The volunteers, mostly builders, carpenters, plumbers and electricians from all over Ireland, flew to Cape Town on Friday. They have a target of 40 to 50 completed houses before their return home next week. By then, 700 South Africans, including 500 children will have new homes. Only two million of Capetown's four million-plus population live in houses. The rest live in shacks spread across the city in townships such as Mfuleni, which is home to 25,000 people.

Addressing the volunteers yesterday, Niall Mellon, co-ordinator for this project, now in its fourth year, said: "I never imagined the day would come when I would have so many people coming to help."

Many of the volunteers are on their second, third and even fourth trips with the project. John O'Connor, a carpenter from Kiskeam in Cork, left his wife Theresa and his four children at home to make this trip on his own. "In Ireland, we have everything that we want. I'm healthy, my wife is healthy and my kids are healthy, so I feel like I have to give something back, " he said.

Una Mullally's full report on the Cape Town project will appear in next week's Sunday Tribune