Year 12 student Henry Hole gets familiar with some tools - he will be going to Cambodia later this year to help build a house for a disadvantaged Cambodian family.
TRAVELLING to a developing country will be a culture shock for 18-year-old Henry Hole; however, he is looking forward to the experience.
A boarder at Prince Alfred College since 2010, the Naracoorte local will be going to Cambodia later this year.
The 15-day school trip will include some sightseeing but Henry will be primarily focused on helping others.
"I have travelled a bit but have never been able to actually help people," he said. "I think it will give me more of an idea of how people live in developing countries."
Henry will join 17 classmates and three teachers on the trip which originated from a partnership between PAC and Sunrise Children's Villages three years ago.
Sunrise was set up by Australian expat Geraldine Cox and provides care for hundreds of orphaned and disadvantaged Cambodian children in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
The students will interact with the children, play sports with them and do general maintenance and building work on the facilities.
PAC school chaplain Mark Dickens is organising the trip which is generating a lot of interest among the boys.
"We call it the Cambodia cultural awareness and community service tour," he said. "The students will see a country with vastly different circumstances to here and it gives the school an opportunity to further strengthen the partnership with Sunrise."
The group will also be working on a building project with Habitat for Humanity's Global Village Program.
"Four days will be spent joining with local labourers to build a house for a family who cannot afford their own home," Mr Dickens said. "Habitat for Humanity call it a 'hand up' not a 'hand out' as the family will also be helping."
The boys will see first hand the effects the Pol Pot regime had on the country where millions died as a result of forced labour, malnutrition, poor medical care and executions.
"It will be a fairly confronting reminder," Mr Dickens said.
"The trip will open up their perspective on life and will help them look beyond themselves."
The students are required to raise $950 each in sponsorship before leaving on December 9.
Four PAC students recently went on a 645km bike ride as part of the Cycle for Cambodia fundraising effort and the group collectively hope to raise about $19,000.
To donate to Henry and help out disadvantaged Cambodians, visit http://www.habitat.org.au/page.aspx?pid=1033&tab=0&frsid=1175.