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2022-12-31-accounts

The United Kingdom Committee for GoHA Trustees’ Report and Statement of Annual Accounts For the year ended

31[st] December 2022

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GOOD HEALTH AFRICA - United Kingdom Board of Trustees Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements. For the year ended 31 December 2022. Charity no. 1177283 Registered (England & Wales)

Background / Context………………………………………………………………….3 Foreword: Message from the Chair of Good Health Africa UK…………………6 GoHA Key Achievements in 2022…………………………………………………….7 PART 1: GOAL AREAS……………………………………………………………………8 Goal Area 1: EDUCATION…………………………………………………………..9 Goal Area 2: HEALTH FACILITIES [CLINICETC.]…………………………………10 Goal Area 3: CLEAN WATER FOR DRINKING & HOUSEHOLD PURPOSES….11 Goal Area 4: DEVELOPING THE COMMUNITY FOR SUSTAINABILITY………..12 Goal Area 5: LOOKING AHEAD: CURRICULUM CHANGES | CAPITAL PROJECTS…13 PART 2: STRATEGIC REPORT……………………………………………………………14 Approach and Aims……………………………………………………………….15 Vision………………………………………………………………………………….15 Summary of Outcomes in 2022………………………………………………….16 Activities & Achievements in 2022………………………………………………18 1) Education…………………………………………………………………..18 2) Health Facilities (Clinic, etc.)……………………………………………27 3) Clean Water for Drinking and Household Purposes………………..28 4) Developing the Community for Sustainability……………………….29 PART 3: FINANCIAL ACTIVITIES……………………………………………………….32 Financial Activities……………………………………………………………….…33 Balance Sheet………………………………………………………………………34 Contact page………………………………………………………………………….35

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GOOD HEALTH AFRICA - United Kingdom Board of Trustees Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements. For the year ended 31 December 2022. Charity no. 1177283 Registered (England & Wales)

Defeating poverty IN THE RURAL COMMUNITY of Western Kenya Kenya, Africa

POPULATION : 56.2 million [⬆️2.2%; ranked 7[th] most populated country in Africa; rated Grade D quality] CAPITAL: Nairobi, Kenya

OFFICIAL LANGUAGES : Swahili and English CURRENCY : Kenya Shilling (KSH)

British Pound to Kenyan Shilling Spot Exchange Rates for 2022 vs 2023:

EXCHANGE RATE CATEGORY GBP🇬🇧
2022		 USD🇺🇸
2022		 XCD🇲🇸🇦🇬
2022		 VS GBP🇬🇧
2023		 USD🇺🇸
2023		 XCD🇲🇸🇦
🇬2023
BEST EXCHANGE RATE 155.532
KSH on
13/1/2022
123.5
KSH on
31/12/2022		 45.6982
KSH on
31/12/2022		 VS 185.6958
KSH on
15//7/2023
149.8963
KSH on
18/10/2023		 55.4654
KSH on
18/10/2023
AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE 145.6964 117.9577 43.6461 VS 169.8655 123.3806 50.534
WORST EXCHANGE RATE 128.9762
KSH on
24/9/2022		 112.8349
KSH on
2/1/2023		 41.7551
KSH on
9/1/2022		 VS 147.2182
KSH on
5/1/2023
136.5715
KSH on
2/1/2023		 46.6648
KSH on
2/1/2023

Source: https://www.exchangerates.org.uk/GBP -KES- spot- exchange- rates- history- 2022.html https://www.exchangerates.o rg.uk/GBP - KE S -spo t - exchange -rates - histo ry -2023.html

Note: Before COVID-19 pandemic £1 = ~KSH142; US$1 = ~KSH109; EC$1=~KSH40

DID YOU KNOW?

Kenya is a member of the African Union which was established to promote the unity and solidarity of African countries, defend state sovereignty, eradicate colonialism, promote international cooperation, and coordinate and harmonise Member States’ policies.

