For many years the College has supported a variety of orphanage and school projects in Romania. Hundreds of Cheltonians have travelled to Romania to help with decorating, building and recreational activities with some very disadvantaged children and teenagers. Recently focus has switched to Kenya and Gogar primary school. Here pupils undertake an annual expedition helping to develop the school facilities. Some more information on Gogar can be found below:

Gogar Primary School Project

Gogar Primary School is situated north of Nairobi near the town of Nakuru in the Rift Valley. College has been running this project since 2004 and over that period has funded the building of classrooms and latrines, a water-collecting system, and landscaping of the school grounds. We have also built and stocked a library. This summer, a project has also been put in place to supply a midday meal for those pupils in greatest need.

For three to four weeks in the summer holidays, a group of sixth formers go out to decorate the classrooms and work on improving the area around the school. The trip lasts between three and four weeks and also includes opportunities for the pupils to go on safari and see some of this beautiful country and its wildlife. The trip allows our pupils to see at first hand the realities of the Third World, and gives a perspective that tourism alone rarely provides.

When we started our work, Gogar Primary had roughly the same number of pupils as College. But there the comparison ends. Now it has grown to over 800 pupils, partly because its reputation and educational standards have improved with our input and support. Most important is the mutually beneficial nature of this project. It provides an experience which makes all those who go on it reassess their values. Many return to Africa for their Gap Year, and some go back to Gogar itself to help with the day to day teaching for a term or so, and afterwards keep in touch with the school’s inspirational Headmistress, Sister Hiltrude.