MORE than 30 Gwent youngsters are preparing for a life-changing trip to help homeless children in Africa.

The 31 pupils from Caerleon Comprehensive, St Julians Comprehensive, Rougemont and Bassaleg Comprehensive have raised nearly £1,500 each to pay for the trip.

They will fly to Nairobi in July for a month-long journey through some of Kenya's slums and most deprived areas.

The youngsters will build a rescue centre for street children in the western town of Ulamba as well as running a summer camp for more than 140 homeless children.

The group will buy all their food and building materials from the village community to help improve the local economy.

The project is organised through the Adventure Alternative company, set up to support charity Moving Mountains, which helps improve the lives of African children living in poverty.

The group heard of the project through volunteer and Newport sexual health teacher Andy Hunt who has joined the previous two trips to the African country, helping to build a HIV clinic.

Mr Hunt said: "It is an eye-opening experience out there. It's a fantastic project that makes a huge difference to these people's lives.

"The kids have worked really hard to raise the money."

The Gwent youngsters have raised money through a host of sponsored activities during the last year.