Posted 26 Feb 2010

Would-be volunteers might like to take encouragement from the example set by a group of students in the US attempting to raise funds for a Ghanaian trip.

Pupils at the Trinity Evangelical Presbyterian church in Plymouth are organising monthly fundraising events and holding auctions to raise the £5,000 (£3,285) each required, reports Hometownlife.com.

The team will attempt to help local businesses and endeavour to install water purification mechanisms once they arrive in Africa.

Expedition co-leader Joshua McKamie emphasised the necessity for pure water: "I can’t imagine getting sick frequently from parasites in the water. It’s something we take for granted here."

Alongside everyday jobs such as cooking and cleaning, they hope to tutor children, build a new kitchen and even attempt to record the New Testament in the Ewe language.

Last month, John Warner, managing director of Gap Adventures, said that volunteering allows a traveller to get better acquainted with a country – as opposed to just a casual visit.

Category: Africa