Raleigh Alumni Nikki shares her life-changing experience on Expedition

Nikki grew up in the UK, where she spent over a decade enduring significant personal struggles and abuse. Determined to change her life’s trajectory, she made a spontaneous decision to join Raleigh International for two transformative Expeditions, a choice that set her on a path of empowerment and healing. 

Today, Nikki is a thriving business owner, a mentor for women, and a life coach dedicated to helping others find their strength. She now lives in New Zealand with her family and recently delivered a powerful TEDx Talk, sharing insights from her book, which delves into the values that shape her life and the pivotal role Raleigh played in her growth. Through her writing and public speaking, she aims to inspire others to overcome their own challenges and step confidently into their futures. 

Nikki’s first Raleigh journey began in 2000 when she joined the Expedition to Namibia as a Project Manager. The experience was transformative, giving her a sense of purpose and belonging. Inspired by the impact, she took part in a second Expedition to Ghana in 2001, where she continued to grow, gain perspective, and solidify her commitment to personal growth and helping others. 

This is Nikki’s inspiring journey with Raleigh! 

Getting Inspired to Join a Raleigh Expedition

“Before I signed up, I didn’t know anything about myself because I’d given my power away. I was reading Wonderlust in a magazine in a cafe, and a girlfriend said to me, “What are you doing that for?” 

I said, “I just need something. I need to go somewhere. I need an Eat, Pray, Love type of thing.”  

And then she said, “You don’t need that. You need Raleigh International!”  

I reached out to Raleigh International and applied. I told the organisers, “I’ll go anywhere.” That’s how I ended up in Namibia. After I signed up I had about nine months to fundraise for the trip, which I had so much fun doing, and off I went to Namibia!” 

Getting Creative with Fundraising

The biggest fundraiser I organised for my trip to Namibia was a bake sale. But I also organised a football match, where I got some teams together to play and raise money. From organising those events, I found that you just have to ask, and people are willing to help! I raised more money than I needed the first time, so it covered my clothes, camera, and everything else I brought with me.

Read: 5 Best Ways to Fundraise for Your Expedition.   

Tracking Elephants and Rescuing Penguins

“The first project in Namibia involved tracking elephants through the dry riverbed of the Ugab River, trying to figure out why they moved from the river below, up to where we were located. Later, we de-oiled penguins, which was amazing. There were rescue penguins covered in oil off the coast of Namibia that we helped clean up and look after. 

In Ghana, I spent two phases on the same project, which involved creating paths through rainforest so village guides could take people through and charge money and profit from their local resources.” 

Learning My Values

“Writing a diary throughout that time was invaluable. I used excerpts for my book and TEDx. Therapy had helped me reach a certain point in my healing journey, but in Namibia, without my job titles or roles, I didn’t know who I was. Stripped of everything, I found out what was important to me and learned my values. 

The values that I learned and referenced in my book and TEDx talk are: respect, connection, empowerment, knowledge, and achievement.  

With respect I am referring to the respect I had for my Expedition country; respect for the land, respect for everybody in that space and how different everybody is. When you’re sitting around a fire listening to people talk about their feelings, concerns, and struggles, it all comes from a place of respect and I realised how important mutual respect is. I also felt a connection with the Expedition country and with the mission of Raleigh. Knowledge wasn’t about the country or anything; it was more about knowing myself. And finally, on Expedition, your sense of achievement goes through the roof. From eating foods you don’t like, to meeting creatures you don’t want to meet, you end up ticking off all kinds of achievements.”

Most Memorable Moment 

I have so many. One that sticks in my mind is when we walked for three weeks from the Centre of Namibia to the Skeleton Coast. We had National Venturers with us and there was a young lady who had never seen the sea. It was quite emotional when we arrived. She got into the sea, which had massive, freezing waves, and me and another lady held her hand because she was afraid and didn’t know how to brace herself. She didn’t brace against the waves and spun around with the power of the water while we held onto her. When she came out of the water she had the biggest smile on her face. It was a special moment, knowing that she might never experience that again.” 

Read: Calum’s Raleigh Story 

Raleigh’s Impact on my Life and Career

“I wouldn’t be as confident or as strong without Raleigh. I’ve no doubt that the roles I’ve secured in my career are thanks to my Expedition experiences as I came out knowing who I am and what I have to offer. When in doubt, Raleigh gave me the tools to remind myself of my value.”

The Best Aspect of Raleigh

“I think that seeing a different country and meeting local people is the best aspect. You’re not on holiday, instead, you’re seeing the Expedition country for what it is. It’s unique from what you’d see if you spent two weeks on holiday. Meeting the people in that country who are doing things to support the projects and meeting the Venturers and other members of staff who become friends for life is also special. Also, the sense of achievement is huge. Achieving things I never thought I would do was brilliant.” 

To Anyone Considering Raleigh…

“From the moment you say you’re interested, your journey with Raleigh starts because you’re already learning, and once you’ve started, there’s no going back! Then there’s the fundraising. Enjoy it! Find ways to fundraise that involve doing things you like and do that. It’s almost like the expedition is the icing on the cake because the bit before it is just as powerful. It’s all good stuff!“