Fundraising for the 2026 World Challenge

Please Help Me Make a Difference in Eswatini & Kruger!

Hi, my name is Ollie Jones and I’m super excited to share that I’ll be travelling with a group of students from Thornden School on a World Challenge expedition to Eswatini and Kruger in 2026! This incredible opportunity will give me a chance to experience a completely different culture, face new challenges (possibly involving a few sore muscles), and develop life skills that can’t be learned from a textbook. During the trip, we’ll camp in the stunning Ezulwini Valley and volunteer at a Neighbourhood Care Point (NCP) to support vulnerable children - helping provide food, education, and care. We’ll also spend time in local villages, learning about traditional customs, practices, and ways of life (which hopefully includes learning how to make amazing local dishes - I’m all about the food).

One of the biggest personal challenges will be trekking through the 500m - deep Ngwempisi Gorge. Not going to lie, long-distance walking isn’t my favourite thing, so I’m praying for minimal blisters and maybe a magic pair of socks. But I’m determined to push through - after all, what’s a little sweat and sore feet in exchange for an adventure, right?

We’ll finish with something I’ve always dreamed of: a safari in Kruger National Park. I never thought I’d get the chance to do something like this, and certainly not this soon! So if I happen to come home with a few too many safari photos (sorry in advance), you’ll know why.

Of course, all this comes with a significant cost, so I’ll be working hard to raise funds through events, challenges, and any creative ideas I can come up with. If you have any suggestions - or know a business that might be willing to sponsor or support me - I’d be beyond grateful!

Your support would mean the world to me and help me make this adventure a reality. Thank you so much for reading, for any donations, and for all your encouragement. I’ll keep you posted on my progress - and you’ll probably hear about my sore feet too. Stay tuned!

Thank you, Ollie Jones