A young man spread the gift of charity over his Christmas break by helping build schools in Africa.

Brady Cordeiro, 18, from Warwick, spent two weeks building schools with volunteers at the Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya.

Brady, who attends Neuchâtel Junior College in Switzerland, said he volunteered for the school despite homesickness.

He explained: “I was a little tentative at first because I was worried about missing my family.

“Still, I accepted, knowing that I was going to see such a broad new culture and gain an experience that I won’t ever forget.”

Brady and ten other pupils worked with the Me to We organisation, a charity set up to help developing countries.

Most of his work involved digging a foundation for a primary school and reinforcing walls for a dormitory.

Brady was not used to building work but enjoyed the challenge.

He said: “I was so passionate about what I was doing that I made sure I gave 110 per cent when I was going at it.

“Whatever I do I try to give it my best and make sure it’s exceeding expectations overall, whether it be sports, academics, or helping a community in Africa.

“It means a lot to me to make sure I’m putting my best foot forward.” Brady also got the chance to experience local life first-hand by staying in nearby communities.

The biggest challenge was living on an average Kenyan family budget of 700 shillings, about seven dollars, for a week.

He explained: “We were given the activity of actually taking 700 shillings to the market to buy groceries for a family for a week and a school uniform.

“We managed to by cheap produce like beans and maize and ended up spending about 200 shillings on a little girl’s dress, which was cheaper than a collared shirt and pants for a boy.”

Brady added: “It’s amazing to see that people can get by, by doing sort of the bare minimum and still be happy about what they do have instead of thinking about things that they don’t have.

“I feel like that’s something that’s often overlooked in this day and age.”

Brady said that his experience in Kenya put his own lifestyle into perspective and he had become more aware of his own consumption.

He plans to visit Kenya again.

He said: “I never thought I would have said that before, but it’s just a great way to enjoy yourself.”

Brady also wants to work in other countries and would like to visit South America.