(https://www.nti.org/education-center/treaties-and-regimes/african-union-au/)

It promotes Agenda 2063: ‘ The Africa We Want ’ defining it as Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future (see the African Union’s innovative video entitled ‘What Is Agenda 2063? on its YouTube channel https://youtu.be/T_-YcUVdP7w and or visit www.au.int noting its seven aspirations in the diagram below:

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GOOD HEALTH AFRICA - United Kingdom Board of Trustees Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements. For the year ended 31 December 2022. Charity no. 1177283 Registered (England & Wales)

Good Health Africa contributes to the Agenda 2063 via its sustainable investment in key infrastructure, improved agriculture practices and better management of natural resources, providing access to quality education and health via the Donald Romeo Community School for which it has governance. The school is based in Museno, Khayega, of the Kakamega District (population: 69,502) in Western Kenya, East Africa assisting on average 359 students annually (increased from 330 last year).

Students of the Donald Romeo Community School are potential future enablers of the Agenda 2063 aspiration (https://youtu.be/GYZGBd6rEb0), goals (https://youtu.be/YAEQNwEcfcc ) flagship projects https://youtu.be/M6ah5h0iXb0 and National Development Priorities (https://youtu.be/Fr_EMAWo5X0 ).

The map outlined below illustrates the location of the area served in Kenya in the context of its international geographical location as a guide to donors and individuals or institutions wishing to ship items there.

Adapted: Google Images, 2021)

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GOOD HEALTH AFRICA - United Kingdom Board of Trustees Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements.

The testimony of a Kenyan who had gone to school naked due to abject poverty, haunted Charity no. 1177283 Registered (England & Wales) Elizabeth Romeo so much that she went to Kenya to see conditions for herself. What she saw moved her to start a small-scale, health ministry for children in 2004, operating as Donald Romeo Academy, a primary school, in one of the poorest parts of Western Kenya via Good Health for Africa company, which later changed to operate as a chartered incorporated institution (CIO) via the registered charity number 1177283 . It is a major undertaking and the Donald Romeo Community School (DRCS) under the governance of Good Health Africa aims to reduce poverty in the adjoining community.

With the assistance of individuals and partnering organisations, we aim to make a positive impact for generations to come, as well as to produce citizens capable of independent thought, who are committed to family and encouraged to contribute positively to their community. Participation in the school choir, clubs, after-school programs, enterprising activities, pathfinders, and various zoom events etc. allow students to develop vital skills to become successful in society. Vacation Bible school and summer camps also teach skills such as entrepreneurship, financial literacy and maths. Our supporters help us work with partner organisations to provide much needed health services to elementary and middleschool-aged children. Most of all the whole program aims to foster values such as integrity, mutual respect, solidarity and teamwork, courage, compassion and care for the environment.

Good Health Africa is also mindful that the General Assembly adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, in September 2015, that includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which were built on the principle of “ leaving no one behind ”, emphasising a holistic approach to achieving sustainable development for all. DRCS provides support that looks at the whole person to promote their physical, emotional, social and spiritual well-being.

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GOOD HEALTH AFRICA - United Kingdom Board of Trustees Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements. For the year ended 31 December 2022. Charity no. 1177283 Registered (England & Wales)

2022 was both a challenging and an encouraging year for the Donald Romeo Community school, and consequently for Good Health Africa (GoHA).

The following is an overview of some of the key entries in the challenging column :

The pandemic continued to affect various aspects of school life and organisation. A number of activities such as Pathfinders, interschool debates along with plans to restart the prison ministry…) had to be suspended in an attempt to catch up on lost learning hours.

Nonetheless, the cumulated impact of two years of COVID-related fragmented and truncated schooling on learning was evidenced by a small but discernible downturn in KCPE results. A “long COVID” effect was also apparent in a reduction of usual donations.

One consequence of this was the freezing of the construction of the new dormitory building due to lack of funds.

Inclement weather forced the cancellation of the fund-raising fun run organised by our UK twin school Hyland House, and poor climate conditions in Western Kenya also had a negative impact on harvests from the school’s shamba (garden/farm).

On the encouraging side : Despite increasing financial difficulties for many, hundreds of parents and guardians continued tomake the sacrifices necessary to allow their children (420 in all) to work with us. Thanks to the unsparing efforts of our dedicated staff and cooperative families, the expected downturn in exam results turned out to be less consequential than had been feared.

Cooperation with Kenyan Government agencies made possible a muchneeded deworming campaign, as well as works aimed at sanitising the site where the school offers the local community free access to water – a limited and costly resource.

Despite harvest shortfalls, DRCS maintained its commitment to provide free meals to elderly persons in the local community. Moreover, there was some positive news on the agricultural front – raised milk production due to improved management.

