A Norfolk woman who has devoted the past two decades to helping children in need in Ghana has spoken of how her own primary school teacher is helping to fund her charity's latest school project.

Lynne Symonds, from Great Melton, has helped thousands of poverty-stricken children through the Wulugu Project which she set up in 1993, and she made national headlines in 1996 when she became the first white woman to become a tribal chief in northern Ghana.

Her latest ambition is to build a new school building for the 500 pupils at Gbenfu Primary School who are currently taught in just a couple of huts. This is now on its way to being made a reality after Peggy Ellis – who taught Mrs Symonds on her very first day at Chester Road Infant School in Sunderland – left the Wulugu Project about �12,000 in her will. The school building, which it is hoped will be finished by June and will include three large classrooms, is to be called Peggy Ellis Primary School in memory of Mrs Ellis who died last year.

'It is a legacy that will go on forever. It will help generations of children be brought out of poverty,' Mrs Symonds said, adding that she was overwhelmed by the donation. The Wulugu project is now fundraising to pay for desks, benches and blackboards to furnish the new building.

For more information and to donate visit www.wulugu.co.uk

Are you involved in a new charity project? Call reporter Emma Knights on 01603 772428 or email emma.knights@archant.co.uk