To capture hearts and minds

Nothing captures hearts and minds as much as seeing a single person take on an awesome challenge. And the whole game lifts to another level when that challenge reaches out to others. Sports people take on great physical challenges to rise to peak performance and be better than others, and that is inspiring. But when someone pours all their talents and resources into establishing an education network in East Africa, it is more than inspiring – it captures our hearts and minds.

Sydney Morning Herald feature: 5 May 2007

Gemma's mission to fight poverty through education has been in the news here in Oz because of the book launch tour for St Jude's. Radio, TV and major newspapers have featured her and given her story their support. Last Saturday, the Sydney Morning Herald presented a major feature article, Lessons of Hope. The feature is entirely positive and it is clear that St Jude's has captured the heart and mind of Linda Morris who wrote the article.

So, be prepared to lose your heart and mind to the best aid project in Africa. Send your support and be part of this inspiring challenge. Fighting poverty through education.




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The book launch was great!

Just as I was trying to squeeze my car into a too-small spot after circling the streets several times, the car in front moved off and I just slipped in! A good omen for the Sydney book launch for Gemma’s book St Jude’s last night. Gemma must have signed more than 300 books!

Gemma's amazing mother is helping on this book launch tour

On a wet night in Sydney (hurray!!!), about 250-300 people attended the book launch, and many of us bought several copies of St Jude’s. We got one for ourselves and one for Hal’s daughter.

Book signing went smoothly with the assistance of champagne, Pan Macmillan’s rep, and happy good will from people waiting in queues.

I introduced myself to Gemma as the crazy lady with the blog – she knew me straight away and earmarked me for a job! I couldn’t be happier.

After snacking, drinking, buying books and getting them signed, we went off to a newly painted auditorium with its heritage architectural features to listen to Gemma give an outline of current activities at the school. I’ll share bits and pieces over the next few days, as they come to me. In the meantime, check out the schmoozing, Sydney-style.

Excellent nibbles – the home-made cheesy biscuits were my favourite!

Catching up with friends getting more books signed!

Today is Anzac Day in Australia. The US equivalent is Veterans Day. Here it is a public holiday and is marked by commemorative services in every town and city. Every small town has its war memorial and every town has a service on Anzac Day.

I remember when I was a small girl living in a small country town, I was a Brownie (a junior Girl Guide) and we were involved in the commemorative service at the town war memorial. In a small-town kind of way, they rounded up anyone in uniform (Boy Scouts and Girl Guides were good!) and created a ceremony that usually involved wreath-laying, playing the last post, and a minute of silence to remember those who gave their lives in defence of their country.

In the big cities, the Anzac Day marches are huge, closing down the city centre for half a day. For hours, the veterans or their descendants, march with pipe bands or brass bands or military bands along streets lined with people waving flags and holding sprigs of rosemary – for remembrance.

So, today my gratitude is large for those who died and suffered to defend this country that I love. And, as I woke to the sound of steady, gentle rain, I can't help be glad that we have had several days of rain.



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New anti-corruption bill

The Tanzanian National Assembly has approved a new anti-corruption bill that will become law after approval by President Jakaya Kikwete.

This is a new milestone for the government. I have blogged here and here about how the Tanzanian government has been dragging its feet in addressing corruption. One cost has been the loss of some aid that is tied to milestones that have not been met.

In the recent sitting at Dodoma in central Tanzania, a record number of 57 members of parliament aired their opinion in the debate about the Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bill 2007.

The Prevention and Combating of Corruption Bill offers such new measures in the country's anti- corruption campaign as the formation of an anti-corruption board that will comprise the police, the national intelligence service and representatives from the private sector. Some of the powers of the director of public prosecutions will be reduced.

The bill will also spell out regulations for international agencies, companies, and non-governmental organizations operating in the country.

The bill has incorporated the proposed anti-corruption act the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, the African Union Convention on Prevention and Combating Corruption, the Southern African Development Community Protocol Against Corruption and Tanzania's public procurement act.

This is an important step in making governance better. It is vital that assistance to Tanzania comes at both the individual level and the national level. The children who are getting an excellent education at the School of St Jude, need to find work in a country that is well governed.

