This Autumn saw our biggest October programme to date, with Club Charity Organisations, school students and girlguides travelling to Ghana, Kenya and Zanzibar to help our partner schools achieve their goals.
With our programmes growing and more volunteers to help bring our work to life, we partnered with six new schools in Kenya for our October Programme, making a further impact on over 600 children’s lives. Thanks to all the work our volunteers have achieved, our 2024 programme has finished on a real high, and we can’t wait to see what 2025 brings.
Here is our round-up from our October Programme.
Kenya
Prisons Primary School
Volunteers continued renovating the school office block by painting it and helping the Fundis (builders) to move the new roofing into place. They also continued to plant tree seedlings around the school grounds. Volunteers got their hands dirty and planted over 100!
Euan and David from The Walk Centre came to Prisons Primary for the afternoon to help the volunteers teach the senior students how to play hockey in preparation for Sports Day, which the volunteers had organised for the following day.
Prisons School and Walk Centre students came together for the first time to participate in a sports day. Some students had never played hockey or participated in a relay race before, but they were eager to learn new skills. Volunteers worked together to plan and coordinate the activities and encouraged the students throughout the day.
The Walk Centre
One of The Walk Centre’s aims is to have an IT suite where students can learn practical computer skills to equip them for future employment.
Volunteers helped to build and install computer pods to complete the IT suite, which the students are now using.
This is a fantastic project that our volunteers have completed. Previously, IT lessons would be taught by drawing a computer keyboard on the blackboard.
Volunteers led a drumming lesson with the students, where they learnt about rhythm and coordination by hitting drumsticks in time on the floor.
Two female volunteers led a ‘girls-only’ conversation about puberty and menstrual health. Students then got to ask questions and talk about anything they wanted in a safe place. Afterwards, each girl of menstrual age received two packs of sanitary pads that the volunteers kindly provided.
St Trizah School
Our first group to volunteer at St Trizah in October, were STEM ambassadors from a high school in Philadelphia.
Previously, the group delivered a water filtration project to five of our partner schools in Ghana. This time, they delivered the project at St Trizah, teaching students about water quality, how to test if their water is safe to drink and how to print water filters for the school taps using a 3D printer.
“This project has had a significant impact on our school. We have water here at the school, but it is not safe for drinking, and we have experienced waterborne diseases. With the STEM ambassadors’ help, we have been given the equipment and skills needed to filter the water and make it safe for our students.” Antony, Teacher at St Trizah.
The volunteers also transformed a classroom into a STEM lab, providing students with robotics, technology, and coding— all focused on being intentional about sustainability.
Using Hydroponic farming, the STEM Ambassadors built an innovative hydroponic system at St Trizah that grows crops without soil. They taught the students how to build and sustain the system to ensure it is a sustainable food source.
Students from a SEND school in Wiltshire picked up the baton and took on the building & renovation volunteer role by painting and restoring the inside and outside of three classrooms.
To finish the 2024 programme at St Trizah, Everton in the Community arrived to continue with the expansion of the verandas outside of the classrooms. The new verandas will allow St Trizah to collect rainwater and provide shade for the students. They also painted the inside of a classroom and added murals to the wall.
The volunteers constructed football posts on the school field. They then used these to run football coaching sessions with the children. Afterwards, each child received their own Everton shirt.
In the classroom, our volunteers led a geography lesson that focused on countries, capitals, and continents. Students also got to practice their Swahili, as well as our volunteers, who led a lesson teaching students the names of animals in Swahili.
Jubilee Academy
Jubilee Academy welcomed two groups over October, who together achieved so much.
The outside of the kitchen was painted, which was constructed during our summer programme. Volunteers also painted the perimeter wall and school gate, adding Jubilee’s mission and vision to it. In one of the new permanent classrooms, a mural was painted.
Our teaching assistant volunteers incorporated their passion for dance into their lessons, teaching students some dance moves in a PE lesson.
“Each volunteering trip I embark on is humbling and puts life into perspective. I also enjoy watching the volunteers change as individuals, work tirelessly, and go from strangers to friends for life. I truly believe these trips are life-changing.” Group Leader.
Ungana Academy
Volunteers helped to renovate a classroom by making the much-needed repairs to the floor to create a safer learning environment for the students. They also painted the inside of the classrooms.
Students enjoyed playing cricket, football and rugby with the volunteers during their PE lessons.
The funds which a group raised were used to buy new school furniture.
