol to volunteer in Project Zulu’s Township Safeguarding Programme as part of my training as a student social worker. I’ll be working with local schools to deliver safeguarding training — helping teachers, learners, and community members understand how to protect children and young people, recognise harm, and build safer environments.

The need for this kind of work is huge. In many communities across South Africa:

• A significant number of children experience violence, with surveys showing large proportions of young people exposed to physical, sexual, and emotional abuse in communities and at home.

• Gender-based violence remains alarmingly high, with studies reporting that over a third of women have experienced physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives.

• National crime statistics have also revealed that children are disproportionately affected by serious offences including sexual assault and rape — a stark indicator of how critical prevention and protection work is.

It really isn’t “just awful headlines” — these are ongoing realities for families and young people in the townships where I’ll be working. That’s why safeguarding education is so vital: knowledge, awareness, and prevention can save lives.

I’m raising £100 to support this programme. All funds go directly to materials, training delivery, and — if there’s any left — school supplies for the kids involved. I’m not taking any of it personally — it’s all about supporting the work on the ground.

If you’re able to donate even a little — or share this post — it would make a massive difference. Thank you for believing in this as much as I do.