AN Enfield Wash teenager has made a plea for more people her age to help combat poverty after spending three months volunteering in South Africa.

Sarudzai Chirimuuta, 19, of Lawson Road, left for the East Cape of the country in September on a Government-funded scheme to work with schoolchildren living in one of the poorest parts of the state.

The Zimbabwe-born London Metropolitan University student also raised £2,000 for Restless Development, who organised for her to teach youngsters about sexual health, careers, finance and IT skills.

She said: “It was a great chance to work in development and really make a difference in one of the poorest parts of the world.

“It was an amazing trip and I learned so much – a lot of young people there don’t finish school or leave at 16, and they don’t really have any skills or opportunities.

Restless Development, founded in 1985, is one of six international agencies helping to deliver the scheme, which gives British youngsters aged 18-22 a chance to volunteer for 12 weeks.

Sarudzai, who will begin her second year studying international relations next month, said the whole idea of the project is to put teenagers at the heart of development in the area.

“The message comes across better when it’s someone their age telling them they can achieve things, when it’s young people teaching young people.”

“I would say to anyone thinking of doing this that it will be a special experience and a chance to meet different people and make new friends.”

She added that she wanted to thank Enfield businesses that sponsored her so she could go to the area.

To find out more information about the scheme, click here.