Keri Pacheco, a graduate of the Raleigh Bermuda personal development programme, has been hired by the charity as a programme coordinator.

Ms Pacheco, an alumna from expeditions to Tanzania in 2013 and Borneo in 2017, stepped into the newly created role on September 4.

Tina Nash, the executive director of Raleigh, said the post had been made possible by a generous grant from The Bank of Bermuda Foundation.

The job was created to nurture venturer recruitment, training, the alumni programme and other aspects of Raleigh's mission.

Ms Nash said: “Ms Pacheco exemplifies everything that we hope for in our young Bermudians.

“She is motivated, energetic, dedicated and fiercely passionate about our charity, our programmes and the young Bermudians that we work with.”

Ms Pacheco has been closely involved in Raleigh since her return from Tanzania, taking on roles including project manager, leader, trainer and mentor.

She was nominated Volunteer of the Year in 2016.

Ms Pacheco said she was “grateful for this new adventure and opportunity to grow and learn, and to give my skills and love to the young people of our island”.

She added: “That's who I do it for. They are our future and if we do not learn from them, nurture and guide them, how will we be able to begin to build a strong healthy

community?”

The charity has about 150 alumni and is keen to recruit its graduates into leadership roles, Ms Nash said.

Hiring Ms Pacheco was “another natural step in us achieving that vision”.

For more details, contact Raleigh at 333.5678 or at info@raleigh.bm.