UNDER THE MANGO TREE

Welcome to Under the Mango Tree, a UK based charity that supports Timboni Nursery, Primary and Junior Secondary School in rural Kenya, helping to educate some of the world’s poorest children and feeding over 300 children breakfast and lunch each school day. We are helping to break the cycle of poverty by enabling a future where hopes and dreams can be fulfilled through the basis of education.

Annual Report: February 2025

Supporting Timboni Nursery, Primary, and Junior Secondary School, Kambe, Kenya

The year began with a visit to the school in February 2024 by trustees Lorraine and Peachy Dunne. 

The school is now officially recognised by its new title, which includes its status as a junior secondary school, meaning students complete their education at age 14. However, many children older than 14 have yet to finish their education and obtain their certificates. A new uniform system has been introduced to distinguish the junior secondary students, and Under the Mango Tree has proudly allocated funds to assist families in need with the cost of uniforms for the entire school. 

The budget for 2024 and 2025 has been agreed upon, and moving forward, we will plan in two-year cycles. This approach helps with fundraising in the UK while providing the school with clear funding parameters. 

Our mission statement has been revised to reflect our long-term goal: to support Timboni Nursery, Primary, and Junior Secondary School in becoming self-reliant. This acknowledges the need for continuous external funding to maintain the school’s health and sustainability. 

In 2024, we launched three new funding projects, two of which have been successfully met: 

1. Sewing Room: A sewing room has been set up with machines and materials, and a sewing teacher has been employed. The children are now learning valuable new skills. 

2. Computer Suite: Funding for a computer suite was raised through trustee talks with UK groups in 2024. 

3. Covered Dining Area: This is a larger project that has yet to secure specific funding. 

Additionally, we received a request for scholarship funding to support two ex-Timboni pupils, both girls, in their high school education. We were delighted to provide the necessary funding and look forward to receiving updates on their progress. 

Timboni hosted a significant inter-school sports competition in 2024, made possible by the playing field provided by Under the Mango Tree in 2019. This event has boosted the school’s reputation in the area and encouraged more students to join or remain. The younger students also achieved success in a music competition, with transportation costs covered by Under the Mango Tree. 

Timboni is actively working to diversify its income streams. In 2023, the school rented a field, and the harvest helped supplement its food requirements for the 2023/24 period. They planned to expand this rental in 2024, and we look forward to hearing more about this project in 2025. 

With the support of Under the Mango Tree, a beekeeping project was launched. The first two harvests have been completed, and the honey is being sold to help fund the school’s feeding program. 

Pupil numbers remain steady, with the school now having the capacity to welcome more students as the education system adapts to changes that took place around five years ago. 

Fundraising has remained challenging, as supporters in the UK face inflation and rising living costs. However, we have secured an estimated budget for 2026, and although our goal is to maintain a minimum six-month surplus, the ideal would be to ensure a two-year budget surplus to guarantee continuity and support for the teachers, students, and community at Timboni School. 

We are hopeful that 2025 will be a successful and joyful year for the Timboni community. 

Lorraine Dunne, Chair of Trustees