Rachel Ayres

I’m taking on five challenges between October and January to raise money for a village primary school in Kenya — and I need your help please! Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to visit this school and teach a large group of children. It was an experience that stayed with me long after I returned home. What I saw in those classrooms made me realise just how much we take basic educational resources for granted. The children are eager to learn. They are full of energy, curiosity and potential. But they are learning with resources that are simply not adequate for their needs. Many of the children have visual difficulties and struggle to clearly see the writing on the existing chalkboards. The school also faces the ongoing cost of repainting and maintaining those boards — money that could be better spent on other essential areas of the children’s education. My goal is to raise enough money to provide and install 18 large, six-foot whiteboards in the school’s classrooms. This may sound like a simple change, but for these children, it could transform the way they experience their lessons every single day. Clearer, brighter boards will make it easier for children to see what their teachers are writing, follow their lessons and participate fully in the classroom. And if we can raise more…I would love to go one step further. During my visit, I saw the children playing football with a plastic bottle, using two large rocks as goalposts. They didn’t complain. They simply played with what they had. If we raise enough to cover the whiteboards and installation, any additional money raised will go towards providing proper football goals for the children. Because education isn’t just about what happens inside the classroom. Children deserve the opportunity to play, have fun, build friendships and simply be children. I will be taking on five personal challenges to raise as much money as possible to achieve the above. The challenges will push me physically and mentally, but knowing what this money can provide for these children will keep me going. Teaching these children, I have seen the conditions they learn in, and I know that even a relatively small amount of money can make a huge difference to their daily lives. Please donate if you can, share this page and help me turn this goal into something real. Thank you for your support. ❤️