A PASSIONATE campaigner has made a major life change to start her own charity supporting former child soldiers.

Suzie Ford is now appealing for people to support her charity Bethechange as she aims to get projects off the ground.

Miss Ford, who grew up in Pershore, was living in Worcester when she quit her job at Jaguar Land Rover to fulfill her lifetime’s ambition to help people around the world.

The 32-year-old said: “I saw the dire need for help after volunteering in South America and knew this was my calling.

“In 2017, I used my savings, sold my car and my belongings and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro to raise the capital to start the charity.

“I went to Uganda on a one-way ticket.

“We support former child-soldiers, orphans and other vulnerable children to get back into school and be placed with foster families.

“In Uganda we plan to buy some land at one of the schools so that they can feed the children at school.

“We also plan to build a vocational centre, where teenagers can learn a skill.

“In Congo our mission is to open a women’s centre for the women victims of sexual violence. On placements I have taught yoga in Uganda and Congo to help victims.

“And my other passion is conservation. At the moment the focus is on supporting people, but I want the charity to be about changing the world for the better.

“We want to help protect the environment and the species through conservation and awareness raising.”

Miss Ford came back to Pershore to visit family and friends over Christmas, and has been busy registering the charity and planning fundraising before her next trip, set to take place in the summer. Businesses are being encouraged to support the charity in a Tough Mudder, taking place at Belvoir Castle on May 18.

The charity is also planning other fund-raising events later in the year.

Miss Ford said she is also hoping to arrange volunteer placements, giving people the chance to support their work.

For more details email suzie@bethechange-international.org or visit the charity’s website, bethechange-international.org.

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