Kilmarnock teen set for South Africa move to help the community
19.06.2024 - 11:33
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
A 19-year-old from Kilmarnock will move to South Africa for a year to do voluntary work in the community.
Louis Shekleton has travelled to Eswatini, also known by its former official name Swaziland, since he was 10 years old.
His first trip was with his mum Elizabeth and dad Michael who inspired him to volunteer and since then the family has visited South Africa each year, except during the pandemic.
Now Louis is preparing for his solo trip and is feeling "excited" to see all the people that he knows and make a positive change in the community.
Louis said: "My dad went with a group from the Bridge Church in Kilwinning that we go to. He went for a few weeks, and then, just from hearing how good his trip was, I went the following year with him and my mum. I was 10 years old and ever since I've been going every year up to now.
"I was never ungrateful when I was a child, but going to South Africa gives you a different viewpoint on other people's lives. The first few times I went it was challenging, it can be very upsetting but makes you appreciate things that you have."
While in Eswatini, Louis will be volunteering at several care points where children come for food. He will be in charge of collecting the food and then distributing it to over 2,000 children in nine different villages.
He said: "The care points have a classroom where pre-school children come from 9am until 11.30am and get taught and fed. In the afternoon children come after school to get fed as well. I will be in charge of distributing the food at nine care points. I will also help with the orphanage and old people's home all within the same organisation.
"Most of the children that come to the care points are orphans. A lot of the parents have died from AIDS and