A KITCHEN assistant at a care home swapped his saucepans for paint brushes when he flew to Thailand to help redevelop an orphanage. Suzgo Chibambo, who has worked at the Red House BUPA residential home in Ramsey for three years, joined a group of voluntee

A KITCHEN assistant at a care home swapped his saucepans for paint brushes when he flew to Thailand to help redevelop an orphanage.

Suzgo Chibambo, who has worked at the Red House BUPA residential home in Ramsey for three years, joined a group of volunteers to restore an orphanage for children affected by HIV/Aids.

The volunteers redecorated the inside and outside of Sarnelli House, and created basketballs courts and a garden for the 126 children who live there.

After returning home last week, Mr Chibambo told The Hunts Post it had been a very worthwhile journey: "It was an amazing and humbling experience and the memories of the trip will stay with me for a long time. I will never forget the smiling faces of the children."

Every year, Mr Chibambo travels to a poverty stricken country to help hundreds of children by working to restore an orphanage.

The 20-year-old said he does it because he "likes helping others".

Prior to travelling to Thailand, he raised £1,000 for the Sarnelli House orphanage, which is believed to be the only institution of its kind in north-east Thailand.

The orphanage receives no government funding and relies on donations. Many of the children it cares for have been left without a family after their parents were infected with HIV/Aids.

Father Mike Shea, who runs Sarnelli House, said: "The improvements that BUPA's volunteers are making to the lives of children at the orphanage are invaluable. The vital work they are undertaking is really making a difference."

The trip, which took place from October 26 to December 7, was organised to mark BUPA's 60th anniversary while raising awareness of HIV/Aids.

INFORMATION: To find out more visit www.bupa.co.uk and follow the link near the bottom of the page to the Thailand challenge.