Emma Dawes to cut off her dreadlocks to raise money for African orphans Emma Dawes in Zambia. She is cutting off her dreads to raise money for the Mwandi United Church of Zambia Orphans and Vulnerable Children Project. MEDICAL student Emma Dawes is on a crusade to save the lives of African orphans, but now must face the moment she's been dreading. Ms Dawes, 25, travelled to Zambia this year as part of her studies and was so moved by the plight of orphans in rural areas, she decided to do something about it. "I really wanted to graduate with them (the dreadlocks) because everyone said you can't go through medical school with dreads," she said. With the help of two friends who also travelled to Zambia, Ms Dawes has been raising money by pledging to cut her dreadlocks next month. The final-year medicine student from Thebarton has so far has raised $6500. Medical student Emma Dawes will cut off seven years worth of dreadlocks to raise money for a program in rural Zambia that supports orphans and vulnerable children. The money will go to the Mwandi United Church of Zambia Orphans and Vulnerable Children Project, which feeds hundreds of African children daily, gives them vitamins and helps them receive schooling. ``It's nice to have a project where you can see where every dollar will go and not into some corporation - they make every cent count," she said of the organisation. Ms Dawes had originally set a target of $7000 - about $100 per dreadlock. That looks set to be eclipsed when the locks come off on June 13 at The Wheatsheaf Hotel. Now she has to work out what to do with the hair post-shave. "Some people have suggested I sell the dreads on eBay but I didn't think there would be a market for that type of thing," she laughed. To donate or to find out more information, head to shaveforafrica.tumblr.com