It was in a moment of madness that I decided to do volunteer work in Africa – one of the best life decisions I ever made.

I spent four months working for the Billy Riordan Memorial Trust.

I chose the BRMT over other projects because it was locally based and efficiently run, and its goals were realistic. It didn’t seek to change the world but had a profound effect on one community on the shores of Lake Malawi.

I took on the role of Project Manager – the front line person for the organization in Malawi and trouble shooter for everything from dealing with finances to sourcing medicines to dealing with staff issues.

As a journalist, I thought I had a wide range of life experience, but no journalistic assignment has ever matched what I witnessed in Malawi. The experience opened my eyes and changed my outlook on life and the world.

The memories I have of Cape Maclear will remain with me forever.