MALAWI PLIGHT SHOCKS TEACHER

An Aberdeen teacher has returned from Africa after playing her part in continuing the cultural bond between Scotland and Malawi.

Wendy Craig, 36, from Cults, who is the primary seven teacher at Milltimber Primary, spent the final two weeks of term in the African nation, raising awareness of the educational issues the country faces and sharing good practice ideas with local teachers.

The trip, which was arranged through the League for the Exchange of Commonwealth Teachers, was funded by the Scottish Government.

Ms Craig says the experience has helped her to teach her pupils about the plight of children in developing countries.

"It's difficult to get across to the children without a hands-on resource we can show them," she said. "It's much easier to get them to understand just how little these children have got."

Seeing the schools at first hand, Ms Craig was shocked at how few resources they had.

"It makes you appreciate everything you have got here," she said.

Jennifer Angus, 23, from Fraserburgh, has also recently been in Malawi, having finished a six-month Global Xchange programme.

Run through the Voluntary Service Overseas organisation, the programme saw nine Scots and nine Malawian volunteers spending three months in each country.

"The experience helped me focus on what I want to do in life and open my eyes to what's going on in the world.

"It was a big lesson, I feel very hopeful to what can be done now," she said.