SALE Rotarians are backing a 16-year old schoolgirl as she plans a month-long trip to do voluntary work in Madagascar.

Megan Curtis, of Priory Road, Sale, leaves in July for the fourth largest island in the world where part of her 'World Challenge Expedition' will involve working at Akany Avoko - an orphanage near the capital city, Antananarivo.

Akany Avoko is a refuge for children at risk who have been orphaned, made homeless, abused or abandoned.

Helping to teach there, and working with other established charities and communities, is part of a 'World Challenge Expedition' that Megan, a student at Withington Girls’ School, has wanted to do for many years.

She said: “Madagascar is a very poor and underdeveloped country, which is why I decided I would like to do voluntary work there.

“I’ll be joining a group of independent travellers from all over the UK – and that means having to pay my way independently too. It still seems like I have a very large amount to raise!”

Megan is more than two-thirds towards her £3,500 target – thanks to a Saturday job at the Trafford Centre, fundraising events such as her own quiz night, and a regime of babysitting, bag packing and doughnut sales.

“And that’s part of the reason we have made a donation to her fund,” says Sale Rotary Club’s president elect, James Eisen. “Having the initiative to plan a trip like this is one thing but having the commitment to raise £3,500, yourself, in order to do it, is quite another.

“But Megan is a very focused young lady and we are looking forward to her revisiting our club, when she gets back, to tell us all about it.”