Seven homeless men, together with three members of staff from Tyneside Cyrenians, the leading homelessness prevention and training charity, headed out to Ghana with Madventurer in November from Newcastle for a 'once in a lifetime' experience.

For two weeks the group provided vital manpower to help build a school and also work to understand, compare and contrast the difference in material wealth of ordinary people in both the UK and Ghana. The team travelling to Africa had been responsible for the fund-raising efforts and their particular thanks go to Onyx, PricewaterhouseCoopers, Muckles Solicitors, Barclays, Newcastle Futures, the Smith family and Your Homes Newcastle for their generosity and support.

Stephen Bell explained the inspiration for the project;

'We believe that when people who have experienced disadvantage and deprivation are given the opportunity to help resolve real material poverty that the results can be life changing. We would like them to see their own lives in a different way and to feel good about helping those less fortunate than themselves. '

Our aim, through this visit, is not only to provide manpower for a very worthwhile schools project but to give this group of men the chance to see the differences between homelessness and poverty for themselves.

Our enduring aim is to 'change lives and build futures', we hope everyone involved in this project will benefit in this way.' The volunteers, who were aged between 25 and 62, lived and worked in Aveme a small village in the Volta region of Ghana.

They joined an existing team of a foreman and some skilled labourers. Some of the group from Tyneside Cyrenians have already benefited from construction skills training provided by the Charity's 'Brighter Futures' training centre which was launched by Lord Ramsbotham in June this year.

Commenting on the opportunity before heading out to Ghana, Shaun, 26 said; 'I am very excited about going to Ghana and using the skills I have learned at Tyneside Cyrenians' Brighter Futures Training Centre to help people in Africa.' Jason 37, added; 'We're planning to take out gifts such as tools and football shirts; we've been told that the people we're going to help will be pleased with these.'

Tyneside Cyrenians is one of the country's leading and most progressive homeless charities. Founded in 1970, they are award winning in our efforts to support those from excluded groups.

They produced their own video on youtube - check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RK6AhiP2hIw