Half of all infant mortalities in South Africa are related to HIV, with one in three mum's from the country suffering from the virus. It's statistics like these that prompted Matt Smith, a young officer from St Andrew's Litherland, Liverpool Regiment, to apply for a place on International Citizen Service.

After applications and interviews Matt was successful in gaining a government funded place to volunteer for three months in South Africa, where using his biology degree and experience working with young people in the Brigade he will be establishing community projects educating the youth of South African villages about health and disease. 

Matt's place is fully funded by Government, and he has decided to raise some money independently for the charity he'll be working alongside in South Africa, to help ensure sustainability of the projects he will be setting up. Every penny raised goes directly to supporting young people abroad and he's hoping to raise £800 before he leaves at the start of March.

If you'd like to know more about Matt's work and maybe contribute £1 or £2 to the charity he'll be working alongside, his page can be found here www.justgiving.com/MattSmithsPage