A Tranent teenager is embarking on the trip of a lifetime, as she travelled to Africa earlier this month to take part in a sports coaching scheme.

Gabby Jackson left Scotland earlier this month as she made the six-and-a-half-thousand-mile trip to Uganda with Bhubesi Pride, a long-standing rugby scheme.

The 19-year-old, who works as a modern apprentice for Scottish Rugby, will spend the next month coaching the sport to youngsters in Kampala in Uganda, and the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

She said: “I’ll be working with the local schools coaching rugby and experiencing different activities, making this the experience of a lifetime.” And she admits that there was an emotional send-off at Edinburgh Airport a fortnight ago, as Gabby, a former Knox Academy pupil who carried the Queen’s Baton last summer, headed on her adventure via Amsterdam and Nairobi.

She added: “It was a struggle to say goodbye to my family at the airport, as I’ve never left Scotland on my own before.

“We’re all very close and they support me with everything I do, so they’ll be the biggest thing I’ll miss when I’m away.” However, she is looking forward to the challenges of the next month, and has settled in well to the camp, despite the soaring temperatures, in excess of 30 degrees centigrade.

Gabby, a former Scotland under-18s women’s rugby player, added: “I want to challenge myself, and hopefully doing this will help me in building my confidence.

“I know that this experience will take me outside my comfort zone and I am so excited about being a part of Bhubesi Pride’s 2015 Team” In her second year as a modern apprentice with Scottish Rugby, Gabby is involved with coaching at Lismore Rugby Club in Edinburgh, but has worked alongside pupils at Knox Academy.

Bhubesi Pride Foundation assembles qualified teams of volunteers to take on annual coaching expeditions, supporting rugby and community development in schools and communities in nine African countries.

It works in Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Kenya and South Africa, with the Tranent teenager relishing her involvement in the scheme.

To follow Gabby’s progress, visit www.rugbyinafrica.org