Rosa Nissim is getting ready to move to Africa. The 28-year-old will be developing a free-to-use education centre in the north of Malawi for students and the local community.
Miss Nissim, who will be leaving in June, is doing the project on an entirely voluntary basis.
She tells People: "I went to Malawi in 2007 and spent a year teaching in a school in the north. I became aware of the lack of resources and wanted to do something that would help stimulate the economy."
She returned in 2009 and decided she wanted to build a centre there. She has since established the Phunzira project - the word for 'learning' in Chichewa, the national language of the country.
Phunzira is a not-for-profit charitable trust, with all donations going directly toward the centre. "We want the community to be involved in the construction and the ownership of the project which will eventually be passed down to the community. It's all about transferable skills."
Building work will start in July and she hopes the centre will be functional three months later. It will have solar panels for lighting and electricity.
Based in Stanmore, Middlesex, Miss Nissim has completed two degrees, in Spanish and maths.
She thought about moving to South America but now sees her home as being in Malawi. "When I first went there I got a shock. I imagined it would be eye-opening and a good experience and that I would come back and move elsewhere, but it was absolutely beautiful.
"The people are exceptionally friendly. I am really excited about going."
