While some children were watching TV and sleeping away the summer holidays, two young philanthropists were building a home for a needy family in Zambia.Mount Saint Agnes (MSA) students Shannon Stearns and Courtney Monkman spent three weeks in the impoverished country volunteering with Habitat for Humanity. The 16-year-olds journeyed to the Republic of Zambia, in Southern Africa, and came back with a whole different outlook on life. “It was a really good experience because we saw so many kids that had nothing, and we were building this house for them. It opened our eyes,” said Shannon.The Year 11 students said their first impression was that the country wasn’t as poverty stricken as they expected. However, as they travelled further into the countryside the amount of poverty increased.They saw countless children with dirty clothes and no shoes and had to themselves learn to get by without hot water and modern technologies.Zambia is considered one of the least developed nations in the world 82 percent of the population lives on less than $2 a day.Adequate housing in urban areas remains unattainable and unaffordable for most people, and unemployment and poverty are widespread. Despite the hardships, the people were “so happy to see us and would chase after our bus when it drove by”, Courtney said.The teenagers opted to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity after hearing of a similar programme Courtney’s brother took part in while in Romania.Habitat for Humanity is a non-profit Christian-centred charity aiming to provide people around the world with a decent, safe and affordable place to live.Founded in 1976, the organisation has built more than 400,000 houses, sheltering more than two million people worldwide. The girls helped to construct a home for a family-of-ten from July 14 to August 3. They worked from 8am until 5pm in the heat, making cement and blocks by hand to complete the project.Shannon said: “There were some days when I just wanted to go because the work would be so hard but then you think it’s for a good cause and that keeps you going.”Courtney said it was heart-wrenching to eat a sandwich or a traditional Zambian meal, as other children looked on with nothing to eat. “That was the hardest part for me,” she said.The girls were allowed to enjoy their free time when not taking part in building projects. On one occasion they visited an orphanage and brought toys and clothing items for the young children. Another time they took part in a safari and camped out under the stars; they also visited the historical colonial city of Livingstone during their trip.Both girls said they were proud of what they accomplished and recommended the humanitarian project to other young people.