Three student nurses are hoping to collect money and small donations to help poverty stricken patients in Malawi when they visit in July.

Philippa Jones, Adrian Quinn and Ciaran Scott, all third year nursing students at University of East Anglia, will work in a Ekwendeni Hospital in Malawi during a two week elective.

They were each given a grant by the UEA Alumni Fund for the trip.

Miss Jones from North Walsham said: 'We will be doing a lot of different types of nursing from maternity to children and adult nursing.

The 21-year-old added: 'Nursing there is going to be so different to nursing here. It is just such a poverty stricken area. I am really looking forward to working with them and seeing what it is like from their point of view and their culture.

'Part of the reason we are going is because the university has strong links with this place. They like us to go out and tell them about our curriculum.'

'I've always wanted to be a nurse from when I was a young child. I always knew that was what I wanted to do. I wanted to try and make a difference to people really.'

Mr Quinn, from Bawburgh in Norwich said: 'It is going to be third world, so I imagine it is going to be basic. I do not think they will have the luxuries that we have here.

Miss Jones said: 'Some students from the school went years ago and they realised that the things they needed were basic things like pens and paper. Things that we take for granted here.'

Mr Scott, 20, from Drayton, said that he had helped with fundraising for a new toilet block in Ekwendeni last year. 'It will be nice to go out there and see where the money has gone. It should be a good experience and completely different to the UK.

• If you would like to donate to the students trip or send out any small gifts to Malawi with them e-mail philippa.jones@uea.ac.uk.

Are you going to work abroad or raising money for others. Contact reporter Annabelle Dickson on 01603 772426 or e-mail annabelle.dickson@archant.co.uk