AN INSPIRING Kendal teenager is to travel abroad alone for the first time in her life and will give up her annual holiday to help abused women in Nepal.

Olivia Emmett, 17, an engineer-in-making with Siemens Subsea, will be hosting a garden party to help raise £1,649 to fund the cost of her placement in August.

Olivia will be a travelling to a farm outside Kathmandu for 21 days to help women who have been abused and raped and excluded from their communities along with their children.

After hearing about the cruel way these women were treated, Olivia, who lives on Shap Road, wanted to help.

“Where I am going they have been excluded from their communities for being abused, and that’s not their fault,” she said.

In her line of work Olivia is used to being the only female and because of this the rights of women have become even more important to her and she is hoping to set an encouraging example to others.

Olivia will be volunteering with Kaya, an organisation that seeks to help to empower Nepalese women through sustainable agriculture, which allows them to support themselves and their children.

The project operates a women’s farm co-operative in rural Nepal, where women are given a plot of land and are able to grow organic fruit and vegetables.

Olivia will be helping with farm work, building shelters and feeding animals including buffalo.

As with any family with a child travelling abroad for the first time, Olivia’s family, her parents Peter and Vicky and big brother Chris, are nervous but very proud of her.

“It’s an amazing thing she’s doing,” said Vicky.

Olivia is seeking to continue charitable work after returning to UK.

“Friends and family are proud but worried. They know this is something I’d do anyway” said Olivia. “It’s the sort of thing I am already trying, get equality to everyone. “

A limited number of tickets are available to Olivia’s party, held in the front garden of her house in Kendal on July 9. There will be a barbeque, as well as a raffle and games.

Donations of raffle prizes and ingredients (burgers, sausages, buns) for the barbecue are sought and will be greatly appreciated.

Olivia’s travel fund page can be found on https://www.fundmytravel.com/campaign/2geJuxPdyd

To enquire about tickets or donate towards the barbeque, call 07969 877 581.