"Estate Agents Sans Frontieres" Greases Refugee Property Ladder

For Sale signs will soon be on display here creating a new property-rich food-poor class

To the residents of this UN refugee camp near Kimbouda in north Africa, today is like any other in the three months since their village was destroyed by rebel fighters. But for Gareth Higgins it's as different as could be.

Just two days ago Gareth was behind his desk in a small estate agent's office in Croydon, battling with the collapse of the UK housing market - but today he starts his tour of duty with newly established 'Estate Agents Sans Frontieres', bringing hope to the residents here. Maybe, he tells them, they might one day be able to sell their small 2-man tent and load themselves up with enough expensive debt to move up the aid-agency property ladder to a 3-man tent, which is regarded as better for a family of 7.

Medical professionals have long been providing their services to people affected by wars or natural disasters through the charity 'Medicins sans frontieres', but until now no-one had cornered the property side of the international aid market.

"When I first came up with the idea, I was sure someone else must have already thought of it" says founder Joaquim Barney-Walsh, a former Kensington estate agent, "but a bit of research online showed they hadn't - so I decided to go ahead and set it up."

He offers UK estate agents the chance to take a one month trip to a poor part of the world where their skills are really needed, and there's lots of nice sunshine. So far, over 100 have made the journey. I've come to Kimbouda to follow Gareth's first days on the job, which are also being filmed for a new BBC1 reality series.

As we walk through the grim poverty of the camp, with Gareth carrying his electronic tape measure and clipboard, the weak and hungry residents stretch out their hands towards us. "See," says Gareth, "There's a real demand here for information on the latest properties and the great mortgage deals we can arrange". He presses leaflets and his business card into their hands and we move on towards our first appointment.

Jolada is a 32 year old mother of five. She looks tired and the hope has long faded from her eyes. Her children are skinny and hardly seem to have energy to play on the small patch of ground between the shelter and the road. Gareth squats down next to her where she sits on the dusty dirt floor, underneath a single piece of tarpaulin stretched between four poles, and kept taught by guy ropes.

"Hello" he says loudly and slowly, "My name is Gareth. I understand you want to sell your, er, home."

Jolada looks at him blankly. He tries again: "Home", he points at the tarpaulin, "Money", he gets some notes out of his wallet and waves them in front of her. She nods enthusiastically and smiles broadly. He turns round to me. "You see", he grins, "we get to make people really happy".

He bustles round taking some measurements, taking photos, and making notes and then we head back to his office. It's here that he writes up the details and prints off a leaflet to put up in the window where a crowd is already gathered.

"Cosy studio bungalow with excellent natural light and good ventilation. Features include original wooden support beams. Has own garden fronting onto roadway making this property ideal for commuters. Would suit first time buyers. Guide price $20 plus two cups of rice."

Gareth is pleased with his days work.

I return a few days later to find the property already sold. Gareth is beaming at the way he's helped Jolada:

"Well after our commissions and expenses we were able to give her two cups of rice, which is food she wouldn't otherwise have had. I really feel like I'm making a difference here. I don't earn as much money - but then that's not everything is it?"

Jolada wasn't able to find any other properties available for the price of two cups of rice - tent prices have been surging in this newly successful property market - but the new owner of her tarpaulin has agreed to rent it back to her for the price of one cup of rice per week, so everyone is happy. Estate Agents Sans Frontieres really are making a difference here.