STUDENTS at a Dorchester school are gearing up to help people less fortunate than themselves.

The pupils at Thomas Hardye School are preparing to raise funds to be able to participate in community-led projects in Kenya.

Thirteen students from the school will travel to Makongeni village near Mombassa with the school team expeditions company Camps International in July next year.

Camps International works closely with African communities and the main expedition is structured around providing essential support and assistance to communities.

And the students taking part in the expedition will be involved with a variety of projects including constructing a local school, fencing, agricultural work and helping to build a sustainable water system for the village.

They will also work closely with the Kenya Wildlife service and some project work may be carried out at the elephant parks and monkey sanctuary.

Teacher Helen Coleman, the organiser from Thomas Hardye School, has said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for these students and while taking part they will benefit from acquiring key life skills that will assist them in their transition towards further education, training or employment.

"Many of the students felt that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity and to be able to experience and integrate into a whole new culture would give them a sense of achievement not only in helping others less fortunate but understanding their lifestyle.

"Although students will be living amongst the local community they all felt that they would be able to learn more about themselves by not having materialistic items from everyday western life and truly gaining from their experiences in Africa."

Students taking part in the expedition say they are looking forward to the challenge. Emily Thomas said: "The thing I'm most looking forward to is the chance to benefit someone, to teach them in the way I've been taught.

"However much you learn, you don't understand how other people live until you go there and live with them."

Fellow student Kerry Shepherd added: "I want to go to university, I don't want a gap year; and this will give me the chance to see something of the world without taking a whole year out of my education."

Students will be spending the next nine months fundraising for the trip with a range of activities including car washing, auctions and sponsorship from family and friends.

Anyone who feels that they would like to help the group by either donating funds or being able to buy and donate such items as pens and pencils to take for the local schools, please contact Helen Coleman at The Thomas Hardye School.