Collaboration with our sister schools (Hyland House, London, UK and The Antigua Seventhday Adventist School, Antigua, Eastern Caribbean) was pursued despite difficulties posed by pandemic fallout and by DRCS’s lack of adequate technology: efforts were made to keep the Reading programme with Hyland House going; the Antigua SDA school also put on its annual Good Health Africa Day with its usual enthusiasm and panache; and we overcame technical difficulties to convene the joint DRCS - Hyland House Christmas concert which was enjoyed by families, children and supporters on both sides.

Last, but certainly not least, DRCS was authorised to start a Junior Secondary section or middle school, thus keeping step with profound changes underway in Kenya’s educational system.

We at GoHA have taken this endorsement as an encouraging sign that our efforts and results have been noted and recognised, not only by local families, but also by the education authorities.

For all this and so much more, we are grateful to God, and to all those, far and near, who contributed to DRCS being blessed and a blessing in its community throughout 2022.

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GOOD HEALTH AFRICA - United Kingdom Board of Trustees Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements. For the year ended 31 December 2022.

Charity no. 1177283 Registered (England & Wales)

SPONSOR | DONATE

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GOOD HEALTH AFRICA - United Kingdom Board of Trustees Trustees’ Annual Report and Financial Statements. For the year ended 31 December 2022. Charity no. 1177283 Registered (England & Wales)

GOOD HEALTH AFRICA – UK

TRUSTEES’ ANNUAL REPORT AND ANNUAL ACCOUNTS

FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2022

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

One of the foundational goals of the Donald Romeo Community School (DRCS) is that every child become a go getter. Each child is encouraged to memorise the ‘Go Getter’ poem which reads as follows:

The go-getter goes until he gets what he goes for, The go-getter works until he gets what he hopes for, He fixes a goal and resolves when he sets it, That the way to the prize is to go until he gets it.

(Author Unknown)

The above poem helps each student to pursue their own personal SMART goals with a heightened sense of determination. Frequent recitation helps to keep them focused.

Go getter results are illustrated on page 18 of this report.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

Whole health and well-being is encouraged for every student and is aimed at all aspects of their school experience:

It is our hope that these values which are already impacting the area immediately around the school will continue to influence the wider community.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

The Donald Romeo Community School will continue to provide free access to water saving the community money and helping them maintain good hygiene.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

Long term

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

LOOKING AHEAD CURRICULUM CHANGES

  1. French to be taught in the school by 2023.

  2. Adoption of Junior Secondary school status by January 2023

  3. Literacy programme for the community inclusive of cowboys and girls

  4. Bags of Love for prisoners from Donald Romeo Community School in Sewing project

  5. Bags of Love Back to School project for needy students

LOOKING AHEAD CAPITAL PROJECTS

SPONSOR | DONATE via https://www.goodhealthafrica.com

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

STRATEGIC REPORT

This section of the Trustees’ Annual Report provides the information required by the Charity Commission for England and Wales.

APPROACH AND AIMS

Good Health Africa UK is a registered charity that raises funds to meet its objectives regarding development work in Kenya and the United Kingdom. Good Health Africa aims to reduce poverty in Kenya, currently the central local government area of focus which may be expanded at a later date. People who can benefit are children ages 4 – 13 years, with preference given to AIDS orphans, who were born and reside in Africa.

This work is done in partnership with twinning schools located in the United Kingdom, the Caribbean or the United States of America.

Good Health Africa works with families, Kakamega local communities, partners and the government in Kenya to help every DRCS pupils realize their full potential. Orphans with the greatest need have priority.

VISION

Our vision is to prevent and relieve poverty in Africa with our current focus on Kenya.

MISSION

The Board of Directors in the United Kingdom governs and raises finance to support the vision of Good Health Africa. We partner with organisations and individuals in Antigua and Barbuda, Montserrat, the United States and the United Kingdom to accomplish our objectives/goals which are mainly to provide:

People who can benefit are children ages 4 – 13 years, with preference given to AIDS orphans, who were born and reside in Africa.

Kenya is currently the central local government area of focus at this time.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

1. RESOURCES TO MEET THE MISSION :

In 2022, Good Health Africa UK received a total of £14,774.41 (£234.94 less than in 2021) in donations to help meet its goals.

