The Commonwealth is a big place and ROSL’s Education projects touch communities in some of them - Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, India, Pakistan and the Solomon Islands – due to the generous spirit of members and assisting organisations. Margaret Adrian-Vallance reports.
What links these projects is a desire to support marginalised young people and lively minds, however challenging their circumstances. It is sometimes thought that ROSL has too many of these projects and should instead concentrate on one big project. Others feel that ‘small can be beautiful’ to use the phrase of a long-standing donor. Small, well monitored projects can ensure that funds get down the line and are properly used.
It was therefore with much gratitude that the ROSL Trust recently received a donation from 4 Pillars Network ‘to be used for ROSL’s humanitarian projects in Africa' and shortly afterwards a most generous unrestricted legacy from the estate of Mrs Gita Furber de la Fuente (pictured above with her husband) who died in Malta in February 2017.
Gita showed her generous nature in many ways, helping charities and greatly cherished friendship and socialising. A friend said, "She was never happier, even in her last years, than when she was hosting one of her parties in her handsome home in Balzan." Her wonderful legacy will enable ROSL to do many things.
Due to such generosity, ROSL’s education projects continue to touch lives. In Botswana, a group of disadvantaged youngsters have already completed their five-day residential environmental awareness course at the Mokolodi Education Trust. ROSL members living in Botswana have been on hand to help with communication and monitoring.
In Australia, Christine Chamberlain, Co-ordinator of the Australia Branches-ROSL Trust funded computer lab in the Solomon Islands, is collecting reports on the usefulness of the lab at Selwyn College, and reports that former headmaster Dr David Vunagi has been appointed Governor General.
In Namibia, ROSL is able to continue supporting the 34 ROSL bursary recipients studying Education at University in Windhoek due to the most generous legacy of Dr Donald Valentine. Dr Valentine and his wife Vera were long standing supporters of education projects.
In Kenya, at the Simon Ward Memorial Music at St Andrew’s Tarabete Secondary School, there is a new headmaster and opportunities to develop the facility.
In Nairobi, ROSL’s bursary recipient at the Technical University of Kenya is doing well and is taking the exams for a Certificate of Public Accountancy concurrently with his degree. "Jambo!", he writes, "I am doing great here. I will be doing my final semester next year from January to April. From there I will go for industrial attachment and then await graduation in December. I also joined our class football team and am playing in a friendly match. Thank you ROSL so very much for your continued support."
The trustees would also like to welcome Clive Carpenter as the new Chairman of the ROSL Trust, and thank outgoing Chairman Sir Anthony for his support over the past nine years.
Find out more about ROSL's Education projects around the world here.
