Following a volunteer trip to Africa in 2007, Leanne Pinfold and Melanie Haley (nee Pinfold) committed to building a nursery school in Katolo, a village near Kisumu in Kenya. During their time in Africa, they met an inspirational woman named Georgina, who was attempting to educate & feed 47 nursery age (kindergarten & below) children in the local church. In the afternoons, she was volunteering at
the local medical dispensary and was sometimes rewarded with 50kSh (approx. $1). The children who attended her nursery school were often too tired & hungry to participate in activities at the school and Georgina was struggling to find some food to provide them with one meal per day. Whilst in Africa, together with 2 other girls from their volunteer group, Leanne and Melanie bought land adjacent to the church in Katolo with plans to build a new nursery school for these children. Since then, with lots of hard work and generous support, Leanne and Melanie have managed to raise over $200,000 AUD and build a 3-room nursery school, kitchen with two fire ovens, pit toilets and 6 water tanks. The classrooms have been furnished with desk and chairs and learning materials have been purchased. The land has been fenced to provide the children with a secure and safe environment. The nursery school is solar powered, has an impressive veggie patch and a multi-purpose Ford Davis Hall. The kindergarten has grown from 47 children in 2007 to approximately 90+ children attending each year. The kindergarten now employs Georgina as head teacher and project coordinator, four other teachers, two cooks and one night watchman. The children are fed one nutritious meal for lunch as well as a cup of porridge each day whilst at kindergarten. Now that the main buildings have been completed, further funds will be required to continue the feeding program, teachers and cooks’ salaries and school supplies. Considerable work must also be done to develop projects that enhance the nursery school’s capacity to become self-sustainable in the future.
