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The Hilary
Emery Nursery School
is in Talinding, part of Serekunda. It was previously called the JJT Nursery School.
In 2005, JTT had over 130 pupils, with
just one teacher and a single dilapidated classroom.
Pageant member Aris Harrison-Price made helping this school
her personal project. She
coordinated fundraising by
Nuneaton Lions Club, Ashby Castle Rotary Club, Coleman Primary
School and other organisations in the Leicester area and used this
funding for renovation of the classroom and provision of toilets.
She also provided educational equipment and funded a new teaching
assistant.
In 2010, Kira Dalton of the
The African Oyster Trust
became involved with the school. Expansion to meet local demand for
nursery places could not be achieved on the existing site, so Kira
negotiated the lease of a new larger site nearby. She then employed
a team of builders led by master builder Modou, who had already
undertaken construction projects for the Trust. They quickly built a
splendid new school, with three good sized classrooms, toilets,
washing facilities, office and storeroom. The site also has
accommodation for headmaster Janko. The school has been renamed in
memory of Hilary Emery, whose family and friends made a
significant donation to the Trust to cover the building work.
This page tells the story of the new school,
but please have a look at our
JTT Nursery School pages for the
historical background. There is also more information on
this page of the African Oyster
website. Pageant and Aris still continue to help the new
school in collaboration with the African Oyster Trust. Pageant has
contributed a shipment of donated classroom furniture, which means
that all three classrooms were ready for the start of the new term.
However, we still need to continue fundraising for classroom
equipment and educational supplies.
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school under
construction - roof beams go on |
building work finished |
September 2010 - New School Opens
The new school has now opened for the 2010
Autumn term. It is fully enrolled with 105 children and all is going
well. The youngest class (ages 3 to 4) are on mats until the Pageant
furniture arrives but that is ideal for playing with Lego etc.
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Kira with some of the
children |
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Hilary Emery children in
one of the new classrooms |
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children outside the
school |
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the well equipped
playground |
The school will be officially opened by Steve
Emery (Hilary's widower) in December, and there will be an opening
party for the alkalo (elected village chief), parents and children.
We will bring you more news and photos then.
Fundraising
The new
buildings have given the school a flying start, and for the
first time, all 130 or so pupils can be accommodated properly.
However, the school is still short of vital classroom equipment
and educational supplies. Pageant and Aris together are launching an appeal for donations specifically
to secure the future success of the Hilary Emery Nursery School
and bring nursery education to more poor children. We have set up a new
on-line fundraising page specifically for the Hilary Emery
Nursery School on Virgin Money Giving.
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Click the 'Donate' button to help
the Hilary Emery Nursery School. This takes you to a Virgin Money Giving
page, where you should click on 'Donate now'. Donations will be
kept separate and used only for projects at this
school. |
If you can help in any other way or require further
information, please
contact Aris by email
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