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Students of St Christopher School have been stepping out in a bid to raise money to help build a medical facility in a poverty-stricken area in Thailand.
Last week, students, supporters and teachers took part in a 10km sponsored walk on the Sheikh Khalifa bin Salman Causeway Bridge to raise money for the trip.
Twenty children, aged between 16 and 18, alongside three members of staff, will fly to the Ban Tha Ton in the Chiang Rai region on December 11 for seven days of charitable endeavours.
Assistant head teacher Steve Martin, who is leading the group, explained that this was the school's third trip to the location on the Thai/Burmese border.
He said: "The aim of this project is to improve the quality of life for children from the minority Lahu and Shan Hill tribes.
"Most of the children are the sons and daughters of migratory orange pickers. They have very low income and little stability due to the fact that the parents move so frequently.
"Some students live in very basic dormitories on site whilst others walk 5km each way to get to school every day.
"We are working with the same school for the third year running. The school is called Ban Huay Moung and is a community hub for the Hill Tribe people."
Previously, the school had raised around $10,000 (BD3,770.33) to rebuild and refurbish a canteen and cooking area for more than 400 children and so far this year the school has raised a further $6,000 (BD2,261.8) towards the latest project.
Teachers Kirsty Fergusson and Corrie Wales will also be accompanying the students this year. Mrs Fergusson, 27, from Mahouz, said: "Owing to their location, these people are in need of our support as they receive little or no aid from any surrounding countries."
Layla Al Alwai, 16, a Year 12 student from Juffair, added: "We are going to build a medical room and provide stationery to the children at the school. I think this is a nice way to help the world."
Andrew Scopes, 16, said: "I want to feel like I'm making a difference and I believe this is a great thing to do. I am also sure it will benefit us later on in life as well and certainly make us appreciate what we have here in Bahrain."
Although Hannah Mohamed, 16, from Awali, is unable to go on the trip but she was happy to support her friends. "Some of the children in Thailand walk long distances to school everyday and we just hop on to our buses and get to school so easily," she explained, saying the sponsored walk was nothing compared to the experience less-fortunate youngsters experience every day of their lives.
