Youngsters from an Exeter school gave up their summer holidays to help some of the world's poorest families.Teenagers from St Peter's School worked in a hospital, kindergarten and children's centre in Malawi, where there is currently a famine.
Pupils and teachers at the secondary school in Broadfields have raised thousand of pounds for the St Andrew's Hospital since head of IT Andrew Hubbard worked as a teacher in the African country for three years until 2005.
Mr Hubbard is now a trustee of the hospital. He took a group of students to Malawi for the first time last year and more pupils will return in July 2008.
Teenagers have to raise £1,500 each to pay for their trip to Africa.
The Exeter Episcopal Trust also donated £150 to each student to go towards their travel costs.
During their 18 days in Malawi, St Peter's students stayed in the town of Mtunthama, in the centre of the country.
They helped in the hospital, painting murals, and also worked with children in a centre for malnourished under-fives. They also spent one day at a local school.
The hospital was set up in 2000 by an Anglican priest who taught in the same school as Mr Hubbard.
Mr Hubbard said: "He saw there was a desperate need for medical care in the area. There was a government clinic but it had no drugs or nurses.
"Since then enough money has been raised to build an operating theatre and the hospital has a big maternity department where eight babies are born a week.
"It serves a population of about 30,000."
The hospital is also supported by Plymouth charity Medic Malawi, of which Mr Hubbard is also a trustee.
"The St Peter's students were very surprised the Malawi school had so many similarities to their own," he said.
"They also played against local children in football and netball matches."
The pupils also visited Lake Malawi and Zambia, as well as going on Safari.
In a bid to boost the £7,000 already raised by St Peter's students for the hospital, the pupils who went to Malawi will speak to their friends in assembly next week about their experiences.
On September 25, parents and those who have supported the trip are invited to the school to hear how it went.
Student Hannah Parry has already raised £1,500 for her trip to Malawi next year by selling cakes in school.
Pupil Roisin Quinn said her favourite part of the trip was meeting all the children.
"By the end of the trip they had got to know us and call out our names," she said. "They said we could go back any time and I think some of us will."
Pupils learned some of the local language from a Malawian called Dennis before they went to Africa.
Student Camille Blewett said she was amazed at how friendly everyone was.
"They don't have anything - parents or any possessions - but they are so enthusiastic," she said.
"From watching TV you think everyone is going to be depressed and crying but most of the children were so happy."
Charlie Booth said: "What shocked me was they were so happy to be in school and learn, they don't take anything for granted."
His friend Olivia Hooper said she jumped at the chance to go to Malawi.
"It's a place you don't get to go to normally," she said."
A ward in the hospital is now called St Peter's in the school's honour.
The last time students travelled to Africa they raised enough money to build a corridor between the hospital and its operating theatre.
Students from West Exe Technology College, who support footballer David James' Foundation in Malawi, are planning to visit the country next year.
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