Retired teacher takes hope to young Africans

Fortnight working in slum school transforms East Anglian woman's life
By Lisa Cleverdon

Retired dance teacher June Coombes' only experience of teaching African children was, until recently, in purpose-built classrooms in schools made of bricks and mortar.
She was accustomed to using things in her lessons that most of us take for granted - basic everyday items such as tables, chairs, pens, pencils, books and electricity.
But then Mrs Coombes embarked on a trip that gave her an insight into a world very different to the one she was used to - and ignited a passion to help give underprivileged children the opportunity to change their lives for the better.
Mrs Coombes, 59, from Bulmer, has spent two weeks working at a school in the slums of Bombolulu, a village near the Kenyan city of Mombassa.
" It was an amazing experience and I got so much out of it," said Mrs Coombes. She now plans to travel back to the village next year with her husband, Stephen.
"It was very emotional because it was like nothing I had ever seen before. The children are so poor, but they are so unbelievably focused and keen to learn. They were always so pleased to see me and always had a smile on their faces.
"But the school building has nothing, not even running water or electricity, and the children walk around in rags because their families are too poor to afford proper clothes."
Mrs Coombes, who used to teach at a school in Witham before retiring four years ago, made the decision to travel to Kenya because of her niece, Jacqueline Furlepa, who first visited the school last year.
Since her initial visit, Mrs Furlepa has made numerous trips to the village nad has even set up a charity - the Bombolulu School of Promise - to raise money to pay for a new school building and desperately needed equipment to give the children the basic level of education they deserved.
"Jacqueline got totally taken with the school and with the children who have absolutely nothing, and I decided I wanted to go and see it all for myself," said Mrs Coombes.
"While I was there I spent a lot of time teaching English, and Jacqueline and I also organised a concert and took the pupils to a local wildlife park. The children are so hungry for experiences and these were things they had never had the opportunity to do before.
"The trip was extremely rewarding and the experience really has changed my life. I am currently trying to raise as much money as possible for Jacqueline's charity and now I just can't wait to go back to the school and see the children again."
For more information on the Bombolulu School of Promise charity, visit www.bomoblulu.co.uk.

Out of Africa and inspired

A retired teacher has returned from a two week trip to Kenya which she says revived her enthusiasm for working with children.
Juen Coombes, 59, visited a slum near Mombasa where her niece has set up a charity to help provide free education.
Parents in Kenya often cannot afford to send their children to school because the price of school uniforms and equipment is too high.
Mrs Coombes' niece Jacqueline a post graduate student in London, set up the charity Bombolulu School of Promise after visiting Mombasa.
While there she met a teacher who is voluntarily running a school in a rented room with no electricity, no water and hardly any resources.
On her return to England, she decided to help by fundraising for the school.
Mrs Coombes, of Park Lane, Bulmer, took children's clothes that had been collected by friends and family, and pencil sharpeners.
She said "They use blades of rusty old razor blades to sharpen pencils. We are talking five and six year old children here."
Mrs Coombes was also able to help buy text books while she was out there, so children can children can follow the curriculum.
She took early retirement due to ill health but was able to do some basic question and answer sessions in English.
She said "Being out there gave me a new lease of life. I got a lot out of it.
"I'm hoping to go out there next year and take my husband."

