William Brown and Melanie Coull, from Folkton, who run the Students Aiding and Supporting Haiti charity, will help some of the towns outside the capital Port au Prince.

As well as helping to provide shelter, they will also be asking communities what they need to improve their standard of living.

The couple have previously visited Banda Aceh, in Indonesia, and witnessed at first hand the relief work and building that went on after 20 years of civil war and the aftermath of the tsunami.

They are now raising money for the project and schools and businesses across the Scarborough area are being urged to support the charity.

Mr Brown visited Graham School to talk to students about the disaster and how the communities were trying to rebuild their homes.

The charity is also asking pupils across the county to hold fundraising events to raise money for the project.

Mr Brown said: “We are hoping to go into more schools to ask the students if they would be willing to help Haiti. We then plan to go to Haiti to find out what is really needed and we will report back via email to tell students where the money they raise will be going.”

Mr Brown thinks money will go towards rebuilding key services including schools and outreach medical clinics.

Mr Brown added: “As a long-term aim once the recovery is under way we are looking to support the local economy by building a dive shop giving employment and bringing money into the local area.

“Our ultimate aim is to build chalets for divers which will be owned by the charity but run by local families, some of the profits from these chalets will then help to fund local projects.

“We know this sounds like a massive project but just providing shelter from the rains due in May will make an immeasurable difference to these people’s lives.”

l The charity is holding an open evening tonight at Graham School from 6pm for people interested in helping fundraise for the project.