A WOMAN is tackling Pennine Way for three causes close to her heart, in Darlington and Africa.

Darlington woman Amy Jay is walking the Pennine Way's 253 miles to raise £1,000 for Malawi schools Bolera Palms School and Colourful Dreams School, as well as Darlington Area Churches Youth Ministry.

The 18-year-old taught at Bolera Palms School at the start of her gap year, which is still ongoing, and stayed in a village of the same name.

She said: "The whole thing was really special. The kids have nothing, they don’t even have beds.

"But the community spirit there is like nothing I have ever seen. Once people there get to know you, they are the lovely. They take you in and ask you if you want dinner even if they are struggling themselves."

Miss Jay, who is going to Cumbria University to study geography in September, taught English, maths, music and art at the school, where she ended up naming one of her student's newborn siblings.

"Student teacher dynamics there are very different. After school, a boy asked me if I'd come and meet his baby sister. His mum couldn't speak English but she asked him to ask me for a name.

"There are lots of British names there because this is quite common with volunteers, including Charlie, Emily and Amy."

Miss Jay chose Isabella.

She added: "Before I went I was really shy and did not do much for myself, but I have come back a different person.

"The kids were asking about life here and if we were all rich. I told them about homelessness and they were shocked. There, if a storm knocks down your house, someone will take you in and help.

"It’s given me such a different perspective but at the end f the day they are just normal kids, they can be annoying and misbehave too."

Colourful Dreams School is also in Malawi, but is struggling to pay wages and attract teachers.

"Wages are only about £30 but that’s a lot out there. They really can’t afford it. The school has nothing, not even chairs," Miss Jay said.

While she could not raise money for just one cause before she "would feel really bad as both mean a lot", Miss Jay is also fundraising for a Darlington Area Churches Youth Ministry and its retreat Breathe, which is an annual event focused on spiritual development.

She is also doing the Pennine Way route backwards, which she estimates take to 23 days, to finish at the same location as the retreat before volunteering to help run it.

While the latest developments with the coronavirus pandemic have prevented many events and fundraising activities, Miss Jay believes she will go ahead with the challenge.

She said: "Our family is quite active and we’ve always liked hiking and climbing. We go to the Lakes a lot and always drive past the Pennine Way so I have always said I wanted to do it.

"If hostels are closed, I will just camp, there's no excuse.

"I'll probably carry food too but people are meeting me at different points along the way so they should bring some extra too. But hopefully lodgings will be open."

Search Amy Jay on Go Fund Me to support her.