In many ways Meghan Jones is an ordinary 20-year-old, but when she's not going to school or hanging out with friends, she's helping the Tuleeni orphanage in Tanzania, grow from 12 to 34 orphans.

With the help of family, friends and members of the community, she has raised enough money to give children, whose parents died or abandoned them, a safe home, food and supplies for education.

If that wasn't enough, the young humanitarian, and her family and friends, just climbed the highest mountain in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro, in support of the cause.

Miss Jones, who is currently with the children at Tuleeni, took time out of her busy schedule, namely negotiating to buy chickens, goats and cows for the orphans, to speak to The Royal Gazette.

She admitted: "My love for Africa probably began when my parents took our family on a safari in Kenya.

"I was struck by the beauty, the friendly people, the contrasting culture, but I also caught glimpses of the poverty as we passed through villages and towns on our way to the game reserves and I think that had a big impact on me."

Miss Jones returned to the continent, namely Tanzania, in 2005 while on her gap year and then again the next summer to teach English for three months.

It was the trip in 2006 that inspired her to make a difference on a larger scale in Tanzania, a place dear to her heart.

She said: "I was placed at a primary school by the volunteer organisation in 2006 for three months and there I met Mama Faraji, a teacher.

"She was trying to start an orphanage and already had taken on as many orphans as she could in her own home."

Miss Jones took it upon herself to rally support for Mama Faraji and with help from her former school, Saltus, they were able to raise close to $4,000, from a grub day, for the cause.

Some of the money went to providing the orphans with books and supplies, the extra money was used to rent a bigger property to house them in.

But Miss Jones' work had just begun – from there she worked to find carpenters and tradespeople in Tanzania to build beds, mattresses, plates, blankets etc. for the children.

"Ever since then I have been in touch with them and tried to fundraise to support them," she added.

Recently her family church, Holy Trinity Church in Bailey's Bay, also offered to pitch in and help.

Together they raised more than $5,000, which has been spent on building farm pens and purchasing cows, chickens and goats for the orphanage.

The milk and eggs are used on a regular basis and what they don't use is sold and goes toward food for the animals and the children.

Miss Jones has been in Tanzania for the past three weeks spending time with Mama Faraji and the children.

She took time from her busy schedule to speak of the children who have touched her life.

"I have met and spent time with the now 34 children over the last two years," she said. "They are all beautiful, happy and bright children who deserve the very best in life. I love them all."

Miss Jones has been particularly touched by a three-year-old boy named Bahati, who has made a drastic change in the past year.

She said: "When I visited the orphanage last year he was brand new at two-years-old.

"He was a very sad child when I met him, he did not smile or laugh and had been suffering from malnutrition and could not talk.

"When I saw him this year I could not believe the change.

"He is healthy and so happy, running and playing with the other children and he cannot stop talking. This was so good to see.

"All the children touch me though. They all look after one another like brothers and sisters."

Miss Jones and her family and friends, including Michael, Debbie, Richard and Sophie Jones, Anna Fulton, Irene Conlan and Andrew Morrison, were all touched by their time at the Tuleeni Orphanage this summer.

They are hoping to provide Mama Faraji and the children with a covered area, so they can have shelter when it rains, and a table and chairs to sit on in the near future.

One day soon they also hope to find a permanent space for the orphanage.

Anyone interested can donate to The Tuleeni Charitable Trust, an international charity registered in Bermuda, Registration # 829, or find out more information by visiting www.tuleeni.org.