insideKENT Magazine Issue 34 - January 2015 | Page 129

CHARITY

New Year, New Challenge
A ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME NICARAGUA INTERNATIONAL CITIZEN
SERVICE PLACEMENT by Matt Gwyn
Over the past few years, I have had the opportunity to travel and live in a number
of different places. I went to university with the aim to make the most of the three
years, as I knew soon enough the summer holidays would be no more, and the
finances would be less secure once I graduated.

I studied English Literature at the University of
Sussex. Living in Brighton opened my eyes to
city living; I soon realised its quirks, and spending
many hours in its coffee shops and pubs gave
me a strong sense of involvement in the
environment. During these three years, I spent
five months studying at the University of Vermont
in America, and subsequently spent a month
travelling around the Philippines and Vietnam,
where I did a brief volunteer placement as an
English teacher. Both were eye-opening
experiences, and left me wanting more.
When I graduated this year, I moved home
to Kent in a bid to weigh up my options. At the
outset, I was considering studying for a master's
degree and applying for jobs, but before long, I
decided to look into working for a charity in a
developing country. I have always loved meeting
new people – from all cultures and backgrounds
– and have maintained a keen interest in the
problems facing developing countries around
the world.
From here, I came across the International
Citizen Service (ICS), a government-funded
development programme that brings together

18-25 year olds from all backgrounds to fight
poverty in overseas and UK communities.
After the initial application process, I was
selected to work with Raleigh International.
Particularly impressed by the charity’s stance on
what it sees as worthwhile development – Raleigh
aims to deliver sustainable change by providing
access to safe water and sanitation – the
programme signals the most cost-effective ways
of achieving real, positive results with regards to
health, livelihoods, and social impact.
Working in collaboration with in-country
volunteers and communities, the programme
creates a powerful sense of unity, which I see
as progressively valuable and most importantly,
sustainable.
On this occasion, I've been chosen to go
on a three-month placement to Nicaragua, which
will start in February 2015. During this time, I will
live with a local family in the northwestern rural
areas, and will be involved in a community work
project, along with a national counterpart.
Nicaragua is the second poorest country in the
western hemisph