Charlotte Ashton is spending each month of her gap year with a different UK charity. This month, she helps promote peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.  Read article

Badakhshan, Afghanistan: When Toshiko Kitahara arrived in Ragh district in Badakhshan province, north-east Afghanistan, two things struck her: its natural beauty and the fact that girls did not attend school. As a UN Volunteer with the World Food Programme (WFP), Toshiko decided to make girls’ education a priority. She started her self-driven campaign to build the first girls’ school in Ragh. Her quest for funds started in Afghanistan and crossed the globe before she arrived at enough money to have the project put in motion.  Read article

Fairfax county, USA: What makes 26-year-old consultants – Matt Jones with IBM and John Morrison with Booz Allen Hamilton – take on a part-time job with no pay cheque? It's the practical and leadership skills, a change of pace, a chance to save lives and serve their community. For others, it's a steppingstone to a career.  Read article

Like many people, in the wake of the 2004 tsunami disaster Kimberley Sevcik had an urge to race to an affected region and help with the recovery efforts. She found that while the need was urgent then, there are still many ways to contribute to the rebuilding of communities affected by the disaster.   Read article

Peterborough, USA: Barbara Barr, a pensioner is bringing comfort to hundreds of children around the world by knitting teddy bears in front of the TV. She has already knitted 200 "trauma teds" that are shipped to countries in the Middle East, Africa and Asia.    Read article