Last updated at 20:57, Thursday, 16 August 2012

A Cockermouth woman has returned from a six-week trip working for a women’s charity in Uganda.

Lucy Johnson, 20, of The Parklands, made the trip with Afrinspire, which helps women in developing countries.

She wants to work with overseas charities in the future and went to Uganda for the experience, as well as the help it would give her with her dissertation at Cambridge University, where she is studying geography.

Lucy spent the first three weeks with six other students travelling through the country to visit women’s groups and the projects, such as agricultural work and providing water tanks.

She raised £1,250 for the trip, with many donations coming from people in the Cockermouth area.

The money was used to buy equipment that women’s groups needed to help them run and fund a conference for women, at which Lucy spoke.

Lucy said: “I have taken so much from the whole experience.

“It was completely life-changing and made me sure that I want to work in this field.

“It opened my eyes to the realities of the poverty suffered in Uganda.”

She hopes to get an internship with a charity once she has graduated.

First published at 19:22, Thursday, 16 August 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk