For my volunteering section ,for my Gold DofE, I decided to do a year of volunteering with Edukid. Initially, I had little knowledge or understanding on the aims and objectives of the charity which I would go on to learn and research over the coming weeks. I gained knowledge about the UN sustainability and Development Goals as well as what Edukid is working to achieve as a charity. Furthermore, I got to see examples of where the help of a charity has made significant impacts to the lives of others such as their recent Food Programme in Peru where they are providing balanced and healthy meals to children in education which has resulted in the children having seen growth benefits and better learning which actually resulted in the school performing outstandingly well in their district Olympics.

After I had been informed it gave me a solid foundation to start fundraising. When I first thought of the fundraising , I  thought that I would be told to raise money for the charity in general and then they would select what cause it would help however, I found that I would get to research specific causes and choose where my fundraising went. The three areas I selected were to:

1. Fund the growing, sewing and reaping of bananas in Peru
2. Provide healthy school meals for children in Cambodia
3. Create wells and Bore Holes in Uganda

The charities format was a key part that made my journey volunteering so enjoyable as it researching each area allowed me to see what change my fundraising would specifically make and create a personal connection to these specific areas which fueled me when organising, preparing and completing my charity events.

My first event was a 15,000 ft tandem jump which I spent around 2 months researching, planning and advertising in preparation for. I have always wanted to go skydiving and thought that it would be the perfect opportunity to raise money. It was one of the best experiences of my life and the satisfaction that something so exciting and enjoyable was still able to help those in need gave me an enormous sense of pride.

My second/final event was to complete a Para 10* in the army reserve time of 2 hours. I chose this event as I wanted to complete an event that took lots of physical conditioning and preparation to complete. I spent hours weekly training for the event for about 9 weeks. On the day of the run I gave it everything and managed to exceed my goal of the Army reserve time to qualifying in the regular soldiers time of 1 hour and 50 minutes , as I completed it in 1 hour and 48 minutes.

In conclusion, I have found volunteering extremely rewarding as not only have I been able to benefit the lives of those in need around the world, but I was able to improve myself physically and mentally. I also loved the support I was given by the charity as Edukid gave me freedom to decide and deviate from their week by week breakdown for the Gold DofE as long as I believed that it would work best for me and my fundraising. This freedom allowed me to explore personal interests or goals and make it a way to help others.

A huge thanks to Edukid and my assessor Kate for all the consistent guidance and my amazing experience.

Heber

Having been lucky enough to volunteer with Edukid out in Cambodia, I decided when I embarked on my  Gold Duke of Edinburgh journey that I wanted to continue supporting them.  When out there, I saw the poverty that children have to live in every day; dirty housing, lack of clean clothing, and for many, a challenge in accessing education due to financial reasons.  Seeing how Edukid helps and gives children the opportunity to get qualifications and go on and lead fulfilling lives really inspired me into continuing to support them. 

I decided that over the course of 12 months, I was going to raise money for education packs for children in Cambodia, in an aim to ensure that as many children as possible can access education with the required equipment.

I raised money through many different ways, with my two main fundraising events being a coffee morning in my village and completing the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge, with my smaller efforts being ‘odd job days’ for neighbours and friends.  In total, I managed to raise £791.86.

Whilst the organisation of the coffee morning was a challenge at times, I would say that the walk was the toughest part.  It took a lot of physical and mental strength to keep going and try and make it round before it got dark!  Despite this, I really enjoyed the experience and it is something that I will definitely remember for years to come!

The experience of volunteering for Edukid has been brilliant; knowing I am genuinely making a difference to people’s lives is such a great feeling to have been part of.  If your considering volunteering with Edukid, I couldn’t recommend it more.  You will be making a difference to people’s lives, and having seen in person some of the conditions people are living in, it is vital that as many people support Edukid as possible so they can continue to provide support and aid.    

For my Bronze Duke of Edinburgh volunteering, I decided to work with Edukid, because I wanted to help make a change for children and families living in extreme poverty. Having a quality education can open so many doors and opportunities, which I believe everyone should be able to access. This is why I chose the emergency care and inclusive education project.

I raised money by hosting a bake sale, where I baked cupcakes, brownies and also handmade clay bead bracelets. With the support of family, friends, and other donations, I managed to raise £194. This was a huge achievement for me and I was so pleased to be able to contribute to helping those in extreme poverty.

Throughout the volunteering process, I had worries of not reaching my fundraising goal or the bake sale being unsuccessful, but having resilience and people around me to support me made it achievable.

My highlight of volunteering with Edukid was communicating with people about the incredible work that Edukid does to break the barriers to education. I learned many things whilst volunteering but the most significant was how impactful education is. There are many things in life that we often take for granted, such as education, so it is important to remember our privilege and try to help those that are less fortunate when possible. Education is power.

For those considering volunteering with Edukid, my advice for you is to just do it!!! And if a task becomes difficult or stressful, just remember the impact it is going to make on a person somewhere in the world. I had the most incredible experience and I learned so much from it.

Thank you Edukid!!!

About a month ago, as part of my Edukid DofE volunteering, I hosted a Charity Christmas Market and Disco event at my school, Queen Mary’s High. This would be my third charity event of my volunteering time, and after the success of the first disco I did in the Autumn, I decided to hold another, with the added element of a market inside the venue as well, to raise additional money. 

I expected the event to do well- but never could have predicted absolutely smashing my target of £80 by over 400% and raising £328 for University Scholarships in Uganda and Cambodia! This made me incredibly proud, but also meant a lot to me as I knew that, from beginning the road to University myself, it would make a big difference for both these students’ lives and their futures in less fortunate countries than my own.

