A TYWYN teaching assistant who sells handmade products has raised over £13,000 for a school in Kenya.

Olivia Cowell volunteered to teach children at Excel Emmanuel Education Centre in Kenya in 2019.

She started creating the products and selling them in July 2020 after receiving a letter from one of her students who told Olivia about how the coronavirus pandemic was affecting the local community.

Olivia, who is 23, told the Cambrian News about how she got started and how she has been able to raise so much for the school.

She said: “It all started following a month-long visit to Kenya in 2019, in which I volunteered at Excel Emmanuel Education Centre, teaching the children.

“The following year, during April 2020, I received a handwritten letter from one of the students explaining how difficult the situation was for those in the community due to coronavirus.

“I couldn’t sit back and do nothing and fortuitously due to the lockdown I had an abundance of free time.

Olivia added: “This meant I could come up with the idea to fundraise using handmade goods.

“I set up my Etsy in July 2020, and had particular success over Christmas, and that has now continued into this year, raising on average £3,000 per month, purely from handmade items that I make by myself in my house.

“In total, I have raised over £13,000.”

Some of the items created by Olivia include soaps and earrings.

To buy any of the items and help support the school, visit www.etsy.com/shop/hopeforexcel/