Mark Pope (19) will spend 10 weeks working in a shanty town on the outskirts on Lima as part of a scheme which gives young British people from varying cultural backgrounds the opportunity to live with local families and work alongside them for the good of the community.

Just before he left the former Dalziel High pupil said: "I'm looking forward to meeting up with the other volunteers, although as far as I know, I am the only one from Scotland."

Mark will be involved in building a kindergarten and working with children and young people on arts projects.

He said: "One of the things I am taking out is a multi-coloured parachute for games with the children.

"It should be a great adventure, however, I will miss my friends in Motherwell and I am not sure about eating 'guinea pig' which I am told is part of the local diet."

Over the next few years Christian Aid plans to send over 2,000 young people from Britain on this fully funded programme, to South Africa, Ghana , India, and South America.