Settle Rotarian Sandy Tod is part of a team of 24 Rotarians and non-Rotarians, including doctors, engineers and education specialists, who have travelled at their own expense to the island of Ukerewe in Tanzania.

Group members – including two Rotarians from Sweden – are refurbishing the island’s hospital and installing surplus medical equipment from the UK worth a quarter of a million pounds.

The trip has been organised by Rotary International and the remit is to improve the hospital facilities, encourage child immunisation, launch malaria prevention measures, provide safe, clean water and introduce a literacy programme with emphasis on child health education.

Rotary clubs in the district have joined forces with clubs in Mwanza and are co-operating with local professionals and community leaders to launch an ambitious programme to reduce child mortality.

Settle Rotary Club purchased several hundred items of educational materials for Mr Tod, a retired civil engineer, to distribute where he saw the need.

He said: “This is a unique opportunity to take part in a hands-on project in an under-developed part of the world which will make a considerable difference to the lives of many impoverished people.”

The group, which flew out to Nairobi last week, is due home on Friday.