They say chance favours a prepared mind but students at Vingujini Primary School were not prepared for the windfall of good luck that would follow their chance meeting with Peter Phillips.
While on a walking holiday with friends in Kenya 25 years ago, Peter came upon a tree with over 100 children and three adults under it in Msambweni, Kwale county, and decided to take shelter from the scorching sun.
Little did they know that they were interrupting a class in session as the youngsters were learning under the tree.
While speaking to the Northern Echo, a UK Newspaper, Peter recalled inquiring what the children were doing only to be told that it was an ongoing lesson.
“We found out that the school had three ramshackle, prefabricated buildings that had been left behind by the Army and since they were in a pretty rough state, most of the lessons were held outside” he stated.
This experience left a lasting impression on the holidaymakers and they returned a year later after raising enough money to buy bricks and cement to build some new classrooms.
The 80-year-old former President of the Darlington Rotary Club has since been on a mission to help transform the education of the children attending Vingujini Primary School.
The Northern Echo reported that after the first visit, Peter came back to the institution twice a year, each time raising money to go towards building more classrooms and equipping them with desks.
Furthermore, he mobilised his friends in Darlington to donate and ship thousands of children’s books on the 6,500-mile journey from County Durham to Kenya.
The donations from Peter and his friends have helped transform the school with modern buildings and learning facilities and local villagers now fondly refer to him as 'Mister Peter.'
“It’s been hard work at times, but it’s been a lot of fun along the way,” Peter, who spent his life working as a chemist revealed to the outlet.
25 years after the encounter, Peter flew out of the UK on Wednesday, February 8 to Msambweni carrying two tons of books he collected with the aim of aiding the students at the institution achieve their dream of quality education.
The group also provides support to local football clubs in Msambweni with football strips donated by supporters of the Darlington Football Club.
Supporters were asked to dig out any unwanted strips so football teams can be formed in Msambweni.
Together with his wife, Peter successfully bought and ran the Morritt Arms hotel at Greta Bridge, UK, between 1994 and 2016.
