Gap year volunteer embarks on African career

A gapper who signed up for voluntary work abroad has revealed how a charitable gap year in Africa may have changed the course of his life completely.

Ray Berry travelled to Uganda, with Year Out Group organisation Africa & Asia Venture (AV), where he initially planned to spend three months as a volunteer.

But like many who experience gap year travel, Mr Berry has uncovered career aims and ambitions he never knew he had.

Almost two years since his first exposure to voluntary work, he is now on the board of directors for a children's home in Elohim, Uganda.

He said: "I had never considered it before, but the gratification and satisfaction you get upon helping others is incomparable to any other form of work."

Mr Berry went on to say that, had he not volunteered with AV, his life could have been very different.

"It opened my eyes to an entirely unconsidered career path, one that led straight to the children of Elohim and to a brighter future [for] both them and myself."

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