In July 2014, my son, Rudi, is down to participate in a school expedition to to Borneo.
The idea is that young teenagers, having completed their GCSEs, travel either to Borneo or Cambodia (depending upon environmental and political stability in those regions at the time of travel) to spend a month contributing to a range of social and conservational projects that meet the particular needs of the
local population and environment as required. These activities may include amongst other things:
assistance with school/clinic construction
teaching children and adults within schools
assisting in planting and harvesting activities
reforestation activities
marine monitoring
As well as engaging with the local community, there are opportunities for recreation that with luck would lead to a PADI scuba qualification.
Funding
This trip is unsurprisingly very expensive (it goes beyond the trip to France and the obligatory trek to the Science Museum that I did!) and as such the candidates are expected to use their own initiative to formulate ideas that will generate the funding of the trip on the back of their own efforts.
Of the money raised, approximately 50% goes directly into the funding of the projects that the children themselves become involved with.
It happens that Rudi is an enthusiatic music student and he suggested busking. We looked into the feasability of this and found that such a plan involves local council licencing issues amonst other considerations. However, some exposure on these pages is easy as a first step (call it on-line busking!).
On my website, there is a Youtube clip in which Rudi and his sister, Ramona, perform 'Bohemian Like You' by The Dandy Warhols. Please take a look if you have the inclination and the time. There is a donation button there if you like it... or eve if you'd like them to stop!
http://auralsculptors.blogspot.co.uk/
If there is any interest, they have other stuff lined up! Gunta is thinking 'The White Stripes' here..... I'm more inclined towards Peters and Lee!
Thanks in advance.
Adrian.
