Africa charity: ‘Love keeps you going’
Retired headteacher Meg Fletcher tells how working in Rwanda with children and adults, who call her Mama Africa, has changed her life
During her long teaching career, Meg Fletcher lost count of how many times she asked the question: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”
Whatever the reply, she always drew an answer from her young pupils who had many ambitions. In return she told them, “Go for it!”
And she took her own advice after retiring as head of a Cumbrian primary school – flying off to Rwanda in East Africa to volunteer as an education management advisor.
Originally, Meg (73) had only planned to spend two years in the developing East African country, previously afflicted by genocide.
“It came as a real shock to me to realise that these children felt they had no control over their futures, so I had to keep coming back,” says Meg who went on to launch the Kinamba Community Project foundation and charity ‘as an act of hope’ to provide education and training opportunities in the Kinamba region.
Today, 13 years after first setting foot in the country, she still spends roughly half the year there running education projects from primary through to secondary age which have helped more than 1,200 pupils.
Meg, from Baycliff in the South Lakes, is so glad she kept returning as one of the first students sponsored by the project, Christian Ora (18), is on his way to fulfilling his dream of becoming a doctor by applying to study medicine next year.
“It shows the amazing success that courage and determination can bring,” she adds.
Meg, known as ‘Mama Africa’ in Rwanda, is the first to point out that none of it would have been possible without the support of volunteers, sponsors and friends – and her sister Kathryn! They have helped provide the £50,000 to £80,000 a year necessary to run all the projects.
The project started out initially with a 28-place nursery school founded by local people who asked for Meg’s help to fund children through education. As it expanded, women asked for help too, so Meg’s work diversified to include skills training – beginning with a literacy project. “If you can’t read, anybody can tell you anything and you can’t disprove it,” she says.
A number of training programmes have followed – from adult literacy to tailoring, hairdressing and jewellerymaking – creating employment and income. It’s all involved a lot of work – and still does – for Meg, who spends the other half of the year at home fundraising and promoting the charity. It’s also a far cry from the later-life activities she’d envisaged.
“I’ve never been the sort of person to put my feet up, but I thought I’d just do my bit for two years then retire to tend my garden and travel,” she laughs.
Meg has no regrets though and believes the roots of her work are sowed firmly in her own happy childhood. Growing up in the Fifties in rural Derbyshire, her farmer father, Alfred, brought her up to believe she could do anything if she worked at it.
“He’s my inspiration,” she admits. “I believe I was the first member of my extended family to go into further education. In those days women stayed and worked near home.”
Taking his message on board, Meg followed her own childhood ambition to become a primary school teacher.
“I’ve never regretted my career choice and my passion for teaching has never waned,” she adds.
Meg, who recently won a Points of Light award from outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May, has no plans to ever give up her ‘busman’s holiday’ retirement role. She says: “I’m not the sort of person to be homesick – though I do miss a hot shower! I am fit and active with no health problems so nothing can prevent me going back while I can still get on the plane! I’m happy in Rwanda and it’s a humbling experience to give people a chance to take control of their own lives.”
Undoubtedly, though, the local people are very grateful, which they demonstrated by throwing a surprise
‘What really drives me is a desire to help people live with dignity. You do it for people to hold their heads up’
party in Meg’s honour when the charity celebrated its tenth anniversary.
“That was wonderful; very, very special,” adds Meg who has no children of her own but, “hundreds in Africa!”.
“But what really drives me is a desire to help people live with dignity. You do it for people to hold their heads up. It’s very uplifting and gives me much joy.”
One of Meg’s biggest pleasures is standing outside and watching the children running to school with big smiles on their faces. “They’re so thrilled to be taught in a way that we take for granted in Britain. Considering my age, it’s an investment in the future.
“I don’t have a faith but I’m a big believer in fate and I think this was all meant to be. Love keeps you going!”
■ To find out more about the Kinamba Community Project, visit www.kinambaproject.org.uk