Ambos for Africa

I'd like to start this guest post written by Hannah Donald by sharing with you a bit about how we got to know more about her. Hannah Donald was named a runner-up in the GVN Scholarship search and after sharing her amazing story and goals for her future, we wanted to see how else we could help. Hannah is a singer and ambulance driver from New Zealand who is determined to make her way back to Africa and give her time and effort to help in communities that could use her expertise and experience. She is headed to Kenya next year with a friend to work in the Masailand in a medical project. Hannah is someone who has inspired and amazed us with her dogged determination to reach her goals. We asked Hannah to write a blog for the GVN Foundation and when we shared it with the office, Global Volunteer Network decided to use it on theirs as well! Hannah's attitude and zest for making her life the richest she can is inspiring!

"In Jan this year while working an unusually quiet Friday night shift at Manukau Ambulance Station, New Zealand, my co-worker Janelle (a paramedic) was talking about how she wanted to go overseas and volunteer in a third world country. I (Hannah, an Ambulance Officer) had already been on a volunteer trip to Ethiopia, Africa in 2004. It was the most life changing, heart breaking, challenging but best thing I have ever done and I have always wanted to go back! After talking more and more about the idea we jumped online to see what we could find. That's when we came across Global Volunteer Network. We read about a little medical clinic in the Massilands of Kenya, Africa and it sounded like the perfect place to go!! We both applied and were accepted the next day! Wow it all happened so fast. And so the fundraising journey begins and we have decided to call this little adventure "Ambos for Africa".

We are both really excited about this trip and have received so much support from friends, family, co-workers even people we have never meet but who really believe in what we are doing. Fundraising is hard work but we have to get the $14,000.00 from somewhere and that hard work is paying off. We are over 1/2 way there and with only 5 months to go we know we will get on that plane!!

Someone once said to me 'people are paying thousands to get out of Africa, why are you paying thousands to get in'? Its simple. I've already seen first hand the destruction of AIDS and lack of healthcare and I want to do my part in making a difference. I come from a very privileged country and I don't want to become someone who takes life for granted and forgets about those in need!" -Hannah Donald

Thank you for sharing Hannah and we wish you the best on your trip!