A volunteer from High Wycombe, who was chosen to attend the first ever education forum for girls in London earlier this year, had the chance to march in the annual Lord Mayor’s Show in London on Saturday as a result of her “fantastic” voluntary work in Nepal with young girls.

Faiza Amin, 23, worked alongside Nepalese volunteers for three months to run awareness campaigns discouraging early marriage and promoting the right to girls’ education as part of the International Citizen Service (ICS) programme.

She was invited to take part in the show on behalf of international development charity VSO, who lead the ICS programme, and marched alongside 12 other volunteers who have also previously travelled abroad with ICS and VSO.

She said: “Marching in the Lord Mayor’s Show was great fun, and a fantastic way to raise awareness of the challenges faced by so many children around the world.

“When I was in Nepal, I witnessed many barriers to education. Resources are incredibly limited in schools, there are too few teachers, and children often do not attend simply because their families can’t afford to send them, or because they’re girls, or they have a disability.

“Getting a good education gives children the opportunity to fulfil their potential and the power to lift themselves and their community out of poverty.

“Regardless of circumstances, every child should have that chance, which is why it's so important that we change this.

“As a volunteer with VSO, I am working with others to make sure that we do.”

Felicity Morgan, director of ICS at VSO, said: “We’re very proud to see our volunteers marching in the Lord Mayor’s Show, raising awareness of the challenges faced by children all over the world who just want to get a good education.

“Our ICS volunteers do fantastic work to help break down these barriers, and are living proof that young people can make a hugely positive impact on communities in some of the poorest parts of the world.”