In a series of articles, we will give you an overview of their visit to Africa before getting each leader's insight into the journey to Malawi.

Today we introduce the trip and report on their first day...

Malawi is a small impoverished yet incredibly beautiful country. It is one of Africa's best kept secrets - a country blessed with an enormous 365 mile long freshwater lake, fringed with beautiful beaches and simple fishing villages. However Malawi is one of the poorest countries in Africa. A greater share of its 11 million people is in great disaster caused by Malaria, TB, HIV, Aids and natural disaster.

The quartet of young leaders, Prathiv Kholia, Edward Grizzell, Rebecca Todd and Emily Simpkins, who were selected from The FA's Young Leadership Camp that was run at Ascot in July, returned to England overwhelmed after a life changing experience.

Overseen by Donna McIvor, The FA's National Football Education Manager, the trip was part of The FA International Development Programme and Football Development Leadership and Volunteering programme.

"The purpose of the 'Changing Lives' young leadership project is to provide a unique and challenging experience to the English young leaders while leaving a legacy of African female young leaders in Malawi," said McIvor.

The young leaders arrived at The Malawi Football Association Headquarters where they were greeted by an opening ceremony conducted by Malawian FA president Walter Nyamilandu who gave an inspiring speech to both the English and African young leaders.

The workshop started at the Limbe National Training Centre where the four young leaders, under the guidance of FA Skills Project Manager Nick Levett and PE teacher John Heathcote, introduced the African girls to the purpose of warm ups and fundamental movement skills. The participants were then taking through The FA JFO course.

"This was probably the most challenging of African leadership projects we have delivered due to the language barrier and young age of the African Leaders," said Levett.

Despite the equipment not being released by customs and the rainy season arriving just in time for the afternoon session, Heathcote added: "This has been a challenging day but both our young leaders and the African young leaders are all making progress and are beginning to work as a team."

Simpkins, one of the Young Leaders, said: "The young leaders at first found it difficult because of the language barrier but now I feel they are starting to understand me and get the idea of the games Nick and John are delivering."

In conjunction with the young leadership programme, a Women's Football Development Workshop was run by Lucy Wellings, South West Regional Football Development Manager, and Helen Croft, National Game Strategy Co-ordinator.

The workshop included developing the vision for girls and women's football in Malawi of which creating leaders on and off the field was an essential element. Wellings urged the participants to 'grab this opportunity and drive the game forward in Malawi, giving women and girls the opportunity to play football and develop as leaders on and off the field'.

Log on this Friday to see how the rest of the trip went. Next week we get the verdicts of the young leaders.