Xaar Supports Employee’s Return to Help Schools in Africa

Simon Rumbles, Strategic Indirect Buyer at Xaar has completed his second trip to Africa volunteering to help local schools in Nakuru, Kenya, thanks in part to the support of his employer Xaar.

Organised by Midlands charity Derby County Community Trust in collaboration with African Adventures, the project allowed a total of 80 volunteers to travel to Africa to help local schools build new classrooms, renovate older parts of the buildings and teach the children.

As part of Xaar’s Sustainability Roadmap and Volunteering Scheme, the Group’s employees are encouraged to take part in all types of volunteering, including overseas. Through this, the company has supported Simon’s volunteering by donating £500 and granting extra annual leave each time, making both trips possible.

Many of the scheme’s volunteers returned to the Jubilee Academy in Nakuru for a second year and were able to build on last year’s work to make the school a safer and more enjoyable environment for pupils.

The team assembled foundations for extra classrooms, repaired fencing, fixed the water butt and re-painted many of the older classrooms to brighten them up for students.

“It was a life-changing experience, and it was even better to return this year to see the children again, with many of them remembering us,” said Simon.

“We were able to see the direct impact of last year’s work, with the school now functioning better. We also found out that several of the older children were able to go on to further education, which was extremely rewarding to see as this can be very rare.

“For these children, school is their happy place - where they can get food, shelter, and an education. This is where they get to play, dance and sing with their friends, so it becomes such a critical part of their life. That’s why I felt that volunteering to make improvements to their school was so important.”

Xaar Group CEO, John Mills said: “We are delighted to have been able to support Simon’s volunteering efforts in Kenya for a second year.

“We are incredibly proud of his work and feel that he has perfectly reflected Xaar’s values on the other side of the world. Our congratulations to everyone involved in making such life-changing contributions during this trip.”