The School of St Jude founded by Australian humanitarian Gemma Sisia continues to break barriers to provide free, quality education for thousands of poor, bright Tanzanian children. Now, more than 20 years since opening its doors to just three children, the school is fighting a new frontier, with its university alumni leading the charge to increase its impact. Gemma is visiting Australia and Young with a St Jude’s graduate John Stanley who will share how access to free primary, secondary and tertiary education has changed his life and that of his family and community. In the next few weeks, the pair are speaking at a number of local events and are inviting the community to join them. The Rotary Club of Young together with Hamblin’s Pharmacy and So Me Hair Salon are hosting an event at The Young Golf Club that is open to everyone. They are excited to share the enormous impact local donations and support have already achieved at the school. The Rotary Club of Young has had a connection with The School of St Jude since its humble beginning. Some members and their families and friends have been to Tanzania where they contributed to the building of the school in the early days. We are super excited to share the amazing story of St Jude and their ever growing success story. In addition to hearing from Gemma and John, local pharmacist David Hamblin, who with his family visited the school some years ago, will share their experience and the impact their visit made on him, his wife and children. Started in 2002, The School of St Jude is one of the largest charity schools in Africa, providing free scholarships to more than 1,800 primary and secondary school students every year. “I wouldn’t be where I am today without St Jude’s,” John Stanley said. “I started at the school in 2007 and was fortunate to be sponsored to study and graduate from the school and later the African Leadership University with a degree in Social Sciences. "Today I run my own business and volunteer for a project in Kilimanjaro, supporting young digital entrepreneurs to build their businesses.” From humble beginnings and a lot of hope, the school has grown to include three campuses that house a primary school, two high schools and boarding houses for high school students to stay at during the term so they can focus on the holistic education they receive at St Jude’s. As well as education, students play sport, learn music and art and have a range of extracurricular activities and clubs to choose from. John’s love of the environment led him to become the Chairperson of the school’s Malihai Club, which focused on environment sustainability and renewable initiatives. “I received a one-in-a-kind education that didn’t just focus on excelling academically it also constantly challenged me to think about how I could use my experiences to influence change," John said. "St Jude’s sparked in me a lifelong desire to contribute positively, and have a meaningful impact for my community and country." The school not only provides education but plays a significant role improving economic, social and health outcomes for families. The school supports the local community through jobs, where 98 percent of all staff are Tanzanians. St Jude’s graduates who have committed to a year of community service have taught more than 112,000 students at local government schools over the years. The school operates almost entirely on the support of Australians and 97 cents in every dollar raised goes towards the operational costs of running the school. Gemma’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the local economy through access to education means only one child per family can attend St Jude’s. "We know that educating just one child can lift the whole family from poverty so this means the school has greater impact," she said. "We don’t just believe education changes lives, we see it happening, and John is a shining example of this.” In 2015 the school launched the Beyond St Jude’s program to support graduates like John in tertiary education,benefitting more than 800 students to continue education they otherwise couldn’t afford. These graduates are now working as doctors, engineers, lawyers, teachers and are running their own businesses like John. His business is developing solutions to address waste management by converting organic waste, especially food waste, into organic fertilisers. “This year alone we have more than 400 scholars attending 60 universities internationally, and our alumni are emerging as role models that are not only contributing to their country but are the future leaders for Tanzania,” Gemma said. “Australians contribute to more than 90 percent of our revenue and have been supporting St Jude’s from the very first day. "With graduates like John using their skills and expertise to develop sustainable businesses, we can show the impact the donations and sponsorship have had. "97 percent of our secondary school graduates go on to tertiary education. "I hope by coming home and meeting more people we can engage new supporters by letting our alumni share their stories.” Gemma and John will be attending at the Young Golf Club on Thursday 13 March 2025 at 7.00pm and would like the community to join them. Please keep an eye on the Young Facebook Community pages and show your intention to attend and join the St Jude journey via FB or send a TXT to 0412 616 234.
