Pupils from a Wharfedale Secondary School will travel overseas this week in a bid to teach and support students in one of South Africa's poorest regions.

Under the title - the Bambisanani Partnership, pupils and staff at St Mary's Secondary School in Menston have been working with the Mynyakanya School in Kwa Zulu Natal for a couple of years.

The partnership aims to bring young people from both cultures together through sport to promote leadership, education and health.

During their stay, the St Mary's pupils, who are all sixth formers, will provide in-service training to teachers and sport coaches, as well as coach sport to students and teach other subjects.

The group, which includes Philip Ward, Emily Tindall, Chris Spillane, Hector Hall, Kirsty Ryan, Katie Moran, Patrick Pounder, Nicole Wilson and James Holland, will also work with South African students to plan the region's first Sports Festival for Primary School children.

Assistant head teacher David Geldart said: "There is no school funding for this work, students and staff have to raise every penny for flights, accommodation and fund the resources required."

The students will be joined in their quest by Mr Geldart, Mrs Barbara Pounder and Mr Richard Chattoe who both work in the sports department of the school.

Mr Geldart said: "Developing young leaders is a key feature of our work as the exchange visits allow people from both countries to learn not only about leadership but also about each other.

"In addition to staff and students paying for their own travel and accommodation, the Bambisanani Partnership hopes to raise a further £25,000 a year to fund exchange visits, fund orphans into school and to provide much needed equipment and develop infrastructure projects such as providing toilets for pupils."

He thanked the local community for their help over the years with special reference to a mystery donor who had given a large amount of money for the cause.

He said: "Over the past two years we have raised awareness of our work in this desperately poor part of South Africa and many people have responded by helping us.

"Recently a significant amount of money was given to us from an anonymous donor.

"I would like to take this opportunity to thank them so much on behalf of everyone associated with the Partnership. Their kindness and generosity will allow us to move our work on tremendously."

He added that the Minister for Education of Kwa Zulu Natal, Mrs Inja Cronje, who recently visited St Mary's would be meeting up with the students in South Africa to see first hand the work that is inspiring young people in both countries.