Eileen Ngochoch Primary School
Volunteers picked up the baton from our summer groups and continued to lay tiles on the floors in the classroom.
They also taught various lessons, including maths, science, music and geography. “I worked with fabulous young children every day who were so keen to learn. It wasn’t always easy due to the language barrier, but I helped them learn more English, and they helped me learn some Swahili. I hope those children benefited from the experience as much as I did, and I hope to return in the future.” Volunteer.
Andy Star Academy
Andy Star Academy, one of our new partnerships for October 2024, educates 32 students in Nakuru. Their aim through our partnership is to open more doors for more children in their community.
Currently, Andy Star has no kitchen facilities to make lunch in a sanitised area. Volunteers got to work supporting fundis (local builders) with constructing a new kitchen.
Nakuru Grace Academy
Nakuru Grace Academy, another of our new partner schools, welcomed their first group of volunteers this October.
Nakuru Grace educates over 200 students and has 10 classrooms, but four are incomplete and cannot be used. Volunteers helped by continuing the construction of two of the classrooms by helping to build the walls.
Volunteers taught a lesson about their own school values, ‘THRIVE’, to the students. Each letter stands for a character trait they want students to develop whilst at school. These characteristics are tenacity, hard work, responsibility, independence, visionary and excellence.
Gracekids Education Centre
Gracekids Education Centre, another of our new partner schools, welcomed their first group of volunteers this October.
Volunteers supported Fundis (builders) in installing a new roof on a classroom, ensuring it was weatherproof. They also painted the inside and outside of the classrooms.
Greentech Academy
Greentech Academy, another of our new partner schools, welcomed their first group of volunteers this October.
Volunteers supported with the renovation of classrooms by removing an old classroom floor and mixing concrete, which was then laid to create a new level floor. They then replaced the old wooden windows and doors with steel ones. The classroom walls were also plastered.
A volunteer taught an oral hygiene lesson, teaching the students the importance of brushing and how to brush correctly. Students also participated in parachute games and colouring, which the volunteers organised.
Volunteers played an honorary role in the graduation ceremony for some of the children moving up to primary school.
Angalo Hills Academy
Angalo Hills Academy, another of our new partner schools, welcomed their first group of volunteers this October.
Volunteers worked hard painting the inside and outside of the classrooms. They also added murals to walls, improving the learning environment.
Lots of PE lessons took place with volunteers getting students involved with rounders, throwing games, bat-and-ball and a football match.
After a fantastic 8 days, the students performed poems, songs and dances to say goodbye to the volunteers.
Love G School
Love G School, another of our new partner schools, welcomed their first group of volunteers this October.
Volunteers supported the construction of a semi-permanent kitchen by helping lay the concrete floor. Currently, all the dishes and cups are washed outside on the floor in buckets, as there are no sinks or running water.
Volunteers led a lesson on the environment, and they delivered an interactive session where they got students to make snowflakes out of paper.
Cherish School
A large project that has been taking place at Cherish is constructing a perimeter wall. The wall will secure the classrooms, kitchen and toilet block on site and ensure the students’ safety.
Volunteers picked up the baton from our previous groups, continuing to build the wall.
West End
West End welcomed their final group of the 2024 programme, where volunteers constructed tables and chairs to go in the new permanent classrooms.
Students kindly received a new school uniform as a donation from the group.
Ghana
Woe EP
Woe EP welcomed back a school group of volunteers for their fifth trip volunteering at the school.
Volunteers continued moulding blocks, which will be used to construct a library. They also mixed concrete, which was used to start the construction of the floor.
Zanzibar
Flora Primary School
Flora Primary School, who we partnered with in the Summer, welcomed their second group of volunteers this October.
Classroom renovation is a big focus for Flora Primary School, and our volunteers helped by painting five classrooms and corridors.
Fuoni School
Fuoni welcomed two groups over the October Programme, who combined, helped to renovate nine classrooms.
Volunteers taught a range of lessons, including Maths, Science and PE.
“Working with students and teachers in a different cultural setting helped me develop my adaptability and communication skills. This experience showed me just how impactful education can be.” Volunteer.
The Girlguiding group also got to meet with the Zanzibar Girl Guides Association.
Thank you to all our volunteers who were part of our 2024 summer programme and helped to make a long-term sustainable impact at our partner schools.
The final plans are underway for our 2025 programme, and we can’t wait to see our volunteers continue with some of these projects. Find out how you can get involved in making a difference at one of our partner schools.
