THE PENARTH and District Trust have reported back about how they "transformed" a school in the town during two recent visits.

Members of PADLT visited Lesotho twice in August first to stack the library with the latest teaching books, cataloguing the books and covering them in plastic to preserve them, and then to lay new concrete floors and built partitions between the classrooms.

Keith Howells, a trustee of PADLT, paid tribute to Godfrey Kakande, who has built the TY Junior Academy with the help of the local community

"Godfrey Kakande is a big man with an even bigger heart," he said.

"He needs a big heart because he has poured into it the lives and welfare of 130 children, mainly orphans, from ages four to 15+. He has built, against all odds, a refuge, a home, a school to keep these children safe and to give them a future. Godfrey’s school stands on a rock, metaphorically and figuratively. It is a sloping tract of land with little vegetation or means of cultivation but it is now, thanks the help of Penarth and District Lesotho Trust (PADLT), his."

He added: "Beyond their teaching duties the staff apply themselves diligently to every task whether cutting up oranges on the BBQ day, helping us cover hundreds of books in the library or providing us with cups of tea. With virtually no resources Godfrey and his staff have turned TY Junior Academy into one of the highest performing junior schools in Lesotho and as a result some local residents pay to send their children to this school, where the children often sit on the floor and where there are big gaps between one classroom and the next.

"The latter conditions struck two of members as a task that could be achieved and with great energy, commitment and stamina Max and Nathan Scott-Cook set about renovating the classroom block. By the end of the week, with the help of the older boys in the school and two local lads, who appreciated the addition of sausages snaffled from the breakfast table to the wages, they laid new concrete floors and built partitions between the classrooms. The last day saw us painting the walls and partitions and painting on proper blackboards in each classroom. They were transformed."

The library is a new addition to the school. With the help of grants and fundraising PADLT have supplied the library with the latest teaching books. The previous visiting group (two weeks before) set up and catalogued the library and the second group set about covering every book with plastic to preserve them.

Keith added: "We worked long hours doing this and were grateful for the staff giving up their free time to help. Whilst we were working in the library many of the children came in, took a book and sat quietly reading before diligently placing the books back on the correct shelf. When Godfrey makes rules everyone respects them

"Meanwhile Lesley and Peter Cox were visiting or being visited by vast numbers of people they had linked with on their numerous previous visits. Two of our number, health professionals, visited the hospital to reinforce links there. Godrey Kakande and the TY Junior Academy is an inspiration."

There is much more to be done and PADLT are committed to continue to fund more projects. They need a big hall where the children can gather, where they can shelter on extremely wet or cold days. At present they have only the classrooms or if it is extremely cold, their beds. They definitely need improved cooking facilities.

Keith added: "We were amazed at what the cooks can achieve in the conditions they work in. Godfrey is in the process of building a separate dormitory for the older boys. Thank you people of Penarth from the trustees of PADLT and we hope that your support will continue as we dedicate ourselves to the task of answering this challenge. More information about PADLT from Jeremy@jeremydix.co.uk"