Youth Minister Dale Butler returned to Bermuda bearing gifts from his trip to Brunei and Borneo.

Mr. Butler visited ten Bermudian youths who participated in an international humanitarian expedition in the region.

The students spent ten weeks ?roughing it? as part of the Raleigh International project.

Bermuda also sent a project manager, Brendan Millett, who is involved with the Bermuda Regiment and works with the Department of Youth Sport and Recreation?s community centres.

The organisation is a UK-based youth development charity that organises expeditions for young people around the world.

The Malaysian division, which the Bermudians participated in, focuses on environmental and community projects.

They are sent to poverty-stricken villages to help the community build vital infrastructure such as schools, recreation halls and suspension bridges. The students also installed a gravity water feed system which gave a village clean water and running taps for the first time.

The students are encouraged to be hands on and to get involved in the villages they visited. Many of them taught English and started sports teams.

Mr. Butler paid for his 14-day trip and said he thoroughly enjoyed his time with the students.

He said he was warmly welcomed by the governments of Brunei and Borneo. He spent time at some of the villages with the Bermudian crew and said the villagers were very fond of the students and sad to see them leave. Mr. Butler also joined in on a trek up a mountain and spent time above the rain forest on a canopy bridge.

While visiting Brunei he was trailed by local media who were covering his visit for Brunei?s state-owned papers. He had the opportunity to meet His Royal Highness Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, the Crown Prince of Brunei. The Crown Prince is in line to become the 30th Sultan of Brunei.

Brunei has one of the highest standards of living in the world due to its large deposits of oil and gas, according to BBC?s profile of the nation. Despite the nation?s wealth most of country is underdeveloped.

Mr. Butler said Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah was a gracious host and that the Raleigh International organisation hopes that he will sponsor the programme in the future.

This is the first time in five years that Raleigh International has been in Brunei. The Crown Prince is already a patron of Brunei?s Outward Bound programme.

While there Mr. Butler was presented with a number of gifts from various dignitaries.

The Crown Prince gave Mr. Butler a glass blown figure of a local trapper plant.

Mr. Butler also came back with many books about Brunei and Borneo as well as plaques presented to him by both country?s Ministers of Youth and Sport. Yesterday he presented the gifts to Bermuda?s National Library.

This was the first time Bermuda was involved in the programme and their presence appears to have been appreciated. There is a photograph of the group proudly displaying the Bermuda flag in Raleigh International?s newest brochure and Bermudian DeWilton Robinson is the only student quoted in the brochure.

He said: ?The kids [in the village have made an impact on my life. The families treated me as if I was a member of their family...I hated to leave Saguan [the village and was emotional when I left. I miss them so much and have made a promise to them that I will be coming back.?

The students will give a presentation on the expedition to thank their sponsors on October 5.