Gemma Holleyhead, 21, will return to Africa for the second time in as many years to help out at Harrogate House and Open Arms - infant homes for orphans who have lost their parents to illness, disease or poverty.

Her story is the latest in a series of articles focussed on raising the profile of our Raise the Roof campaign, which looks to raise £25,000 to build a new orphanage on the shores of Lake Malawi, 130 miles north of the original site.

The campaign, now entering its fourth month, has already attracted a massive £9,500 from generous donors, but we need more help from more people if we are to hit our goal.

Gemma, a second-year events management student from Leeds Metropolitan university, first went to Blantyre, where the main Open Arms complex is based, in June 2006 with a friend who had visited the infants' home the previous August.

She said: "As soon as you walk in the children just run up to you and make circles around your legs. They are all so smiley and happy and they don't care who you are.

"Everybody there is so welcoming - the idea was to stay there for a few days, but we ended up staying for almost two weeks.

After travelling to Cape Maclear and Mkhata Bay, Gemma returned to Blantyre and helped out at the Open Arms complex for another week before returning home.

Gemma helped wake the children up and get them bathed, clothed and fed. Some of the babies then played while the older children went to school.

Now Gemma is set to return to Malawi in July, hoping to spend a month as a volunteer at the home in between visiting Tanzania. She would also like to visit the new Open Arms 2 site, where Harrogate House 2 will eventually be located, which is currently being built and should be completed in September.

Open Arms is the main umbrella organisation that co-ordinates the volunteer work. It includes a infants' house that looks after babies up to the age of two years old and a second home - named Harrogate House and funded by money donated by our readers - which looks after children up to the age of five years old.

It is run by former Harrogate teacher Neville Bevis, who left his job at Ashville College with late wife Rosemarie to set up the home in 1999.

Open Arms also helps arrange outreach projects in small villages and towns providing basic food and education and it organises visits to youngsters who have been returned to adopted families or non-immediate families.

Gemma added: "The images of Africa you see on Comic Relief and Sport Relief are of sad, upset children, but I didn't find it like that at all.

"People call Malawi the warm heart of Africa, and it is true. it is written on the boats by the lake and on signs all around the country. People are so friendly and generous.

"They don't have a lot to give, but what they have they will share it with you. And the work they do is so important. They all have their own families to look after, but they all do such a good job.

"Harrogate House is just such a deserving charity - you just have to be there to appreciate it."

• For more information about Harrogate House and Open Arms, or to learn more about the history of the project, visit our website.

• To donate to Harrogate House 2 online, visit their Just Giving website.

• Donations can also be made by cheque, payable to Open Arms Malawi. Donations can be sent to Harrogate House 2 Appeal, Spout House, Church Hill, North Rigton, LS17 0DB.