A Lowestoft woman is keen to attract donations to help her fund a once-in-a-lifetime volunteering trip.

Holly Keeler, 20, is planning to leave for Nicaragua, in central America, on February 6.

She will complete a ten-week volunteer placement, along with six other UK volunteers – but in order to cover her costs, she needs to raise £800 by the beginning of February.

Miss Keeler and her fellow volunteers will carry out tasks such as building toilets and purifying water, while also educating the local residents on the importance of education, gender equality and assisting them to start up small businesses.

All donations will go towards Miss Keeler's personal account with International Citizen Service (ICS), who are the governing body partly responsible for covering costs.

Miss Keeler added: 'I would rather be doing something productive with my

life than wasting it doing bar work or sales jobs in Lowestoft.

'Making money and buying things aren't really on my agenda, I would rather do something that will give me a sense of purpose and personally help other people born in less fortunate circumstances than us.

'There's a whole world outside of Lowestoft and most young people here just find themselves staying here and not making the most out of what they could do.'

Miss Keeler will be living with a local family and working in a rural village, which has no internet or mobile phone signal.

She has also been learning to speak Spanish, in preparation for her trip, as English is not spoken in the country.

The placement is run by the Raleigh International Trust, who aim to inspire communities and young people around the world to create lasting change, become more self-sufficient and improve their quality of life.

Miss Keeler, who lives in Oulton, said: 'The most important aspect for us is to engage with the community.

'We will use the skills we have had the benefit to gain in the UK, in order to educate and advise locals by engaging and creating bonds within members of the community.

'Nicaragua is a developing country, and while out there we won't have the same luxuries as we take for granted in the UK.

'We will also be staying on a mattress in a family room or sleeping rough, depending on where we are working within the area and will not have simple amenities, such as toilets or clean running water.'

To help Miss Keeler with her fund-raising project visit www.justgiving.com/Holly-Keeler

Are you raising money for charity? Tell The Journal by calling 01502 525820 or email lowestoft.journal@archant.co.uk