This total sum was achieved through the generous support of our many individual supporters and partners, particularly:

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

2. TWINNING SCHOOLS

In 2022, the DRCS embarked upon a READING ROOM project via Zoom with their twinning school in the United Kingdom, namely Hyland House Primary School in Tottenham, London. Similar, online social exchange was established with the New Bethel Seventh Day Adventist School in Antigua.

PROMOTING

The pandemic restricted promotions but a virtual concert was undertaken that raised awareness about the project yielding a few hundred pounds. The 2[nd] Annual GoHA Black History month 5K Step Challenge Run/Walk scheduled for October had to be postponed. Therefore, the yield was low but sensitized more persons to become engaged with the project.

Currently there were no gifts left to Good Health Africa UK in wills. However, continued promotions may someday achieve that goal.

3. VOLUNTEERS | PARTNERSHIPS

Good Health Africa has benefitted significantly from contributions of volunteers too numerous to mention and is grateful to all. The continued support of its bankers Barclays Bank PLC is significant. Also, the committed support of The New Life Assembly – Hackney branch under the leadership of Rev. Dr Ruthlyn Bradshaw as well as the Praise and Fellowship Christian Centre under the leadership of Pastor Ambrose is deeply appreciated. In kind support was provided by the Tottenham Baptist Church and Shiloh Pentecostal Church.

Staff and students of the Antigua Seventh Day Adventist church that consistently desire to raise funds via its annual Good Health Africa Day are key to the sustainability of the project.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

1. EDUCATION

ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE SOCIAL CONTEXT

The students of DRCS came from a variety of backgrounds. The school’s reputation as being among the best in the area, was a major motivation for many families. Moreover, because of its strong commitment to Christian values, many Christian parents sacrificed a lot in order to send their children to DRCS.

However, at least 15% of parents were genuinely unable to pay fees due to poverty and economic hardship worsened by inflation. An average of 50 students benefited from a sponsorship programme offering significantly reduced fees or free schooling.

EXAM RESULTS 2022 KCPE EXAM RESULTS

A total of 30 DRCS students sat the exam. The top student was TREVOUR MCKENZIE with a total of 370 marks out of 500 . The lowest-scoring student scored 250 marks out of 500. The school had an average mean score of 309.53 with subject performance as follows:

ENGLISH KISWAHILI MATHS SCIENCE SOCIAL STUDIES
/ RE		 CLASS
MEAN
SUBJECT MEAN
SCORES		 69.57 64.37 55.63 57.70 62.27 309.53
POSITION 1 2 5 4 3

The mean score of the school fell by 23.47 points compared to the previous year. This was mainly due to radically reduced contact time for teachers during the COVID pandemic. School terms were cut from three months each to one, and teachers were expected to cram three months learning into one, but this was, inevitably, not entirely possible.

TOP THREE CANDIDATES:

----- Start of picture text -----
POSITION STUDENT NAME MARKS out of 500
1st PLACE TREVOUR MCKENZIE 370
2nd PLACE JOSEPH GILA 367
3 [rd] PLACE SARAH ADHIAMBO 353
----- End of picture text -----

Our last candidate EMMANUEL ALUMASA scored 250 marks.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

Mean score of Donald Romeo Community School students in 2022 was 309.53. Performance levels in 2022 had a negative deviation of 23.47. The number of those who scored above 300 marks out of the maximum of 500 were 19 out of 30 candidates. The negative deviation was due to reduced contact time for teachers during the COVID pandemic as well as pupils having joined the school in class seven, hence lacking proper foundation.

SUBJECT PERFORMANCE

----- Start of picture text -----
POSITION SUBJECT MARKS TEACHER
1st PLACE ENGLISH 69.57 PAUL WAFULA
2 [nd] PLACE KISWAHILI 64.37 GEORGE SHISAKHA
3 [rd] PLACE SOCIAL STUDIES/C.R.E 62.27 FREDRICK MISANGO
4th PLACE SCIENCE 61.83 BETTY MULANDA
5th PLACE MATHEMATICS 60.43 ALLAN MBOYI
----- End of picture text -----

SCHOOL DAY for day scholars started at 7am and ended at 5:30pm

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

SCHOOL DAY for students in the DORMS of Donald Romeo Community School programs started at 5am for boarders and ended at 9:30pm.

