An Edmonton man who has spent half a million dollars and countless hours setting up an orphanage in eastern Africa is hoping others will step up to keep the charity going; the philanthropist has terminal cancer and only has six months to live.

Francis Neveu grew up in an orphanage himself, so when we saw countless orphans in the east African country of Burundi he knew he need to provide them a safe place to live.

"I encounter a small village packed with kids with big bellies and mal-nutrition, where a local charity, made by Burundi people, was not able to feed people anymore," said Neveu.

Burundi is the world's third poorest country; Neveu says many of the children who were left behind from a genocide between tribes wouldn't have had much chance for survival. He immediately made plans to build an orphanage, spending about $500,000 to house, feed and educate 60 children.

Shortly after Neveu started a charity called Harbour 4 Life to keep the orphanage going, but a change in his life has made the orphanage's future uncertain.

"I have terminal prostate cancer," said Francis Neveu.

Doctor's say he has about six months to live, but instead of worrying about his own mortality Neveu is instead thinking about the future of the 60 children at the orphanage.

"We cannot really put them on the street because I am dead," he said.

However Neveu is hoping a new charity initiative launched through Harbour 4 Life will keep children in Burundi safe. It's a store called Buy By the Pound and it accepts donations and give tax receipts when patrons purchase items by their weight. Clothing is sold at $1.99 a pound and china and glassware is sold at 65 cents a pound.

"The quality of the things you can get, and you can't beat the price," said customer Ruth Jenks who calls it a win-win situation. "It's going to good cause."

The store is located in south Edmonton at 9238 34th Avenue. Neveu hopes to open more stores by Christmas with the hope of keeping his orphanage open.

"We need to find another way to save that orphanage," said Neveu.

For more information on Harbour 4 Life click here.

With files from Kevin Armstrong