The event was stressful to say the least, with decorating, setting up tables and chairs, and sorting out vendors, including Samosas, Carved Decór and Hot Chocolates, but absolutely was worth it, as I saw the whole school get involved, from teachers to year sevens to sixth-formers! I would definitely recommend running a large charity event like this at your own school or workplace, as it can have a big impact, especially around the holiday time. In the meantime, I will be planning my next fundraiser for the charity as part of my DofE volunteering, and am excited to build upon my funds for this excellent charity.

Speak soon,

Freya

Year 13

Queen Mary’s High, Walsall

I chose to volunteer with Edukid to help children access education and make a real impact.

I walked 20km to raise money for Edukids.Together, I raised £400, showing how even small actions can make a big difference.

There were challenges, like getting people to engage at first, but sharing personal stories and asking for help made it easier. My highlights were seeing donations grow and inspiring others to support the cause.

Volunteering with Edukid taught me teamwork, organisation, and the power of education to change lives. To anyone thinking about volunteering: go for it! Your efforts can make a real difference and inspire others too.

For my DofE volunteer I have chosen Edukid, because I believe that I could really help out  children and families stuck in the cycle of poverty. Since the lack of education is one of the factors of poverty, therefore I have chosen the educational project because this can open up an opportunity for the younger generation to help their family to break the cycle of poverty and a chance for change.

I have raised money by asking family, friends and teachers to sponsor me for my fundraiser, where I crocheted for a whole day and more. I have made £105 in this fundraiser showing how donating a few pounds can make a huge impact on others’ lives. Throughout this volunteering I had worries about asking people to sponsor me and was having trouble finding the courage, however I had friends who motivated me and were by my side when I had to ask for a sponsor, helping me to succeed. 

For me the highlight of this volunteering experience is crocheting for my sponsors. It took me a while to finish my fundraiser but it was all worth it when I saw their reactions to my crochet. I have learnt that I must not hesitate to ask for help because with just one question I can change someone’s life. An advice to someone  considering volunteering with Edukid is to ‘ just do it’. There might be rejections or obstacles throughout this journey but there will always be someone who is willing to help. 

Thank you for reading my blog. I hope you find some motivation and encouragement for your journey.

After volunteering with Edukid, this is my reflection on my journey.

I chose Edukid for my volunteering because I am passionate about making sure that all children, people like me, my age, all have the equal opportunities to achieve as much as I can! This charity embodied this idea.

I decided to raise money for clean water and sanitation as I believe that water is essential to learning and living as a whole, it is a nessecity and it is awful that some people don’t even have access to something as simple as that.

I decided to raise money for this cause by putting myself in their shoes and decided to walk 14 miles spread over two days with a weighted backpack (it was soo hard!) overall I raised £255 out of my £150 goal which is amazing!!! This has ensured clean water to about 7 whole families!! 

The hardest part was probably the walk, it really put it into perspective how hard it was for people to do this everyday, especially when there are children doing this who are way younger than me. However my highlight was finding out what impact the money I raised would have as 7 families is amazing!

I have learnt alot through Edukid, it made me feel so lucky and grateful for the situation I’m in, just pushing my drive even more to make a difference. 

To any person volunteering with Edukid, throw yourself into it, you wouldn’t expect how involved you feel yourself becoming in this cause. It is such an exciting experience.

Thank you, from Aoife Gough (Bronze Award)

Hi,

I just wanted to share that I have completed my first fundraiser event as part of my Edukid remote volunteering for my Gold Duke of Edinburgh award! After weeks of planning, it all came together on the 10th October, where around 50 people came and enjoyed the personalised selection of music, free snacks and refreshments, and the merchandise available for sale, which included custom pin badges as well as glow-sticks. When collecting all of the donations, including the entrance fee, I found out that I was able to raise an impressive £66.25 for the charity!

I chose Edukid for my volunteering project, as it would fit in well with my schoolwork, as it is remote, but also because I am passionate about making change in the world and creating more equality where it is needed. This is why I would like my raised money to go towards Inclusive Education projects, which will support children’s special educational needs and diverse abilities in Cambodia, Peru and Uganda, which I feel especially passionate about as I have special needs at school myself, and want every child to access such opportunities as I have.

Challenges with my fundraiser included getting people involved, as I originally wanted to do a silent disco, which not many were interested in. For my solution, I decided to do a classic disco instead, charging a reasonable price of £1.00, which got many people to become interested in the event, who will likely support my next event as well.

For one of my later events, I plan on doing another disco, as it was fun, relatively simple to organise once I had the venue and support team, and people were genuinelly interested in coming to another one.

Until next time,

Freya, Queen Mary’s High School, Walsall.

I chose to volunteer with Edukid to help children access education and make a real impact. I supported children in Uganda, raising funds for school supplies, uniforms, and meals.

I ran a social media campaign on Instagram and TikTok, shared stories, and created posters with QR codes linking to our JustGiving page. Together, we raised £450, showing how even small actions can make a big difference.

There were challenges, like getting people to engage at first, but sharing personal stories and asking for help made it easier. My highlights were seeing donations grow and inspiring others to support the cause.

Volunteering with Edukid taught me teamwork, organisation, and the power of education to change lives. To anyone thinking about volunteering: go for it! Your efforts can make a real difference and inspire others too.

“Last night we were delighted to welcome Chris Turner and Kara Jeremiah from Edukid, a wonderful Bideford-based charity making a real difference around the globe. From tackling poverty to breaking down barriers to education, their work in schools and communities is truly moving. Huge thanks to Chris and Kara for joining us and sharing how, right from North Devon, they’re supporting children in Uganda, Cambodia, Peru and beyond to build brighter futures. Not to be missed!”