Tonight, at the book launch event I attended, Gemma spoke a little about corruption in Tanzania. She seems to have it sorted out! She says, “That’s just Africa”, and gets on with achieving her goals while protecting the school from blatant rorts.

Gemma Sisa at book launch in Sydney

For example, she described the 30 acres of land she has bought at Usa River. This was part of 130 acres. She asked the Government surveyor to measure off her 30 acres, and got a work team started on building security walls around her portion. She asked them to leave two ends of the walls unfinished till the survey was completed.

Then she asked a second surveyor to confirm the survey. Guess what? The Government surveyor had measured only 28 acres. The owners said her second survey was wrong. So she got a third survey – 28 acres. Still the owners argued. At this point she was glad that her father-in-law is a local man of some weight. They convened a meeting with the owners and the three surveyors and her father-in-law helped them all work through the issues.

The true 30 acres was agreed, the security walls were extended by 24 feet and the school has the amount of land they paid for.

“That’s Africa,” says Gemma Sisia, and gets on with building schools and educating kids.

Are you a supporter of the school? Have you visited the school? Met Gemma? Know someone who is helping at the school? Why not use the comment section to introduce yourself... We'd love to hear about you.




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Get the book!

Right now Gemma Sisia is criss-crossing Australia visiting cities and regional towns to meet with the thousands of supporters who are encouraging her work at St Jude’s.

She is talking on the media and attending book launch events that have been organised by her supporters. I will be attending an evening talk tomorrow night where I plan to take lots of photos, and meet some interesting people. You’ll hear about some of it here on the blog in the coming days. Look here for a schedule of these book launch events.

In the mean time, you can contact a book shop near you for a copy of the book, ‘St Jude’s’, check here to see if your local library has it and if they don’t, ask them to get it in. It’s one book that every library should have! When you buy a copy, or get your library to buy a copy, some money goes to the school. Buy two! One for you and one for a friend. And when you lend your copy, ask your friend to make a donation to the school.

You can buy the book online through Collins Booksellers.

If you are a regular user of Australian libraries, this National Library of Australia site will tell you which libraries in Australia hold the items you are interested in. Isn’t that too cool? In fact the whole National Library is a wonderful free resource. If you are in Canberra, take a look at the beautiful foyer with its coffee shop and book shop.

National Library of Australia: Foyer with famous stained glass

There is usually a high-quality exhibition in the gallery, too. When they showed ‘International Treasures from the World’s Great Libraries’, they attracted such crowds that they had to stay open 23 hours a day! It was the most amazing exhibition event in Australian history.

Only one more sleep till I get to mingle with all the wonderful supporters of the amazing School of St Jude.

Things I am grateful for today –

• Good drenching rain here in Sydney. Not in the catchment, but very welcome nevertheless.
• Hybrid cars – we're looking at buying a Toyota Prius. What a clever car!

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Latest news

The March newsletter for the School of St Jude is available on the school website.
I always enjoy the newsletter because it shows what is happening right now and includes lots of photos.

The big news this month is the schedule of book launch events in Australia from 20 April - 8 May. More details here.

The newsletter also shows the energy generated when a container load of ‘stuff’ arrives at the school.

It’s like Christmas in March.

The container was sent from Brisbane, thanks to the care and efforts of the Rotary Club of Rocklea. It travels two months at sea, waits a month on the hot dock in Dar es Salaam and then about 15 hours on the back of a truck across Tanzania to the School in Arusha.

When a container lands, every pair of hands within ‘cooee’ is available—this 40 foot container was offloaded in an hour !

. . . . . . . . . . .

On another note, I’m going to try to spend a little more time each day deepening my practice of gratitude. I thought I would use this blog to report a couple of small things each day that I feel genuinely grateful for. Here we go –

1. Yesterday I particularly enjoyed working on the quilt I am making for Blanche. There’s a photo here of the applique in blue and green that I just finished.
2. Right now the early sunlight is falling on the bushland outside my window and the lorikeets and other parrots are feeding noisily on nectar from gum tree flowers, camellias, etc.

