Students at Saltus Grammar School are raising funds for a month-long trip to Nepal where they will help rebuild a school damaged in an earthquake which devastated much of the country.

Seven students are taking part in a World Challenge project, during which they will spend seven days helping at schools in Kathmandu with the Mother Children’s Arts Foundation, 12 days hiking on the Annapurna trail, and taking part in white water rafting and zip lining.

Teacher Rachael Smith, who is organising the trip next summer, said: “We held a talk about the earthquake in Nepal this year and it was amazing how motivated they were to help. I wanted to get World Challenge involved at Saltus so I gave them a call and they sent someone down from Boston for a meeting. That is how it started.”

Mackenzie Pearman, 15, one of the students taking part in the expedition, said: “This is a once -in-a-lifetime experience. The trip is designed to give back to the community, but also to give us a lot of responsibility.

“We will be helping to rebuild the school, the classrooms, painting and generally trying to improve the school. It will be very hands on.”

Z’ajae Lee, 15, said: “I want to see how other people live and after the earthquake I wanted to go even more.”

The students each have to raise $7,500 and are busy with part-time jobs such as supermarket grocery packing and they are looking for possible sponsors.

They have also established a Go Fund Me page for people who want to help fund their trip at www.gofundme.com/tazgb3w. World Challenge is an educational travel organisation that aims to help young people prepare for life. Every year it sends more than 10,000 students on expeditions around the world.