Day 24: Mosoj Yan

Day 24: Thursday 24th January 2013

Thursday's Menu:

Breakfast: 50g of Porridge with water, sugar and 50g of frozen fruit.

Lunch: Cup a Soup

Dinner: Portion of Rice with Portion of Chickpea and Kidney Bean Curry (see day 21 recipe)

As you may know I am living below the poverty line for the month of January to raise money for Tearfund. Myself and my friend Elspeth have been accepted onto a government funded voluntary scheme called International Citizenship Service (ICS). Through this scheme we will be going on a fully funded voluntary trip to one of Tearfund's targeted countries, working for 10 weeks with a specific in country project. Before we head off we have been asked to fundraise a set amount for Tearfund (all the money we raise goes straight to the charity and not towards the cost of our trip at all). ICS is an incredible scheme, it will give me the opportunity to volunteer on a development project with my favourite charity. Something that is invaluable experience to me. I am passionate about fighting poverty and injustice and dream about working in international development and being able to do it as my day job. Due to the fact that ICS works with some of the most respected development organisations I know the work we will be doing will make a difference. Not only has it given me the option to volunteer abroad but it also has given me a fantastic excuse to raise awareness and money for Tearfund. If you are between the ages of 18 - 25, have a couple of months you could spare and you also are passionate about fighting poverty I'd really recommend looking into ICS, it is such an incredible opportunity. 

Today was a massively exciting day, we finally found out where we will be going in April!! We had interviewed with Tearfund on an early bird selection day and so had to wait for all volunteers to be selected before it was confirmed where we would be volunteering. I am so incredibly excited to announce we are off to work in Cochabamba City (great name) in Bolivia. 

It is estimated that there are 33,000 children and adolescents working and/or living on the streets of Cochabamba City. An estimated 70% of described are girls and young women vulnerable to sex trafficking, many of whom have babies of their own.  We will be working with an in country organisation supported by Tearfund called Mosoj Yan. Mosoj Yan was established in 1991 and has been working ever since to help these young women and children to get off the streets by providing them with different rehabilitation and prevention services. Mosoj Yan’s work includes, the exercise and defence of human rights, social and personal responsibility, preventative and vocational education, leadership, reproductive and preventative health, and respect for the natural environment. Mosoj Yan runs four different programs around the city, including a daycare shelter with educational facilities, two residential homes, a handicrafts shop, and a café. Some of the girls Mosoj Yan help live with their families, but spend the day selling wares on the street; some have faced family problems such as abuse; others live on the streets, at risk of prostitution, drug use and a criminal lifestyle. We will be involved in educational activities and workshops such as english classes and practical skill classes to empower the girls and help them to build a positive and supported life for themselves and their families. We will also be involved in workshops with community members and parents teaching them how to support children. I love that Tearfund works with in country organisations. I think Mosoj Yan's work is in credible, I can't wait to get involved and hopefully do my bit to make a difference and change the lives of these girls out in Cochabamba. 

If you would like to sponsor me for this month, please click here to be taken straight to my Just Giving page. The money I raise will go towards helping Tearfund run incredible projects worldwide such as Mosoj Yan, the more I raise this month, the more lives that can be changed by Tearfund. Please donate what you can today. 

A little video about Mosoj Yan...