Humble journey for retired teacher

Retired dance teacher, June Coombes' only experience of teaching African children was until recently, in purpose build classrooms in schools made of bricks and mortar.
She was accustomed to using things in her lessons that most of us take for granted - basic everyday items such as tables, chairs, pens, pencils, books and electricity.
But then Mrs Coombes embarked on a trip that gave her an insight into a world very different to the one she was used to - and ignited a passion to help give underprivileged children the opportunity to change their lives for the better.
Mrs Coombes, 59, from Bulmer, has spent two weeks working at a school in the slums of Bombolulu, a village near the Kenyan city of Mombasa.
"It was an amazing experience and I got so much out of it, " said Mrs Coombes. She now plans to travel back to the village next year with her husband, Stephen.
"It was very emotional because it was like nothing I had ever seen before. The children are so poor, but they are so unbelievably focused and keen to learn. They were always so pleased to see me and always had a smile on their faces.
"But the school building has nothing, not even running water or electricity, and the children walk around in rags because thier families are too poor to afford proper clothes."
Mrs Coombes, who used to teach at a school in Witham before retiring four years ago, made the decision to travel to Kenya. because of her nice, Jacqueline Furlepa, who first visited the school last year.
Since her initial visit, Mrs Furlepa has made numerous trips to the village and has even set up a charity - the Bomoblulu School of Promise - to raise money to pay for a new school and deperately needed equipment to give the children the basic level of education they deserved.
"Jacqueline got totally taken with the school and with the children who have absolutely nothing, and I decided I wanted to go and see it all for myself," said Mrs Coombes.
"While I was there I spent a lot of time teaching English , and Jacqueline and I also organised a concert and took the pupils to a local wildlife park. The children are so hungry for experiences and these were things they had never had the opportunity to do before.
"The trip was extremely rewarding and the experience really has changed my life. I am currently trying to raise as much money as possible for Jacqueline's charity and now I just can't wait to go back to the school and see the children again."

For more information on the Bombolulu School of Promise charity, visit www.bombolulu.co.uk

Aid for Africa

A garage sale and art exhibition will raise money and awareness about a project providing free education in Kenya.

June Coombes, who recently visited the Bombolulu project near Mombasa is holding the garage sale at her home tomorrow.

Mrs Coombes went to Kenya to help her niece, Jacqueline, who is supporting a teacher at the school. She will show her photos from the trip at an art exhibition which is being held in St Andrew's Church, Bulmer, on Saturday August 20 from 10am to 4pm. The garage sale will be held tomorrow at 4 Park Lane, Bulmer Tye, from 10am to 4pm.

Generous couple's cash for Kenyan orphans.

A married couple asked guests at their ruby wedding party to mke donations to a Kenyan school rather than give them presents.
Ziggy and Chris Pitura, of Broughton Gifford, raised £1,120 at their party for the Bombolulu School of Promise, an education facility for orphaned children in Mombasa.
The school was set up in October 2004 by Mrs Pituras niece, Jacqueline Furlepa, who pledged to provide support for Kenyan children after witnessing the deprivation in the country during a two month charity visit in 2001.
The school, which is run by a group of three local volunteers, has no permanent building and very few basic teaching supplies such as pens and pencils.
Mrs Furlepa, and her husband Paul, both trustees of the school, were just two of 135 guests at the wedding celebration in Broughton Gifford Village Hall on September 24, many of whom came as far away as Yorkshire.
Mrs Pitturs, 58, said: "When we sent out the wedding invitations we included a picture of the orphaned children. We asked people to donate money to the charity instead of buying us presents. We want to help these children escape the cycle of poverty and the first step is to provide them with a permanent school building.
"So far we've donated clothes, musical instruments and some other provisions but there is a long way to go."
Mr Piturs, 61, a former polish refugee who spent four years in Kenya as a child, said the country still held a special place in his heart.
"My family were looked after extremely well when we arrived in Kenya so it is nice to be able to give something back to the people there," he said. "I was overwhelmed by the generosity of our guests and I'd really like to thank our daughthers Caroline and Joanne for organsing the whole things.
"The following morning we handed all the money over to Jacqueline and Paul, who continue to work hard on the behalf of the schoolchildren there."
Daughter Caroline said she was proud of her parents for their selfless act.
"We moan every day about the things that we don't have but these children in Kenya has absolutely nothing.
"I think it's fantastic that mum and dad decided to support the school and we want to thank all our family and friends for giving so generously."
To make a contribution to the school, visit the website www.bombolulu.co.uk