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Over a decade ago, when Jill and Neil Fenton were first working and teaching in Rwanda, they travelled to neighbouring Uganda to purchase textbooks and school supplies. In Africa, border crossings are chaotic, and during one crossing, after completing all the necessary paperwork, the Fentons found themselves stuck in a long lineup behind large transport trucks.
Dusk was approaching and road travel after dark was not advisable. Huge potholes, roads with no shoulders, poorly maintained and overloaded vehicles, and drivers with a death wish all contributed to the Fentons’ need to expedite the remainder of their journey. For those who know Jill, her take-charge behaviour in this situation will come as no surprise. Stepping from their little car, Jill marched (in high heels and a suit, no less) to the front of the line and directed the drivers to move their trucks so that she and her husband could pass. Having accomplished this in record time, Jill was returning to their vehicle when Neil drove past her, not having seen her approach and assuming she was still at the front of the line. As Neil passed the first truck in line, the driver leaned out the window and yelled, “Don’t forget the grandma!”
Rewind to the mid-1990s. Jill and Neil were well-known in Jasper for their tireless efforts in educating, counselling and coaching hundreds of students over their more than 30 years in education. Upon retirement, they searched for an opportunity to volunteer in Africa. Who wouldn’t want two highly qualified and proven administrators who were willing to work for next to nothing? Surprisingly, there were no takers. Undaunted, they pursued their retirement dream. It was serendipity when they met an ex-colleague who had worked in Africa and who was headhunting for private schools. In no time, Jill became headmistress of a small primary school in Kigali, Rwanda. The board of directors of Green Hills Academy had big dreams, and Jill was just the person to fulfill them. Keep in mind that this was 1999, only five years after the horrific genocide that almost destroyed Rwanda.
What began as a basic school of 200 lower elementary students blossomed into the pride of the country, with more than 1,400 students from nursery school to Grade 12 and offering Cambridge and International Baccalaureate programs. However, Green Hills Academy was a private, nonprofit facility, and children from the lower economic levels of Kigali could not afford tuition fees unless on a school-sponsored scholarship. This limitation did not sit well with the Fentons, so on their own time they offered Saturday workshops to public school teachers and supplied students with materials donated by schools in Alberta.
Still, this was not enough. Upon retirement from Green Hills Academy, the Fentons pursued their original dream of improving public education in Rwanda. To this end, in 2009, they established Tools for Schools, a registered charity whose main goals are to train teachers in English and methodology, using local master teachers where possible; to provide teaching materials; to contribute to the local economy by purchasing locally produced materials, such as furniture and uniforms; and to assist orphans with school fees and supplies.
To learn more about Tools for Schools, visit www.toolsforschools.org.
