CARING pupils at a Bournemouth primary school have launched a £16,000 appeal to build an orphanage in Zambia.

The charity Kabanana Care Trust has been supported by Corpus Christi primary school in Boscombe since 2006 in its aim of helping to look after 144 orphaned youngsters.

All the children are currently placed in foster homes but now there are fears some are suffering physical, sexual or mental abuse.

Organisers of the appeal hope the orphanage will house the most vulnerable children.

“The children really need to be safe and have a place to call home and these are two of the many reasons we have decided to build them an orphanage” said a spokesman for the school.

The fundraising will be done in two stages with the first £8,000 used to build a security wall and the remaining £8,000 used to build a dormitory block.

Those behind the appeal hope building can begin before next summer and fundraising events are under way with Corpus Christi pupils selling bricks in the form of sponsored brick sheets for £1 each. The pupil who sells the most bricks in November and December will receive a prize.