BEKO TECHNOLOGIES have just made a donation of £200 to Joe Spires who will be leaving in a couple of months for a 3 month placement on a development programme in South Africa. This is part of the International Citizen Service programme (ICS), the aim of the ICS is to tackle poverty worldwide by solving the problems which cause it. He will be leaving late September and will be staying in Botswana, Lesotho or Capetown. Joe will be staying with a host family which could be in a mud hut or a house and he will be paired with an english speaking local volunteer.

International Citizens Service (ICS) is a government funded organisation dedicated to fighting poverty by tackling its causes; the programme uses mostly 18-25 year old volunteers. They work with a number of well-known development charities. Joe Spires, was lucky enough to be given a place with Skillshare International, a charity well known for their Coaching For Hope Project and the work they have done combating HIV and AIDS.

Skillshare International works in partnership with communities and local organisations in Africa and Asia to reduce poverty, injustice and inequality. The volunteers and fundraisers make a real difference to their HIV/AIDS, sustainable livelihoods, sport for development and gender justice programmes.

The money that Joe raises goes directly towards SSI to fund one of their projects. As well as participating in the ICS programme, Skillshare send a variety of professionals overseas on long term placements and send funding to partner organisations across the world, for example the NAPSAR (Network of African People Living with HIV and AIDS Southern Africa Region) who he will probably be working with.

Joe hopes to reach over 1500 people with information on Skillshare and ICS by the end of his placement and hopefully interesting other people to volunteer.

We would like to wish Joe all the best.