A team of Bermudians are to travel to Haiti this summer to bring hope to thousands of poverty-stricken people.

The group will accompany Phillip Rego to the village of Montrouis in July to work on food, education and medical programmes.

Twenty volunteers of all ages and backgrounds will spend a week teaching children English and French, developing a feeding programme and painting an orphanage. Mr. Rego, 50, has raised thousands for the Eden Garden Orphanage since selling his company, Ideal Homes and Gardens Ltd., in 2008 to dedicate his life to helping Third World children.

The orphanage helps street children who are otherwise forced into slavery to obtain food. It also serves as a school and a community centre, distributing any food it can spare and providing medical care to the impoverished local community.

Since last year, the people of Bermuda have donated more than $40,000 to the orphanage and other projects. This has enabled Mr. Rego to start a food programme, double the teachers' salaries, put a roof on the medical clinic, plant a vegetable garden and distribute food and rice to villagers. Recently, he also helped organise a visit by 20 doctors, nurses and dentists to administer medical care to people in the region.

"The Haitian people are amazed at what has been done, and that Bermudians have given so much to help them," Mr. Rego said. "I want to thank the people of Bermuda. It is hard to thank people individually but those who have given, they know who they are. I'm ever so grateful for their help."

Mr. Rego is now building a kitchen and feeding station in a pavilion next to the school.

Of the 140 children who attend classes, 110 are youngsters from outside of the orphanage.

"Every morning we cook them oatmeal, raisins, honey and cinnamon to give them a hot dish before they go to school," said Mr. Rego. "We hope to finish the kitchen by the end of May, and then when the school closes during the summer we can open it up to feed people off the street."

Mr. Rego also aims to install a $12,500 solar power system to produce more electricity at the orphanage. He has just been given a boost with a $1,500 cheque for Haiti from staff at the English Sports Shop.

He is now looking forward to the Bermudian volunteers' visit, the second week of July.

"They range from teenagers to people in their fifties, and we also have teachers going down," he said. "They will teach English and some French while other volunteers are also going to help with sewing classes."

The Eden Garden Orphanage needs $5,500 a month just to operate. If you would like to help, e-mail Mr. Rego, feedmylambsministry@gmail.com, or telephone 535-8934.

You can also donate directly to the charity's Bank of Bermuda account at: 010305498012.