Finally after three years I am absolutely delighted to advise that two of our Trustees have again been able to visit the school in Mombasa. As always it was a roller coaster of emotions, both physically and emotionally exhausting, but ultimately a hugely rewarding and encouraging visit . The good news is that Mombasa is actually beginning to improve its infrastructure with new roads , investment and the city is no longer engulfed in an acrid smoke caused by the endless smouldering piles of rubbish . Of concern however is that absolutely none of this new investment is rolling down to the poorest in society and the slums of Bombolulu have not changed one bit from ten years ago when we moved into the current school . It is genuinely heart breaking that the desperate need for the school to provide free education and importantly a food program is as necessary now as it was 19 years ago when the charity was first established .

The school we are delighted to advise is operating better than we’ve ever experienced . The teachers are well motivated and the children adore being at the school and learning . This is illustrated by the recent exam results in December 2022. We had 12 pupils taking the exams , all achieved passes and 5 achieved results enabling them access to the to the best High Schools in the country . In fact the school were advised that the results were amongst the highest in the entire Mombasa Municipality .

We also had the pleasure of witnessing the food program in operation . Whilst the food provided was even more basic than we’d previously witnessed due to costs , beans , maize , rice and ugali seemed to be the sole components , it was so gratefully received and there was no chance of any ever going to waste. One day we provided meat to add to the meal and the excitement from both pupils and staff was a joy to behold . The pupils on a rota are responsible for all the washing up after lunch and just smile and laugh throughout , if only we could instil the same enthusiasm in the UK !

​

Keen to understand what a difference we have made to the lives of our pupils we were delighted to be provided with comprehensive records of pupils leaving our school since 2010. We were advised that 136 pupils have left the school and gone onto High School , of these 126 completed High School . Many of these pupils were provided sponsorship by the charity or assisted by our school to obtain sponsorship in Kenya from major corporations. Something only possible due to the exceptional marks obtained by the pupils . There have been 12 pupils who have gone onto University and a further 23 have gone onto College . Ex pupils are now employed as Teachers , Nurses , IT Technicians , Engineers , Secretariat and even a Beauty Therapist . To know that we, with your support , have been able to provide life changing opportunities was inspiring .

As a project at the school we asked the pupils to write explaining how the school has changed their lives . Not surprisingly these made for both a heart warming and heart breaking read .

​

Rachael age 11 . I have no father and my Mother is taking care of the whole family . She goes house to house asking for jobs to get money to get food for my brothers and sisters . My life was horrible and if the charity did not open the school I would be a Street Girl . We can sit for three or more days without anything in our stomach . My Mother went to the school and she talked to the teachers who took me in as a student . I now want to work hard and change my Mothers life and we wont have to struggle again .

 

Emily Age 12 Before I came to the school life was very difficult . My parents had bad jobs and could not afford to pay school fees . We could not find enough daily bread and would often sleep hungry . When I grow up I want to be a journalist ..

 

Keriah Age 12. I have a single parent and her work is not good . She cannot afford school fees and I had a different life because we could not afford clothes , shoes and many things . when it rained water would enter our house. I stayed at home for four years without going to school . When I heard about the school helping people I came and the teachers allowed me to be a pupil . They give us pens, food . clothes and a school uniform . I am eating one meal a day , I may find food or not at home , and have to wait until the next day to eat at the school I want to be a Doctor , I will be the first in our family to go to a National High school .

 

These were consistently the type of comments that we received , that without our school they had no chance of an education and even food was scarce. What we also learnt upon visiting the school was that the Educational structure in Kenya changed in December such that they have now created Middle Schools. (something we should obviously have been advised about !) This means that as a primary school we now only need 6 classes rather than the 8 we currently have . This assists us going forward since we did not have sufficient teachers or classrooms previously . However it has provided us with a major concern in that we had 12 pupils (aged 11 and 12) complete Grade 6 who cannot now remain at our school . We learnt that these pupils are again stuck at home with no realistic means of completing middle school . Whilst the state schools are free we have met parents and seen the application forms which require circa £120 per year to pay for books and uniforms .

The charity took the decision to fund these immediately to enable the pupils to continue their education but are now desperately seeking sponsors for three years to fund their fees and enable them an opportunity to continue to High School .