MORE than 50 pupils from a Ridgewood High School will soon be heading out to Africa as part of this year’s Project Gambia trip.

The Wollaston students will experience firsthand how the money being raised by the Stourbridge News' Well of Life appeal will help the people in the village of Sintet.

Two groups of staff and students will be heading out on either Monday, March 23, or Friday March 27, where they will spend a week working alongside Gambian schools and communities.

When members of the project first travelled to Sintet in May 2012 they saw a farming community in desperate need of help, but with Project Gambia funding,  the villagers fenced a 100 metre sq for planting crops.

Over the past three years the fence has grown and now measures 400 square metres.

Some of the pupils on this year’s Project Gambia trip have been on previous visits and already know how much the area needs our support.

Daisy Narrowmore said: “Our visit to Sintet last year was a real eye opener. The difference the farm has made to the village is unbelievable.

“The villagers are now able to use crops to feed their families and sell for money for education. However we really need to provide them with access to water.”

Our Well of Life appeal aims to raise £10,000 to install a water pump and irrigation system to be used by Sintet’s villagers, enabling them to grow crops throughout the dry season.

Pupil Adam Partridge, who will also return to Sintet this month, said: “The well will massively help the Sintet community. No longer will they have to walk a distance for water or watch their crops die.”

We are steaming ahead with our appeal, with the current total already passing the £2,000 mark, but we still need your help if we are to reach the target.

If you are carrying out an event to help raise funds for the Well of Life Appeal please call our reporter Dan Sharp on 01384 358223, or email dan.sharp@stourbridgenews.co.uk with details.

To make a donation now visit www.justgiving.com/welloflifeappeal/ or text PROG15 and your amount, either £10, £5, £4, £3, £2, £1, to 70070.

People can also donate cash or cheques in person at the Stourbridge News offices, at St John’s House, St John’s Road, Stourbridge.

Cheques need to be made payable to Project Gambia Trust Ridgewood, and you’ll need to write Well off Life Appeal on the back.