Happy Child logo

Ashley is in a real life drama

June 14, 2006, 0:00 3288 greenocktelegraph.co.uk Drama student Ashley McFarlane is off to work with street children in eastern Europe.

STREET ART: Drama student Ashley McFarlane (above) is off to work with street children in eastern Europe.

A JAMES Watt drama student is using her talents to reach out to street kids in Ukraine.

Ashley McFarlane will spend the summer running drama workshops for homeless children in the city of Odessa.

The 19-year-old is hoping the experience she has gained through her HND course in acting and performance will help give children in the Ukraine a new start.

Looking ahead to her visit, Ashley said: "Some of the girls are selling themselves for money to eat and they are only 12. I am going to be doing a lot of work with them.

"It is about giving them the chance to enjoy themselves for a week. There is a lot of poverty in the Ukraine and all the money is spent in the capital, Kiev."

It is Ashley's second visit to the Ukraine with the Salvation Army's Vision of Hope project.

She joined her Salvation Army officer dad Colin two years ago to work with orphans in the city of Kirovograd who were affected by the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

Ashley said: "It is a very humbling and amazing experience. I am more nervous this time because I have a lot more responsibility."

The drama student is now dreaming of starring on the TV or in the theatre after finishing her course at the college.

But on her road to stardom she wants to help Ukraine's children through the Salvation Army's project in the eastern European country.

To raise more money for her trip Ashley, of Bridge of Weir, is going to abseil down a rockface in Perth later this month.

She said: "I already have the ?500 I need to go on the trip but the extra money will allow me to buy stuff for the children when I am over there."

The James Watt student has set up a website to showcase the Salvation Army's work in Ukraine.

As part of her course, Ashley has been involved in community art and put on a show along with the rest of her course called SOS with Inverclyde Arts.

To find out more about the project Ashley is involved in log on to www.vision-of-hope.co.uk

This story appeared in the Greenock Telegraph on Thu, 08 Jun, 2006

Happy Child foundation - effective help to the most needy children of the Zaporizhzhia region, Ukraine, since 2004

They need help:
Lev Ustinov
Lev Ustinov

Autistic Spectrum Syndrome

Help now
Misha Zavorotnii
Misha Zavorotnii

Organic damage to the central nervous system, complex metabolic disorder

Help now

You donated in 2024

$ 218 589

Our expenses in 2024
To 78 sick children $64 453
Medical equipment: $9 514
Humanitarian help: $35 671
To disabled children: $73 089
To children's village: $3 871
To orphans and poor children: $10 063
"Helpus" - help to adults: $21 632
Service expenses: $31 295
Total sum of expenses: $252 927

$6 988 250

donated since 2007