WHEN Elizabeth Pappalardo of Kogarah set off on her first overseas trip, she didn’t choose the destination most 21-year-olds would.

Instead of backpacking around Europe or partying through the US, last week Miss Pappalardo travelled to Nepal to spend two weeks visiting remote, impoverished villages.

As the fund-raising administrator for humanitarian network Caritas, a foundation supporting communities in developing countries, Miss Pappalardo volunteered to head to Nepal with a cameraman and a colleague to follow the life of an individual for their 2011 Project Compassion appeal.

“This is a great opportunity to see what the organisation has done for this community up close,” Miss Pappalardo said.”I am a bit nervous to be confronted with poverty first hand, but I think once I’m there I will get over the shock.”

Each year, Caritas documents the life of an individual living in poverty, to show to Catholic schools and parishes during the six weeks of Lent from Ash Wednesday until Easter. For 2010, they followed the life of 14-year-old Samon from Cambodia who was the face of this year’s campaign.

“In Nepal we’ll travel with our chosen candidate for a week, and in between will see how the community operates,” she said.”It’s going to be a great eye-opener and I’m looking forward to bringing home the stories to share.”

Miss Pappalardo first learned about Caritas during her senior years at Bethany College Hurstville which led her to pursue a career with the foundation after school.