A TEENAGER from Ross-on-Wye has left a legacy for school children in Nairobi, following a volunteering visit with a charitable organisation.

Nineteen-year-old Tilly Lawson launched a scheme to build a chicken coop, which now houses more than 250 hens, allowing the school and orphanage she worked at to collect the eggs, which are then sold in the street.

“I wanted to start a sustainable project that would be able to provide constant support to the orphans over a long period of time,” explained Tilly, who is due to start reading business and economics at university next week.

Tilly, who went to Monmouth Girls’ School and Walford Primary started her placement, with Marafiki Community International at Dada Education Centre, where 200 children attended school and a quarter of the pupils were orphans.

The teenager taught science, mathematics, English and PE to children aged from nine to 16 years old for several months during her time there, after receiving support from the Haberdashers’ Charity organisation for the trip.

Tilly said: “The first few weeks at the orphanage in Nairobi were the hardest of my life. The state of the classrooms and the school system was appalling and physical abuse as a punishment was completely normal.

“Despite the poor conditions, the children had a passion to learn, were curious and wanted to do their best.”

Tilly also visited an orphanage in a large slum called Kawangware and the conditions stunned her: “The cold stone floor space was used as a bed for more than 30 children.”

This discovery led to a huge push on Tilly’s Christmas project. She aimed to raise £900 for mattresses, blankets and gifts, but eventually raised more than £3,000.

“I was completely overwhelmed with Monmouth School for Girls’ involvement and the constant support,” she said. “My school house, Mather Jackson, donated a very generous £200 towards the project.”

Funding from the Haberdashers’ charity organisation also allowed Tilly to travel beyond Nairobi to the middle of Maasai land.

The volunteers lived in mud huts without electricity as they built two new classrooms in a school. They spent hours mixing sand and cement with shovels and used picks to dig deep trenches.

“I learnt that happiness is so simple,” said Tilly, who won the Youth Champion volunteer honour earlier this year at The Herefordshire Community Champions awards.

“We had no phones and no contact with the outside world. We weren’t earning or spending money but we just had each other and I was truly happy. My time in Kenya has changed my perspective on life in the UK. It became clear to me how fortunate I am in my education and the skills I have learnt.

“I thank Monmouth Girls School for making the amazing and life-changing experience possible.”