A group of sixth-form students from Notre Dame High School are preparing to go and help some of the world's poorest people learn new skills in Zambia.

Leaving on July 17 for two weeks helping the Catholic Aid Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD) for England and Wales, the 13 students and their adult support team will be helping families who have been affected by Aids.

They will visit CAFOD funded and supported income generating projects in the Lusaka area, in the south of Zambia, an African country where about 70pc of the population live on the equivalent of �1 a day. The projects include a motor mechanics shop, a maize mill, chicken rearing and a market garden.

A school spokesman for the trip said: 'We will meet the leaders and volunteers who run or support the work of CAFOD as well as have the opportunity to hear the experiences and personal stories of the members and beneficiaries of the project.

'We will also visit families in the bush who are beneficiaries of the home based care work.'

The group will then spend weekdays working in two community schools in Makeni, just outside Lusaka, to provide teaching and coaching in maths and English for about 60 pupils aged 12-20 years old, who are preparing to sit their state examinations for entry to high schools. The students will also run drama and music lessons for about 70 of the older pupils and run a sports day which will unite students from the two schools.

The trip is costing �1,500 per person and fundraising has been a key focus of the year for the students so far, including fortnightly cake stalls in school, a Valentine's Day postal service, quiz and chips night and race nights, car boot and table top sales and a Notre Dame Has Talent whole school event.

Donations have also been received from The Mason Trust and The Sir Philip Reckitt Educational Trust, while the Norwich Circle of the Catenian Association have sponsored five of the students with �200 each.

Are you planning an unusual trip? Contact Local Life editor David Freezer on 01603 772418 or email david.freezer@archant.co.uk