TIME OF DAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY
5am – MORNING MORNING Teachers MORNING MORNING
6:20am PREPS PREPS assisting the PREPS PREPS
with Teachers assisting the
 learners
learners
7:30am – ASSEMBLY CLASS PRAYERS CLASS Pastor lead ASSEMBLY
8am [Devotions] PRAYERS in Pastoral
[Devotions] Program
instruction
8am – NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL
3:20pm LESSONS LESSONS[end of LESSONS[end LESSONS LESSONS
[end of school school day for lower of school day for [end of school [end of
day for lower classes] lower classes] day for lower school day
classes] classes] at 1pm for
SABBATH
preparation]
3:20pm – GAMES SABBATH
4pm Preparation
4pm – 5pm REMEDIAL REMEDIAL REMEDIAL REMEDIAL SABBATH
LESSONS LESSONS LESSONS LESSONS Preparation
[UPPER [UPPER classes [UPPER classes [UPPER
classes ONLY ONLY ONLY classes
ONLY
4pm – DEBATES SABBATH
5:30pm Preparation
BOARDERS
5:30pm –

6:00pm		 PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL
HYGIENE HYGIENE HYGIENE HYGIENE HYGIENE
6:00-6:30pm SUPPER SUPPER SUPPER SUPPER SUPPER
6:30-6:50pm DEVOTION DEVOTION DEVOTION DEVOTION DEVOTION
7:00-8:15pm
LESSON LESSON LESSON LESSON LESSON
LEARNING LEARNING LEARNING LEARNING LEARNING
8:15pm-
9:30pm
READ & REVISE READ & REVISE READ & REVISE READ & REVISE READ & REVISE
NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES NOTES

1:20PM – 1:50PM – We have Bible reading and memory verse memorization every Thursday.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

BOARDERS weekend is scheduled as follows: Saturday

TIME OFDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY
6:50am – BREAKFAST BREAKFAST
7:20am
8am – 1pm CHURCH LESSONS
1pm – 2pm LUNCH LUNCH
2pm – 4pm BIBLE DISCUSSION LESSONS i.e. Junior Sec & Class 8
4pm – 6pm REST REST
5:30pm – PERSONALCLEANING PERSONALCLEANING
6:00pm
6:00- SUPPER SUPPER
6:30pm
6:30- DEVOTION DEVOTION
6:50pm
7:00-8pm LESSON LESSON

OUTLINE OF SCHOOL DAY

TIMOF
DAY
MONDAY		 TIMOF
DAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
5am – MORNING MORNING Teachers MORNING MORNING
6:20am PREPS PREPS assisting the PREPS PREPS
with Teachers assisting the
learners
learners
7:30am – ASSEMBLY CLASS PRAYERS CLASS Pastor lead ASSEMBLY
8am [Devotions] PRAYERS in Pastoral
Program
[Devotions]
instruction
8am – NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL NORMAL
3:20pm LESSONS LESSONS[end of LESSONS[end LESSONS LESSONS
[end of school school day for lower of school day for [end of school [end of
day for lower classes] lower classes] day for lower school day
classes] classes] at 1pm for
SABBATH
preparation]
3:20pm – SABBATH
GAMES

4pm		 Preparation
4pm – 5pm REMEDIAL REMEDIAL REMEDIAL Q SABBATH
LESSONS LESSONS LESSONS LESSONS Preparation
[UPPER [UPPER classes [UPPER classes [UPPER classes
classes ONLY ONLY ONLY ONLY
4pm – SABBATH
DEBATES
5:30pm Preparation
BOARDERS
5:30pm – PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL PERSONAL
PERSONAL HYGIENE

6:00pm		 HYGIENE HYGIENE HYGIENE HYGIENE
6:00-6:30pm SUPPER SUPPER SUPPER SUPPER SUPPER
6:30-6:50pm DEVOTION DEVOTION DEVOTION DEVOTION DEVOTION
LESSON LESSON LESSON LESSON
7:00-8:15pm LESSON LEARNING
LEARNING LEARNING LEARNING LEARNING
8:15pm- READ & REVISE READ & REVISE READ & REVISE READ & READ &
9:30pm NOTES NOTES NOTES REVISE NOTES REVISE NOTES

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

BOOKS

With the new curriculum still under implementation, books are only provided by the government to all public schools hence it remained a challenge for the school to carry out the book harvesting session. We were compelled to purchase the basic course books. We also advised parents to support where possible and some parents of former students volunteered to donate books left by their children.

