A Winchester student is preparing to undertake a gap-year with a difference.

Abbie North, 18, from Hursley, near Winchester, is to learn Swahili intensively for three days before flying off to Africa to teach English to a classroom full of Kenyan youngsters. At the end of this month, she will leave for Kituro in Kenya with her friend Beth Richardson, from Eastleigh, and they will both teach English at a school for girls for three months.

The contrast with Abbie's own education at Peter Symonds' College, where she studied A-levels in performing arts, sociology and English, could not be more stark.

Class sizes will be a lot larger and facilities more basic.

After the teaching experience they will spend a month travelling around Kenya before returning home.

To raise money for the adventure Abbie undertook a sponsored walk around the Isle of Wight and raised £1,800.

She said about the trip: "I am quite nervous as I don't know what to expect.

"I think my parents are more concerned than me, but my sister did a similar trip three years ago, so that should allay their fears."

Abbie added: "Travelling in itself didn't appeal to me for a gap-year.

"I wanted to go somewhere I could be in the same place for a while, experience the country's culture and do something useful."

As well as teaching English, Abbie, who hopes to be a professional singer, will help out with the school's choir.

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