A head teacher from Africa has sent a video message to a school in High Wycombe, thanking staff and students for donating scores of text books over the last decade.

The head of the Nyammimie Secondary School in Nairobi, Kenya, messaged The Highcrest Academy via social media to tell of her gratitude.

The academy has been sending books to Africa for the last ten years, thanks to Kenyan-born Mrs Hashmet Nathekar, who specialises in teaching English as an Additional Language at Highcrest.

Mrs Nathekar, who said the Kenyan school is short of funds for the text books, explained: “I regularly go back to Kenya and take books donated by Highcrest with me to this school. Whenever friends and family fly there, I send donations with them as well – mostly history and geography books.

“The majority of books in this school have been donated by Highcrest over the years. It’s fantastic because I have never seen children appreciate something so much.”

In the video message, the Kenyan headteacher thanked Highcrest, and, pointing to the books, said: “The school feels very privileged to have received them. The children have enjoyed reading them.”

She added that the books have improved the pupils’ reading skills at the school which currently does not have a library.

Mrs Nathekar said other Highcrest staff regularly pass her the used text books in response to appeals in the school’s internal briefing newsletter. She then stores them until someone is next flying to Kenya – because otherwise it would be too expensive to send out separately.

  • Any other schools interested in passing on used books can contact her at hnathekar@highcrest.bucks.sch.uk