SIXTEEN-year-old Emily Woods from Ballinamallard will be taking on a skydive at the end of the month as part of a fundraising initiative for her summer charity mission in Kenya with Jengana.
The Enniskillen Royal Grammar School student is one of 11 young people from the Ballinamallard area who will be heading out with the Christian charity this July to help those who are less fortunate.
Ahead of the mission trip, she and the rest of the team have been getting involved in fundraising, both individually and collectively, to pay for their travel and to donate money to the charity as well.
“I have lots of fundraising to do,” says Emily, who is in her GCSE year, “It is a busy time but I have always wanted to do something like this.”
As part of her own individual fundraising, Emily’s sky dive is due to take place on April 28.
She has also organised a Bake Sale, due to take place on April 21 at the Diamond, Enniskillen.
“I have always wanted to do a sky dive at some time in my life so I thought this was the perfect opportunity,” she says.
The 11 participants from Ballinamallard Youth Fellowship will be taking part in team building exercises along with the eight other volunteers from Belfast in order to ‘break the ice’ before the summer charity mission.
Jengana, a registered charity based in Northern Ireland, comes from the Swahili word for build - ‘jenga’ and means ‘building each other’.
The charity has been set up to alleviate the extreme poverty that is a growing problem in Kenya.
It’s work began in 2003 but since then the leaders have become increasingly aware of the need for ongoing support.
As a result, Jengana’s wide vision included the building of a home for abandoned babies, which came to fruition last year.
Emily and her fellow volunteers will be involved in building traditional houses for some needy people in rural areas, feeding children living on the streets of Nairobi and supporting ongoing ministry in Mukuru slum.
Unsure of what to expect, Emily says her older brother and sister have both taken part in previous missions.
“I have always wanted to take part in a mission but I never thought I would get the chance so young.
“I know I will find it to be a real eye opener.
“And I’m sure I will find it an emotional experience. I have been told that while you may expect that the female volunteers will find it particularly difficult, the males also find it very emotional too.
“I know there will be camp fire nights where we will have the chance to reflect on what we have learned and experienced - those will probably be the most emotional days.
“I’m sure there will be things that I will find hard to see out there, but at least I can do my best to help in some way while I am there.”
Each volunteer will be bringing a separate suitcase with them, filled with supplies and resources for the people of Kenya.
Emily is hoping that the weather will permit her to go ahead with her skydive on April 28.
The cost of the skydive is being financed out of her own pocket rather than any of the money being raised for the summer mission.
She is also inviting as many people as possible to buy from her Bake Sale at the Diamond on April 21.