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Book launch events

From the 23rd April to the 8th May, Gemma Sisia will be going around Australia to launch her book St Jude's at "Friends of St Jude's" functions in various cities and towns.



The aim of these functions is to:

1. Bring current and new supporters together in a friendly atmosphere.
2. Educate people who have never heard of this school, by showing a short visual presentation. Gemma will also be giving updates and information about future projects for both old and prospective supporters.
3. Launch the book St Jude's and sell copies. Sales of the book at these events will benefit the school directly. People who buy a book during the function will also receive a free DVD about the school.

Full details of the book launch events around Australia are on the School website. The cost seems to range from $10-$50 depending on the refreshments (tea, breakfast, dinner, whatever) and you will need to book a place if you want to go.

Here is the list of places and dates.

Friday 20th April - Gordon, Sydney
Monday 23rd April - Dubbo
Tuesday 24th April - Potts Point, Sydney
Thursday 26th April - Brisbane CBD
Thursday 26th April - Auchenflower, Brisbane
Friday 27th April - Centenary, Brisbane
Saturday 28th April - Bendigo
Sunday 29th April - Scotch College, Melbourne
Monday 30th April - Toorak, Melbourne
Tuesday 1st May - Hyde Park, Adelaide
Wednesday 2nd May - Glenunga, Adelaide
Thursday 3rd May - Perth
Saturday 5th May -Armidale
Monday 7th May - Inverell
Tuesday 8th May - Tamworth

So, if you would like to meet the remarkable Gemma Sisia and make contact with other St Jude's supporters in your area, book a place and share the joy!



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Book launch in April 2007

Gemma Sisia’s book ‘St Jude’s’ tells the story of her lively childhood with seven older brothers and how she came to establish the School of St Jude.


All book shops around Australia, New Zealand and South Africa will be selling the book, however if you are not from one of these countries then you can email the School on schoolofstjude [at] habari.co.tz to order a copy. The School will sell the book for $33 and this price includes a free DVD about the school. Proceeds from the book will go directly to the school.

However, if you are from Australia, then it would be great if you could buy your book(s) from one of the many "Friends of St Jude's" functions which will be held around Australia late April/early May. If you do, then you will still receive a free DVD with each copy bought, along with the knowledge of the fact that the proceeds from the book will go directly to the school.

Sydney – Tues 24th April
Brisbane – Thurs 26th April
Melbourne – Mon 30th April
Adelaide Tues – 1St May
Perth Thurs – 3rd May

Gemma's story is as inspiring as her life! The ABC's Australian Story episode about Gemma was selected for the 'Best Of' showcase that went to air a second time. So, I expect that the book will be a good read, and a good gift for friends with a lively curiosity about the world.

Can't wait! Think I'll have to, though.



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Book launch

Gemma Sisia makes ‘boundless energy’ look like an understatement! Not only does she run the school, plan and manage the building program, run her own household with two young boys, and fund raise, but she has also found the time and energy to write a book about it all. She’s a genuine force of nature!



‘St Jude’s’ will be published by Pan Macmillan in April 2007. Aussies should look out for Gemma’s whirlwind book launch tour in April, and everyone can get more info about the book here.

I am sure that the growing network of supporters will be delighted to get hold of the book and learn some of the more obscure details of Gemma’s life story. Growing up as the only girl with seven older brothers would fill a book all by itself!

Here is the provisional schedule.

Weekend 21/22 April: Arrive Sydney
Monday 23 April: Sydney - media interviews
Tuesday 24 April: Sydney - media interviews
Wednesday 25 April: ANZAC DAY - public holiday
Thursday 26 April: Brisbane - media interviews
Friday 27 April: Brisbane - media interviews
Monday 30 April: Melbourne - media interviews
Tuesday 1 May: Melbourne - media interviews
Wednesday 2 May: Adelaide - media interviews
Thursday 3 May: Perth - media interviews
Friday 4 May: return to Sydney

We are working on a get together in Sydney on 5 May for school supporters. I’ll keep you updated with details as they get firmed up. It will be so exciting to meet some of the many people who have made the School of St Jude the success that it is.