Hi! I'm taking on a Kiltwalk to raise funds for a charity close to my heart who has inspired me to give something back. Every penny I raise will be topped up by 50% thanks to the generosity of Sir Tom Hunter and The Hunter Foundation.

The Soko Fund is a small Scottish charity (SC035554) that believes in the value of higher education for women in Malawi. To do this, we offer scholarships at university, support after graduation in the early stages of employment, and a peer support programme to encourage young women in secondary school to apply for university. We work with partners at each step of the journey from school to university to local and national businesses to ensure the best chance of success for the girls and women we work with. With the Soko Fund’s support, Malawi now has more women graduates working in a range of sectors including education, healthcare, business and agriculture. Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Education is essential to its economic development. By focusing on women, the long-term impact increases further as the benefits extend far beyond the individual to the wider family and community.

I have chosen to set my target to £700 as this is how much it costs per year to train a doctor in Malawi. Similarly, I have decided to do a 10km walk as this is how far one in five women in Malawi have to walk to reach maternity services. As I approach my medical exams I thought these targets linked in well.

By donating to my challenge for the Kiltwalk, you will enable the Fund to support more women to overcome the barriers to education and to contribute to Malawi’s development. Many thanks for your support!