A HEYBRIDGE woman who spent three months working in Ghana has called on more people to sign up for volunteering.

Maisie Jo Manning, 24, has just returned from the African country following a scheme run by the International Citizen Service (ICS).

It saw her work in partnership with Ghanaian volunteers on a project focusing on skills training for villagers to be able to start their own businesses, as well as reading classes for school children.

ICS volunteers are aged between 18 and 25 and work on long-term projects that seek to end poverty in some of the poorest countries in the world.

The scheme offers young people the chance to gain valuable new skills while working on projects that make a genuine difference to the people they work with and their communities.

Maisie said: “My placement in Ghana was challenging, but really rewarding and made a contribution to reducing poverty in the local community.

“Now I’m back at home, I feel so inspired and motivated by the experience that I’m determined to carry on making a difference.

“I’m keen to get involved in all sorts of volunteering both locally and globally, working with people who need it most, but I also want to encourage more young people to apply for ICS.

“ICS is a unique opportunity to work alongside people from a different culture and make a difference at the same time. I’d encourage young people like myself to apply.”

The scheme is funded by the UK Government, so young people don’t need cash, qualifications or work experience to take part.

To find out more about ICS or to ap- ply, visit volunteerics.org