THE DEBATING CLUB [Thursdays]

The DEBATING club was organized basically for classes four up to eight in order to boost expression, confidence, language use, talent discovery, and information update, etc.

Debates (“mjadala” in Kiswahili) were held once a week, alternating between English and Swahili, in order to foster mastery of both languages. Because of the intensive one-month terms mentioned above it was not possible to organize inter-school debates in 2022, but plans were made for resuming them in 2023.

CONTACT WITH OTHER SCHOOLS

DRCS maintained its commitment to broadening students’ horizons through contact with schools in other countries. Despite some technical challenges, DRCS pupils participated in a book-reading exercise via Zoom with children from Hyland House School (London, England).

DRCS also maintained good relations with the SDA school in Antigua.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

SAFEGUARDING

CARE AND DISCIPLINE

DRCS is dedicated to providing students with good care and spiritual nurture. In 2022, given a national context in which the issue was being discussed amid reports of physical abuse, the school Board together with the Trustees formally confirmed the school’s commitment to respecting the laws forbidding corporal punishment in Kenyan schools.

The Guidance and Counselling Committee is comprised of:

  1. School Chaplain - Chairperson

  2. Deputy Headteacher - Secretary

  3. Senior Teacher - Member

  4. Teacher representative from a lower-class

  5. One member from support staff.

The main role of the Guidance and Counselling Committee is to encourage students not only to comply with school rules, but to also develop positive behaviour that will help them become good citizens.

To that end, they ensured that students with serious disciplinary problems were correctly guided and persuaded to change their behaviour.

Teachers were asked to collaborate closely with parents and guardians in this regard, although some of the latter found the concept of home-school cooperation for discipline difficult to grasp.

GENERAL VIGILANCE

The school’s security officers ensured that each visitor who entered the school had a clear purpose, and loitering on the compound was strictly prohibited. Those who purchased milk were required to wait at the gate (waiting bay) and were not allowed to enter the school compound.

There was an average of 70 pupils in boarding - 37 girls and 33 boys. The age range was as follows:

AGE 4-9 10-14 15-17
TOTAL 4 60 6

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

Boarders were only allowed to access phones through the boarding master or mistress. The fact that the school has only two computers had the advantage of making student access easier to monitor. Mostly, they served to project musical programs and films on Friday evenings.

The school allowed parents to contact or visit boarders once per week. All calls were made through the boarding master or mistress.

ENTERPRISE ACTIVITIES

The enterprise activities for the year involved the following:

  1. Milk sale

  2. Banana and Vegetable sales were hindered by acute drought

  3. School canteen managed by Pathfinders (see next page)

PARENT TEACHER ASSOCIATION

The PTA was comprised of one parent representative from each class - from the Play Group to Class 8. It held one meeting chaired by the then Headmaster Mr. Paul Wafula.

The PTA’s role was mainly to help the school create a bond between parents and teachers. It also served as a forum for parents to discuss problems and work on solutions.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts.

For the year ended 31 December 2022

PATHFINDERS

Because of the intensive COVID remedial programme, there was no time for

extracurricular activities such as Pathfinders which, it was agreed, should recommence in 2023.

Pathfinders is a club that involves all pupils split into various levels as follows:

  1. Eager Beavers [on average 3 years]

  2. Adventurers [4-7 years]

  3. Pathfinders [8-13 years]

  4. Ambassadors [14-17 years]

The club did not send any representatives to the camporee held in 2022. This was due to financial constraints.

Also, the choir was used as a means of reaching out to the community in funerals whenever a neighbor of the school passed on. Its activities especially marching and singing has encouraged many of the community children to attend and participate. The club was headed by teacher Joseph Andaye.

The club ran small businesses in school for the sale of stationery and baked bread for tea. By the end of the year, the club had raised 50,000 Kenya shillings from which the church added an extra 50,000 Kenya shillings and purchased a public address system (P.A.S.).

They were also involved in gardening of green vegetables which were sold to members of staff.

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL

The Vacation Bible school which is usually much appreciated had to be cancelled and was substituted with a camp-out (more details in section 4).

