A FORMER university student from Blackburn has made an appeal for people to help her teach African children to read and write.

Nicola Banks, 21, needs £2,000 for the trip to the West African country of Ghana in late October. The former Lincoln University student has already collected a number of raffle prizes donated by companies, including Calvin Klein and Nicky Clarke gift sets, a free MOT and service and a child's toy. Raffle tickets cost £1 a strip and all the proceeds will go to helping Nicola fly out to Africa and cover her expenses while she is out there.

Nicola recently qualified with a 2:1 degree in marketing and is taking a year out, she wants to use some of the time to help children in a small African village. She is flying out to Ghana as part of a scheme run by the New Zealand-based charity Global Volunteer Network. The charity places people like Nicola in Third World Countries to help with teaching, environmental protection, healthcare or even looking after disabled orphans.

Nicola said: "When I found out they live miles from anywhere and that they don't even have basic things like running water I just felt that I needed to help. I'll work in a school for two months teaching the children things like English, maths, art and science."

If all goes well she plans to repeat the adventure next year in India, Nepal and possibly Malawi .

Nicola said she especially wanted to go to Malawi to help save people from the current famine, but she does not know of any charity that runs schemes in the Southern African country.

If anyone can offer some advice about Malawi she can be contacted on 07931 546124.

People wanting to make a donation, offer some stationery for Nicola to take to the school or buy a raffle ticket can phone the same number.

The Global Volunter Network

The Global Volunteer Network (GVN) was launched in December 2000.

GVN is based in Wellington, New Zealand.

The Network has partner organizations in China, Ghana, Ecuador, Nepal and Romania.

Work in China includes teaching English to students in the Shandong Province of the country.

In Nepal, volunteers help deliver health education, build smokeless stoves and even take part in local festivals.

Volunteers in Ecuador gain experience in plant conservation deep in the Amazonian jungle.

In the first six months of this year GVN have placed over 100 volunteers.

More information at www.volunteer.org.nz