Water engineers and sanitation experts from three of Africa’s poorest countries are to visit Yorkshire Water in what is believed to be the first industry exchange programme of its kind.

The five exchange engineers will be spending eight days with their Yorkshire Water counterparts visiting a number of the company’s clean and waste water sites across the region.

Rotary International has organised the programme to encourage the sharing of ideas between people in the developed and the developing world.

Mike Bamford, Rotary District 1040 Foundation chairman and member of the Bingley Airedale club, said: “The primary drive for Rotary is to try and develop some peace in the world, and in order to help people in this country understand more closely the culture of the developing world and the developed world.

“The benefits are significant for anybody who has been involved in it, whether hosting or going out as a student on the trip itself.”

The African engineers are visiting the region from three of Africa’s poorest countries – Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

The programme at Yorkshire Water has been devised to encourage the sharing of ideas and solutions to challenges around clean water provision and the safe treatment and disposal of sewage.

The Rotary Foundation is currently looking for non-Rotarians to take part in a return trip to West Africa in April this year.

Applicants must ideally be in full-time employment and aged between 25 to 40.

For more details, call Andrew Wilson on 01943 609757, or Bill Kerr on 0113 2502483. The closing date for applications is Sunday.