A TAVISTOCK student who last year visited Rwanda is set to return to the continent for a nine-month trip to South Africa, to help care for babies with the Aids virus.
Katy Parsons from Peter Tavy will work as a volunteer for a small family-run charity based just outside Johannesburg, starting in September.
Eighteen-year-old Katy will join around 15 other volunteers on a farm run by the charity, where babies and young children are cared for.
Many are the abandoned victims of Africa's Aids epidemic.
Katy said she had a good idea what her daily routine at the charity's farm will involve.
'We have to get up really early, to be ready for the children waking up, get them dressed, give them breakfast and play with them. Some of the children are quite poorly so we have to take care of them,' she said.
The charity takes over responsibility for abandoned babies when they leave hospital, and prepares them for adoption.
'There are a lot of babies, some have been abandoned in the streets, others are left at the hospital, but they also get older children who have been there for a few years,' said Katy.
She learned about the Love of Christ Ministries charity and their work while researching an assignment for her health and social care course at Plymouth College of Further Education.
Katy applied to the charity months ago and had to write several essays outlining why she would be suited to the challenging work.
During her nine-month stay, Katy also hopes to take many photos as she is interested in applying for a course in photo-journalism at Falmouth College when she returns.
Katy said she would also like to go to Rwanda again, perhaps later next summer.
For more information on the Love of Christ Ministries charity visit http://www.tlc.org.co.za">www.tlc.org.co.za