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Links - Africa and Asia Venture

Safety, Security, Insurance

Endsleigh Insurance
A company that AVs have used for some time. They can provide cover for all activities run by AV.

Homeway
Specialist providers of good range kit for your gap year.

Inter Health
Inter Health offers very professional advice and a range of medical supplies at discounted rates for volunteers.

International Passenger Protection.
Provides you with financial protection against AV’s viability.

Know Before You Go
Tons of useful advice to travellers of all ages.

AMREF
AMREF aims to close the gap that prevents people from accessing their basic right to health.

The Flying Doctors Society of Africa
They provide medical air rescue for all AVs throughout East Africa.

Green, Ethical

Climate Care
Arrange to offset your carbon footprints and more.

Friends of Conservation
One of East Africa's leading conservation bodies, but with a global vision, working to focus not only on wildlife, but also on the local communities whose lives are inextricably entwined with it

The Royal Geographic Society
Established in 1830 to promote 'the advancement of geographical science', today it is a dynamic world centre for geographical learning - supporting research, education, expeditions and fieldwork, as well as promoting public engagement and informed enjoyment of our world.

The Travel Foundation
The Travel Foundation is a charity that helps local people (and the natural environment) at destinations around the world, making sure they benefit from tourism - now and in to the future. It finds the best ways to protect and enhance the natural environment and ensures that local families in need can make a living out of tourism.

Wildwaters Reserve
Our rafting company has established the Wildwaters Reserve, which works closely with local communities along the Victoria Nile, Uganda. Severe encroachment and tree cutting along the river and mid-stream islands of the Nile prompted the company to explore community/conservation and restoration ideas and Wildwaters Reserve is the result.

Ex-AVs & Their Projects

Ben Ramsbottom
Ben was at Kasigau, in Kenya, with AV in 2001. He set up GAFFER (Goalposts And Footballs For East-Africa Region) on return to UK. GAFFER's aim is simple. It helps to provide simple but effective and sustainable solutions to the problem of limited sports facilities in rural Africa. In addition it utilises the contact with the local communities to provide comprehensible Health Education in the face of the HIV epidemic and malaria crisis.

Charles Coldman
Charles was in Kenya with AV in 2003. He set up his charity whilst at Exeter University to rebuild the primary school in the village he lived in whilst on AV. He has now decided to develop the initiative into a long-term venture with the vision of advancing education in Kenyan primary schools.

Dave Cornthwaite
Dave was one of our earlier AVs ( ) and has since set up his extraordinary charity to create an adventurous spirit in people and help them to raise money for their own charities. Dave also appears in the Guinness Book of Records for skateboarding across Australia (5823 kilometres) in 2006, raising £000s along the way.

Gina Rose
In August 2001 Gina Rose travelled to Malawi with AV and spent 3 months teaching in primary school. Whilst there, she saw the need for a nursery school and this became the next goal in her life - to raise the necessary funds to build a properly equipped nursery school for the children of Chilumpha village. It opened in October 2002! See how it happened on her website.

Katherine Lee
Katherine went with AV to Zimbabwe in 1999. Since then she has moved to South Africa and set up her own charity, The African Pulse, which equips young people to make informed life choices in a world affected by HIV and AIDS. Its aim is to provide schools and communities in Africa with innovative, relevant teaching resources and skills to promote healthy living.

Lucy Durham
Lucy went to Malawi with AV in 2005 and taught at Likwenu Primary school. Since returning to UK, she has challenged herself to raise funds for rebuilding the school and sending pupils from it on to secondary education.

Max Griffiths
Max Griffiths went with AV to Tanzania in 2001. (Some of the brilliant video footage he took can be seen on our website now!) Max returned to UK determined to do something for the people he had left behind and ‘Kituo cha Elimu Meserani’ is the result – an education centre available to all and opened 11 hours every day, 6 days every week, and at no cost to users.

Tim Hughes
Tim came with AV to Malawi in 2007! He has established a foundation to support the Chikupira Model School he taught in and has plans to rebuild and re-stock much of it – many of his plans are beginning to take effect.

Vicky Bayliss
Vicky travelled with AV to Malawi in May 2003. Since then she has spent much effort in raising funds for the school she taught at there – St Anthony’s. The money is used to rebuild classrooms and facilities and to provide materials.

Useful Sites

Adrift
The first rafting company on the River Nile and the one always used by AV.

Facebook
You know this one! Check out the 1,400 or so AVs in the group section (“Africa and Asia Venture”). A great way to investigate us with those who really know!

Gap Enterprise
Independent advice and help with planning your gap year from John Vessey.

Gap-Year Guidebook
Just what it says!

Gapyear.com
Tons of ideas on where you can go volunteering around the world, including UK.

Kenya Airways
The airline we fly to Africa with.

Lonely Planet
Lots of great information on all aspects of travelling to your chosen destination.

Rough Guide
As for the Lonely Planet.

The Year in Industry
Placements throughout British industry for those wanting to get a taste before university.

Tim Best Travel
The ATOL-registered company that AV books all its flights with.

UCAS Major Events/Higher Education Fairs
The major HE fairs run by UCAS throughout the year.

UCAS Regional Events/Higher Education Fairs
The regional HE fairs run by UCAS throughout the year.

World Wide Volunteering
Lots of information and stories on volunteering exploits around the world.

Year Out Group
This is the non-profit organisation that provides a series of benchmark standards for applicants to meet before being granted membership. Continued membership then depends on those standards being kept to. AV is a founder member.

Foreign Embassies and High commissions in UK

AFRICA

Uganda High Commission, London.

Kenya High Commission, London

Tanzanian Embassy, London.

Malawi High Commission, London.

ASIA

Chinese Embassy, London
Chinese Consulate, Manchester
Chinese Consulate, Edinburgh

Indian High Commission, London
Indian Consulate Birmingham
Indian Consulate Edinburgh
Nepalese Embassy, London

Royal Thai Embassy, London
Royal Thai Consulate in Birmingham
Royal Thai Consulate in Hull
Royal Thai Consulate in Liverpool
Royal Thai Consulate in Glasgow
Royal Thai Consulate in Cardiff

MEXICO

Mexican Embassy, London

British Embassies / High Commissions Abroad

AFRICA

Uganda (British High Commission), Kampala
Kenya (British High Commission), Nairobi
Tanzania (British High Commission), Dar es Salaam
Malawi (British High Commission), Lilongwe

ASIA

China (British Embassy), Beijing
China (British Consulate) Chongqing
China (British Consulate) Guangzhou
China (British Consulate) Shanghai

India (British High Commission), New Delhi
India (British Deputy High Commission), Kolkata
India (British Deputy High Commission), Mumbai
India (British Deputy High Commission), Chennai

Nepal (British Embassy), Kathmandu
Thailand (British Embassy), Bangkok
Thailand (British Consulate), Chiang Mai

MEXICO

Mexico (British Embassy), Mexico City