A BANK worker has travelled from Ramsbottom to Rwanda to see how the money she raised is being used to build better schools.

Isabella Todd earned the chance to fly out to the troubled country after collecting hundreds of pounds for charity.

The 23-year-old, who works for Barclays, took part in one of the bank’s Step into the Night walks last year, walking around Manchester dressed as a gorilla.

She and her colleagues across the country raised more than £60,000 for UNICEF, which is working to create 50 “child-friendly” schools in Rwanda.

Isabella, of Bolton Street, Ramsbottom, said: “When I got the phone call telling me I was going to Rwanda I couldn’t believe it. It was an absolutely amazing experience and a real eye-opener.”

The bank worker began her trip in the capital Kigali where she visited the Gisozi Genocide Memorial for an understanding of the country’s recent history.

Thousands of children were orphaned in the country by the massacres in 1994.

The education system collapsed and Rwanda was left with poor schools and very few qualified teachers.

Isabella then spent time in one of the country’s crumbling schools before visiting a UNICEF projects where facilities are much better.

She said: “There were 748 children at the first school I went to. There were seven classrooms, the roof was only partly built and there were no windows. The children were crammed into the classroom.

“There was no running water and only two toilets. Even though it is a school, the education is very limited.”

There are more than 4,000 schools like this in Rwanda but UNICEF has created 50 child-friendly schools. The school Isabella visited had a grass play area, a basketball court, more classrooms and better facilities for teachers.

Isabella added: “It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that I’ll never forget — to go out there and see where the money I raised was being used was absolutely fantastic.

“I’ve seen the difference it makes — it has inspired me to carry on raising even more funds.”