Under the Mango Tree (Friends of Kambe Timboni School) Newsletter  

Charity Registration Number 1156094

 

Email: [email protected]

www.underthemangotree.org.uk

 

100% of donations go to school

 

Under The Mango Tree Newsletter
September 2024      

Supporting Timboni Nursery, Primary & Junior Secondary School, Kambe, Kenya

 

• Sports competition
• NEW – Sewing room
• Speaking engagements
• Scholarship requests
• Hardship fund and Music competition
• Next visit – May 2025

 

Timboni School hosts local sports competition

 

Report from school:

“The school compound was cleaned and prepared well for the term one games that the school was honored to host. The pupils ensured that there was no littering within the school compound.”

Several hundred children enjoyed games on the playing field including basketball and football.

 

 

Sewing Room

 

We announced a new special request for funding in February 2024 and thanks to one generous supporter we received full funding to purchase four sewing machines. These are much needed to help fulfil the standard curriculum as well as providing lifelong skills for the learners. Funds were topped up to provide fabric and haberdashery items so that the children could make a start straight away. How fabulous. Thank you.

 

As our donor says:

 

“I have always appreciated being taught to sew. Sewing has given me a great deal of pleasure, and years ago I was fortunate to receive a small bequest that enabled me to buy a sewing machine. It would be lovely to make it possible for others to learn to sew where it could be of so much benefit and pleasure to them also.”

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking engagements

 

Lorraine has travelled to several groups during 2024 to talk about Timboni and has received good feedback whilst also raising valuable funding through speaker fees and donations. We are pleased to welcome new members to the newsletter readership and thank every one of you for taking the time to read the newsletter and to continue to support the school. 

Bookings are now being made for 2025

 

 

Scholarship requests

 

Our Honorary President and Timboni School neighbour and founder, Charles Makonde, has advised us that two ex-Timboni girls need your support to continue to attend secondary school. We can’t stress enough how important it is for girls to complete their education; it is an integral part of ending the cycle of poverty. If these girls do not receive outside funding, there is a high likelihood of them shortly being married off thereby releasing what little family money there is to pay for the boys to attend school. 

 

Meanwhile these girls will start the arduous process of repeat pregnancy resulting in their own children failing to afford school fees, thus the cycle continues. On the other hand, an educated girl is much more likely to become economically active and avoid the early marriage trap whilst ultimately being able to afford school fees for her own children of either gender.

 

Laurine – Kombeni Girls School – needs to finish 2 years, in Form 3 and 4 starting January 2025. Total sponsorship requested: £500 

Lilian – Ribe Girls School – needs to finish 3 years, in Form 2,3,4 starting January 2025. 

Total sponsorship requested: £800

 

We have copies of their letters of request should anyone be motivated to help either girl. Timboni School has kindly agreed to broker the funding and manage progress reports. In the past, sponsorship funding has been paid directly into the secondary school and we lose control over progress reports.

 

Please contact us for more details

 

 

Hardship Fund

 

We created a standalone budget item for 2024 under the heading Hardship Fund, out of which Timboni has discretion to purchase uniforms and pay school fees for those children who would otherwise remain out of school and uneducated due to family poverty. Timboni is pleased to report that many children are now back in school and grateful for the opportunity of education.

 

 

Music Competition

 

The young Timboni children were talented enough to reach the regional heats and came home proud of their progress with teachers Jane, Agnes and Lois

 

 

 

Other news

 

Our lovely Trustee Karen has stood down as Treasurer due to overwhelming family commitments. We anticipate this will be a temporary leave of absence. Gordon Atkinson has kindly agreed to step into the breach as Acting Treasurer. We wish Karen and her family every good wish.

 

 

Funding projects ongoing

 

Can you help? Will your company consider contributing? Will your social group consider supporting the school?

 

ICT suite:                                                £650 for 4 computers and a printer

 

The children cannot access all the curriculum because they do not have these items.

 

Covered dining area - £5,500

 

There is nowhere for the children to sit. We looked at this project some years ago but prioritised other areas. We now feel that we can look again with your help.

 

Children sit on the walkways and classroom floors with the inevitable mess. In the rainy season things get worse still.

 

 

 

Next visit – May 2025

 

Unbelievably it is 20 years since the first infrastructure was built and Timboni school was founded. A big celebration is planned for May 2025 and Peachy and Lorraine will be there. If you are interested in joining us, please let us know.

 

 

Reminders!

• Please remember to book a holiday with Riviera Travel if that’s your thing! Mention Under the Mango Tree when you book and they will give us 10% of the holiday cost after you’ve travelled.

Click here to look at Riviera holidays

• Standing orders – if you can afford it, please consider a standing order, with no amount too small to matter (form attached or set up via your online bank account). It costs just:
  • £2 a month to feed a Timboni child 2 meals a day in the school week. 
  • £11 a month would pay for all the pre-nursery children to go on an annual school trip (usually the first time they have left the area). 
  • £30 a month would pay for the Christmas food packages for the orphans. 
  • £100 a month would pay a teacher’s salary.

 

 

With love

 

Lorraine Dunne, Chair

42 Cliff Road Acton Bridge Northwich CW8 3QY

 

Gordon Atkinson, Acting Treasurer

 

Peachy Dunne, Secretary

 

Karen Owens, Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNDER THE MANGO TREE Charity Registration Number 1156094

Standing Order Request

Name & Address of my Bank

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

 

My Bank Sort Code:

My Bank Account Number:

 

Please pay to Santander Bank, Bridle Road, Bootle, L30 4GB

for the credit of:             Under the Mango Tree (Friends of Kambe Timboni School) 

Sort code 09-01-28        Account 94444899

 

the sum of:                         £ __________________ and in words___________________________

 

On this day each month:	(Insert date)
Choose how often: Per month
Per quarter
Per annum

 

The first payment being on __________(day) of _______________(month)  20_____ (year)

until further notice.                                    

 

Signature___________________________________________           Date ____ / ____ / 20 ___

 

 

Full Name ___________________________________________

 

 

Address_________________________________________________________________________

 

_______________________________________________________          Post Code ____________