From Namibia to the Andes: How Project Trust Inspired My Own Race Across the World
By Zoe Ferguson
The concept of Race Across the World with Project Trust has always inspired me.
I’ve always been an active person and have loved running, cycling, walking and swimming for as long as I can remember. Those activities have helped me process life’s challenges, changes and adventures. So when I volunteered in Namibia with Project Trust in 2024–25, it felt natural that movement became an important part of my experience there too.
I spent my placement teaching Art and Physical Education at Otjikondo. It was one of the best years of my life.
Otjikondo was far more than a teaching project. We cared for the children, worked alongside teachers, helped around the farm and became part of a community. Before long, it felt like home.
Teaching was rewarding, but it was also demanding. Alongside lessons, there were activity groups, events and all the responsibilities that come with school life. During busy periods, running and cycling became my outlet. I discovered an incredible network of gravel roads around the farm and even found opportunities to swim in a nearby dam.
Those moments reminded me that adventure doesn’t stop when you move abroad. If I could tell my younger self anything before leaving Scotland, it would be that there would still be countless opportunities to explore, challenge myself and stay active.
The Challenge of Coming Home
One thing I wasn’t prepared for was returning home.In many ways, coming back was harder than leaving. You leave one version of your life behind, build another overseas, and then return to a place that feels familiar but somehow different.
When I returned from Namibia, I felt uncertain about my future. I wasn’t convinced that the path I had planned before leaving was still right for me. A conversation with my uncle changed everything.
“The way you talk about Otjikondo makes us feel how much you loved it,” he told me. “So why not do something you love?”
That simple advice encouraged me to pursue primary teaching, a decision that completely changed the direction of my life. But before settling down, I knew there was still one more adventure waiting.
Setting Off Across South America
Looking back, I realised how much Project Trust had shaped me. I felt stronger, more independent and more capable than ever before. Most importantly, I had discovered how rewarding it could be to experience cultures through people rather than simply travelling through places. I also had one unfinished goal from Namibia: learning another language.Despite my efforts, I never became fluent in Afrikaans or Damara. So I set myself a challenge: cycle through South America and learn Spanish along the way.
In January, I flew to Bogotá and began what became my own Race Across the World adventure. Over the following months, I cycled thousands of kilometres through Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. I crossed mountain passes in the Andes, camped in unfamiliar places and relied on the kindness of people I had never met before.
Many of those strangers became friends.
Lessons from Colombia
One of the countries that surprised me most was Colombia. Before arriving, I received countless warnings. Most people’s perceptions were shaped by headlines focusing on crime, drugs and political instability. My experience was entirely different. I encountered extraordinary generosity, stunning landscapes and welcoming communities. Some of my favourite memories came from conversations with local people and opportunities to experience daily life that many travellers never see.
Reflecting on those experiences, I realised how much confidence I had gained in Namibia. At Otjikondo, I had learned to navigate different cultures, communicate across language barriers and build relationships with people whose experiences were very different from my own. Those skills became invaluable in South America. Whether I was asking in Spanish where I could pitch my tent or sharing a meal with a local family, the experience felt surprisingly natural.
Returning to the Classroom
Although cycling was the focus of my journey, I always knew I wanted to teach again. Eventually, that opportunity arrived in Máncora, a small coastal town in Peru.
Through a local contact, I arranged a meeting with the school director and teaching staff. The conversation took place almost entirely in Spanish — something that would have terrified me before Namibia. The school welcomed me warmly and invited me to teach English for a month. Many of the pupils had little prior exposure to English, but by the end of my time there, many were able to hold simple conversations. In a town that welcomes visitors from around the world, I hope those small lessons will help create opportunities for them in the future.
The experience confirmed what I had begun to realise after returning from Namibia: teaching is what I want to do.
Why I’m Supporting Future Volunteers
One of the most important lessons both Project Trust and my travels have taught me is perspective. While cycling near the Peru-Ecuador border, I passed families travelling in the opposite direction from Venezuela, carrying everything they owned. We were moving along the same roads, but for completely different reasons. I was travelling by choice. They were travelling out of necessity. Experiences like that stay with you. They challenge assumptions and change the way you see the world.
Today, I’m back in Scotland and preparing for a career in primary teaching. Returning home still feels strange at times, but both Namibia and South America reinforced something important: growth often comes from placing yourself outside your comfort zone and remaining open to learning. That’s why supporting future Project Trust volunteers matters so much to me. I know how daunting fundraising can feel. Raising thousands of pounds at seventeen can seem impossible. I remember the uncertainty, the worried parents and the moments of wondering whether it would all be worth it. It was. Fundraising taught me resilience, determination and confidence. Those same skills helped me save for and complete my South American cycling journey.
Project Trust gave me far more than a year abroad. It gave me confidence, independence, perspective and a lifelong desire to keep learning from the world around me. That’s why I’m proud to support this year’s Race Across the World campaign and help the next generation of volunteers begin journeys that may change their lives just as profoundly as mine changed mine.
Find out more about volunteering in Namibia here.
