When many teenagers chose to kick back during the summer holidays, Sixth Form student Nicola Tierney was in Africa working with Kenyan orphans.

Nicola was one of several young Britons based in Naivasha where she helped to teach English and worked on a building project via the Gap Year firm, Madventurer.

“It was a totally exhilarating and humbling experience,” said Nicola (pictured above, crouching front left).

“The children were aged from six months through to 18. Many have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS, whilst others have simply been abandoned. All face hardship due to poverty, scarcity of food and clean water,” she reflected.

As her trip drew to a close, there was a pleasant surprise when Nicola intervened to pay £20 towards a local man’s medical bill...and he bought her a goat to show his appreciation.

She explained: “He was so grateful and the goat was a reciprocal gift based on Masai Mara tribal tradition. It was his way of saying thank you but, of course, I had to leave it with the villagers.”

There was drama as Nicola prepared for her flight home when she fell ill and was later diagnosed with a strain of malaria. “Needless to say I was not at my best when I returned to Manchester but the illness has not diminished the magnificent memories from my trip, nor has it dampened my enthusiasm to return to Africa” she added.