Children at St Francis’ CE (Aided) Junior School, Newton Aycliffe, are doing their bit to help pupils in Tanzania get to school, after an accident wrote off their school bus. Fortunately, no one was injured.
School governor, Rev Canon Ann Anderson, from St Clare’s Church, Newton Aycliffe, received a heartfelt letter from her friend, Rev Canon Lucas Ngassa Chuma, Manager of St John’s Place in the Anglican Diocese of Rift Valley, Tanzania.
He explained that the school bus covered 152km a day to collect and drop off pupils in remote villages. They attend St John’s English primary school in Kilimatinde.
But, without a bus, pupils face an arduous and lengthy return walk to school over many kilometres.
Appealing for help from Rev Anderson, the school said that its current income is insufficient to buy another school bus or even to maintain the ‘broken school’ which is need of repairs.
The dilemma has prompted St Francis’ pupils to set about fund-raising, with a target of £1000 towards a new mini bus.
Headteacher, Mrs Lisa Lakey, has announced that the school’s final disco on 23rd May, will be supporting the St John’s school bus fundraiser.
“As koinonia* is one of our core school values, we are hoping to help our friends in Tanzania with resources they are unable to get themselves. I hope as many children as possible support us in attending the disco and the wider community in our sponsored colour run/walk on 21st June.”
A crowdfunding page has also been set up by the school and donations would be welcome: https://www.justgiving.com/
crowdfunding/lisa-faheybusfortanzania
?utm_term=XGdq
Yny2v *Christian fellowship or communion with God or, more commonly, with fellow Christians.
Photo: St John’s school, in Kilimatinde, is appealing for help after its school bus was written off. Children from St Francis’ junior school, Newton Aycliffe, are planning to help with two fund-raising events.
