A ROSS-on-Wye student has set his sights on working in an orphanage in Cambodia.

Matthew Neale, who studies at Hereford Sixth Form College, has chosen to undertake voluntary work for Outreach International during his gap year.

“I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to work for a Department for International Development organisation called SHIREE in Dhaka, Bangladesh, working with people suffering from economic difficulties, which brought me face to face with the harrowing world of slums and extreme poverty,” said Matthew, who hopes to go to Cambodia with his friend Melissa Thomas.

“Lack of funding is a major issue at the orphanage.

“But we believe that with the skills we have and are able to develop through the course in teaching, we are able to give the children the attention and guidance they need, as well as doing small jobs, like painting to help with the upkeep.

“We want to create not only a short-term impact, but a lasting one by trying to source some extra funding for the orphanage by tapping into the tourist industry around Siam Reap, which has never been done before.”

Matthew and Melissa – who is from Malvern and also studies at Hereford Sixth Form College – need to raise £4,000 to enable the project to go ahead and welcome any donations or fund-raising ideas.

For details, visit campaignfor cambodia.weebly.com