We had thirty children boarding in school for the same with over seventy from the community attending as day scholars. All these were eventually awarded with certificates. The climax was induction and campfire.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

CHOIR AND COMMUNITY

The school had two choirs. The first choir consisted mainly of teachers and other staff members who rehearsed for ten minutes each school day before classes, and on Thursday evenings.

The second choir consisted of students and one teacher. Morning assemblies offered them daily opportunities to practise.

The choir performed for parents whenever an occasion presented itself in the school. The choir also sang in funerals whenever a member of the school community and or the general community was bereaved.

SEWING

As a school policy, every pupil is expected to learn basic sewing skills and be able to carry out minor repairs. With the new curriculum where Home Science is a compulsory subject, tailoring is now one of the key subjects offered in school.

SPORTS DAY

COVID-19 pandemic restrictions affected the school's sports activities. Initially the school was attempting participation in the GoHA Annual 5K Walk- Run in collaboration with its twinning school Hyland House Primary School. This event was postponed due to inclement weather.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

HEALTH CARE WITHIN THE SCHOOL

The cleaners ensured that the school was kept clean, and students were asked to cooperate with them by leaving their classrooms tidy at the end of the day. In a further effort to improve hygiene, teachers always encouraged the pupils to wash their hands frequently.

School toilets were checked regularly, and this helped to keep them clean. However, note was taken of the need to plan and implement a programme of repairs, maintenance and replacements.

Malaria was not a major challenge, as the school ensured that students in the boarding section slept under treated mosquito nets.

The school also carried out a deworming program in partnership with the Government.

IN THE COMMUNITY

DRCS partnered with the local Water Authority to improve access to clean water for the community. The Water Authority repaired and changed taps, tiled the area around them, then fenced it in to keep animals away.

It was agreed that maintaining this facility would be the responsibility of the school.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

3. CLEAN WATER FOR DRINKING & HOUSEHOLD

PURPOSES

Members of the community continue to have free 24-hour access to water from a spring on Donald Romeo Community School (DRCS) property. Without this access they would have to buy water or travel far to get it.

The area around the spring outlet has been renovated by the county government to make it safer and more hygienic.

The water is collected and used for drinking, bathing and laundry. It is our wish to drill a borehole that can serve the school and community.

Meanwhile, the school has installed a 3000 litre tank, which is currently in use, though insufficient.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK

Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

4. DEVELOPING THE COMMUNITY FOR SUSTAINABILITY

AGRICULTURE

SELF-SUFFICIENCY

The school harvested 60 bags of maize, which was the major crop grown on the farm. Due to poor climate conditions, the production of tomatoes, onions and beans was disappointing in 2022.

Nonetheless, 80% of the food eaten at DRCS came from the shamba (school garden/farm) with 20% coming from purchases.

Teachers and students continued the tradition of working together in the shamba during the maize harvest. However, it became apparent that efforts would have to be made in the future to convince parents who didn’t want their children to “get their hands dirty,” of the pedagogical, social and health benefits to be derived from such activities.

OTHER PROJECTS

The school also engaged in fish farming and raising cows. Unfortunately, due to a lack of adequate personnel to ensure the security and proper management of the ponds, fish was raised for use at the school, but not enough for sale.

On the other hand, extra personnel helped with milking. Surpluses (especially in the holiday periods) were sold, netting on average Ksh 4,500 in term time, and Ksh 9,000 in the holidays.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

PRISON MINISTRY

For the reasons mentioned above, it was decided that the Prison Ministry should be suspended in 2022 and restarted once the busy remedial learning period ended.

CAMP MEETING

The school hosted the yearly August camp meeting, from Sunday 21 August to Friday 27 August 2022. It was mainly attended by DRCS pupils and staff, but adults and children from the community also participated, as well as choirs from neighbouring Churches, including one from the Shinyalu Church.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

The main activities were:

The camp generated a lot of positive feedback indicating that it was a source of encouragement both to the school and to the local Church. Parents contributed to the Camp via funding and participation in activities, and this helped to promote a spirit of togetherness.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

Notes

  1. Proceeds from the Joint Christmas concert was received in 2023.

  2. The GoHA 2[nd] Annual 5K Walk-Run was postponed until April 2023 but some cost had been incurred.

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

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Good Health Africa Board of Trustees - UK Trustees’ Annual Report and Annual Accounts. For the year ended 31 December 2022

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