A partially-deaf woman has received a £6,700 grant to research human rights for people with disabilities in South Africa.

Naomi Hartley, 21, of Clumber Drive, Gomersal, who was born with the condition, will fly to Johannesburg in September before travelling on to Cape Town and Durban.

During the three month trip, she will visit organisations concerned with disabled people's rights, disabled people themselves and human rights lawyers.

Naomi, a former Gomersal First School pupil who has the hearing capacity of an average 65-year-old, said: "It's a great opportunity for me.

"It's no good looking at law as it's written down. In reality it is different.

"I need to be there to understand how it affects people in their everyday lives and part of my research will be learning to understand the political atmosphere in South Africa.

Naomi was awarded the money from the Jack Ashley Millennium Awards Scheme.

She is a little apprehensive about her trip having never visited Africa before.

"It's not the idea of travelling on my own that's frightening," said Naomi, who works as a researcher into employment for an agency in Liversedge.

"I am walking into a zone that is way out of my comprehension and I have to get to grips with that."

The Jack Ashley Millennium Awards aim to give young deaf people the opportunity to take part in challenging projects which are widely available to young hearing people.

e-mail: kim.mcrae

@bradford.newsquest.co.uk