A 12-year-old girl from Marlow has raised more than £1,300 to build a mud house for an African widow.

Amelie Wild decided to raise money for 43-year-old Soaves, who lives in Burundi, east Africa, after she heard about her through her uncle, who runs a charity in the turbulent country.

She told the Marlow Free Press she wanted to help Soaves, whose husband died five years ago, leaving her to raise their three children – Nestor, 11, Desire, nine, and seven-year-old Adronis – on her own without anywhere to live.

Amelie said: “I wanted to help her because I don’t think that anyone should have to live in the circumstances that she does, with a falling down house and three mouths to feed, without her husband to help her.

“She has to work many hours in a day but only to earn half a dollar which is all she has to feed her children with and herself. Because of this I feel that she deserves a safe and stable home to live in.”

So far, Amelie’s fundraising efforts have helped to raise £1,365, smashing her original target of £365.

The Wild family will visit Soaves during the Easter holidays and help build her and her family a home.

Amelie said: “I am very pleased and thankful for how generous and kind people have been in donating money.

“My friends and family have been so supportive and amazing and I am very lucky.

“Thank you to everyone who has donated – every penny will be going to the lady in Burundi to help improve her quality of life, and others in her community who are in similar conditions in need of help and support.

“I am going to physically build a house for Souavis and her three children.

“I am going to build the house out of dried mud bricks and a tin roof that will also be surrounded by a wooden frame.

“I myself will be building one house with the money, and using the extra money to pay for more houses to be built, as well as donating and supporting local, Burundian charities.”

Mum Tracy said: “I am incredibly proud of my daughter. Amelie is a thoughtful and kind hearted girl and this is typical of her to want to do something for others less fortunate than herself.”

To donate to Amelie’s cause, visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/tracy-wild.