The Mphatikizo orphanage run by Christchurch locals Bob and Regina Smedly, hosts up to 50 children who face extreme poverty. The charity also helps to raise funds for families in Malawi.
Claire McCorkindale, Aidan Erceg, James Lee, Pippa Huddleston, Abi Huddleston, Jessica Hill and Dunstan Brook-Miller have been fundraising for 'Mission Malawi' for almost a year now to make the trip a reality.
The students have been fundraising with pub quizzes, sausage sizzles, silent auctions and by selling firewood.
One of the co-founders of the group, Jessica Hill said they decided to build a pre-school because it could benefit the surrounding villages and not just the orphanage.
The students are also organising to set up a micro-business over in Malawi with 'To See Lighting' to put in solar caps.
"Currently in the villages, they're using kerosene lenses which is very expensive for them because they have to keep refilling the kerosene.," Hill said.
The students leave for Malawi in June and will stay there for three weeks to work on their projects.
