Our International Representatives are on hand to provide expert advice and support.
Project Trust’s International Representatives have a good understanding of the local culture and customs, as nationals of the country or previous Project Trust Volunteers who have chosen to settle there. They coordinate Volunteer induction on arrival, arrange transport to placements, and provide ongoing support to our Volunteers and partner organisations.
We are proud to have long-standing relationships with many of our International Representatives. They are passionate, committed and hugely supportive of the work our Volunteers do.
Rosemary Davis,
Malawi Country Representative
I attained my Bachelors with honours in Business and Strategic Management from the University of Salford. On completion of my degree I worked various management roles before starting my own security company in February 2022.
Living in one of the least developed countries in the world, you cannot flourish without helping others stay afloat. I am the Chairperson for Road to Relief Malawi, a charity of women which aims to better the lives of others. I have been with Project Trust since 2019, each year has come with it a completely different set of experiences. Ultimately it is amazing to be able to support these young adults as they contribute, and learn, through working with our partners in Malawi.
Cheikou Thiome,
Senegal Country Representative
I am a qualified teacher working at the Ecole Actuelle Bilingue in Dakar where I teach Science, Social Studies, History and English. I support my home community of Yenne as External Relations and Partnership Officer. Through my interest in youth development and environmental conservation I also serve national coordination roles for a range of UN and other bodies and have represented Senegal in global conferences. I am passionate about helping to find innovative solutions to unemployment for the youth of our country.
I have been the Senegal Representative for Project Trust since 2010 and love supporting the Volunteers and working with the Project Trust team. The Volunteers have such a positive impact in our partner organisations and their local communities, especially through English teaching and cultural interactions. They make a great effort to immerse themselves in Senegalese culture, learn French and Wolof, and become part of their communities.
Alex Fenuku,
Ghana Country Representative
I am headteacher of Agornu Akporkplorte M.A Basic School in the Akatsi South Municipality of the Volta Region of Ghana. I have been supporting the work of Project Trust since 2014 and was proud to become the Ghana Country Representative in 2021.
Project Trust Volunteers help our Schools to manage resource challenges, through supporting academic and extracurricular activities. Their presence in Schools and Communities is an important avenue for cultural exchange.
As an educationist, I believe that children are unique and have something special that they can bring to their own education, so I assists my students to express themselves and accept themselves for who they are as well as embracing the differences among other people. I believe every classroom has its own unique community and that my role as a teacher is to assist each child in developing his/her own potential and learning styles. I believe that culture is dynamic, and change is gradual, so I accept everyone and learn from them.
Seeing that Project Trust shares in this philosophy has sparked my curiosity to understand why these young men and women will leave the comfort of their homeland to come and contribute to the development of those who are not any way related to them. Working with the Project Trust and the young people who come to Ghana as Volunteers has been a blessing.
Yukiko Nakaie (Yuki),
Japan Country Representative
I have been working with Project Trust since 1992 when I was working for a youth organization in Tokyo. I then moved to Kochi in the rural western part of Japan in 2013, where I work in administration at a public university.
The absence of Volunteers due to the global pandemic made aware just how much the presence of volunteers inspired the host communities. Volunteers have been vital to broaden the horizons of the school students and have empowered community members to challenge themselves.
The greatest pleasure of being a Project Trust Representative is being able to witness firsthand the growth of Volunteers by immersing themselves in their host communities. Of course, every experience comes with challenges, and I respect our Volunteers’ efforts in adapting to a very different culture and environment.
I’m honored to be a member of the Project Trust community!
Lynsey Davies,
Japan Country Representative
A long time ago, I found myself on the flight to Japan where I taught at Junten Junior/Senior High school in Tokyo, a project that is still going strong today. It is fair to say that the year with Project Trust changed everything, so much so that I am typing this in Japan having lived here for the past 20 years. I am currently the consular officer at the Netherlands Embassy in Tokyo, where I am responsible for looking after Dutch nationals getting into difficulty in Japan.
Japan may seem like an odd country for a gap year, but the cultural and language differences lead to a very enriching and rewarding (and challenging!) year for volunteers. The sense of community is strong in Japan, even in big cities like Tokyo, but it can take a lot of hard work and persistence to be included.
Volunteers in Japan always impress me with their enthusiasm, energy and positivity, these traits are passed on to the community and students and leave a lasting impact which cannot be underestimated. Seeing the progress and changes that Volunteers go through during their year is always exciting, being just a small part of their experience is especially rewarding.
Aydan Stuart,
Thailand Country Representative
I have been involved with Project Trust throughout the years, starting as a Volunteer in 2008/09, to recruiting new Volunteers in schools and now as the Thailand Representative based in Bangkok.
Living in Thailand since I graduated from SOAS with a BA in Thai, my year abroad with Project Trust was what led me on this journey. From being fed fermented fish on my first day as a Volunteer, to learning Thai and making lifelong friends, I now enjoy offering up similar experiences to new Volunteers every August.
Project Trust is more than going abroad and being a Volunteer. It is about developing yourself, finding your calling and realising what you want to do with your life. I am privileged to still play a small part in that journey today as a support for Project Trust’s Volunteers in Thailand.
Martin Fisher,
Cambodia Country Representative
I have been involved with Project Trust since being one of their early volunteers (South Africa 1975-76). My career since then has taken me all over the world for extended stints in humanitarian work and programme evaluations with the Red Cross, the United Nations and a number of NGOs (probably attributable to my Project Trust experience). I am now largely retired and living in southern Cambodia.
I have been the Cambodia country representative for six years, and greatly enjoy working with and mentoring the Volunteers selected for the projects here, both in good times and when things get a little tough. I also enjoy seeing the Volunteers’ transformation from the nervous and apprehensive individuals who arrive, into the more rounded and mature adults they’ve become when they leave.
Jake Compaan,
Honduras Country Representative
Though I have only been the official country representative for the last year, I have been working alongside Project Trust for the past 14 years in other capacities. I am married to Rachel, and we have a three-year-old daughter named Elizabeth who always keeps life fun and interesting. I am also the Director for Abundant Life Christian School in the community of Yamaranguila, Intibuca. I am originally from the United States but have lived in Honduras since I finished my university studies.
I love working with Project Trust as I have seen the changes that have been made in our students’ lives here in Honduras through the Volunteers. We have seen students learn English, attend universities, and come back to be changemakers for the country of Honduras. For any Volunteer joining the Honduras programme, I will do everything I can to make sure that your experience is both rewarding and memorable.