Our Trustees
Nicola Guise
“What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” Jane Goodall
My background is in education - I have taught mathematics for 25 years in a variety of schools in three different countries. I lived and worked as a teacher in Africa for a couple of years, and have continued to travel there since. Kenya has become a second home to me, and I have sponsored children in a special needs school, in a tiny Maasai village, and at the RHYCO project, with the privilege of knowing all of them personally.
Fundamentally the gift is of education. This charity is a chance to make our contributions directly, by fundraising and giving to these amazing projects without a larger organisation taking a commission.
Liz Turnbull
“Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.” Mother Teresa
In my role as Head of Community Action at Oundle School, I first visited Kenya in February 2014. Since then I have organised a number of fundraising initiatives and trips for friends and family from the UK and Canada to visit our supported projects and meet the staff and children. My husband and three children each support and sponsor a child in Kenya through the Kivuli Trust, a UK charity which supports Gilgil Special School of which I am also a trustee.
I am hugely inspired by the work of our Kenyan friends who run the projects we are supporting through Marafiki Trust. You only have to be in the company of the RHYCO and JHC teams for a short while before Mother Teresa’s words (above) resonate. The day to day problems facing families in the Kawangware slums of Nairobi are countless and if one was to get bogged down by the sheer numbers of people there are needing help, then nothing would happen.
Becky Smith
“Play, while it cannot change the external realities of children’s lives, can be a vehicle for children to explore and enjoy their differences and similarities and to create, even for a brief time, a more just world where everyone is an equal and valued participant.” Patricia G. Ramsey
I am a trained Primary teacher and worked full-time for 5 years before starting a family. Since then I have continued to work part-time in a variety of roles in schools and nurseries. I have a passion for the early years and am an advocate for child-led learning through play.
I heard about the Marafiki Trust in 2019 and was immediately keen to sponsor a child. After my visit to Kenya in 2022 I was so impressed by what I saw and wanted to get more involved so was delighted when asked to become a trustee.