Australian support base for The School of St Jude in Tanzania
97 cents
of every $ donated directly supports the school
92%
of income is from Australian supporters
$10m
is injected into the local economy every year
The School of St Jude Limited, known as The School of St Jude (Australia) represents the Australian support base for The School of St Jude in Tanzania. Established by Gemma Sisia in 1999, The School of St Jude (Australia) (then called the East African Fund) was founded so that The School of St Jude would have a solid legal foundation in Australia to support the work in Tanzania. The School of St Jude (Australia) is registered in New South Wales and was granted full tax deductibility by the Australian Government effective 1st July, 2014.
The School of St Jude (Australia) keeps costs to a minimum so that 97 cents in every dollar collected from supporters is made available to the school. Through The School of St Jude (Australia), Australian supporters provide over 92% of all funds donated to support the school.
We have helped build an education system that typically ranks in the top 10% of Tanzanian schools.
Mark Cubit
Chairperson
Gemma Sisia
Deputy Chairperson
David Collins
Treasurer
Rita Harris
Secretary
Angela Bailey
Director
John Bailey
Director
Shean Gannon
Director
Nicholas Rice
Director
Kim Saville
Director
Cindy Skarbek
Director
Mark Cubit
Chairperson
Mark Cubit first became involved with St Jude’s in 2005 as a donor and as the school grew and he learnt more about St Jude’s, he realised that St Jude's is one of the most successful solutions to poverty and he wanted to get more involved. He joined The School of St Jude Board (Australia) as a Director in 2010.
He manages two charitable foundations based in Australia that support over 50 projects in 15 countries. He previously spent 15 years with Merrill Lynch Australia and he continues to advise on a number of investment portfolios. Mark has a Bachelor of Economics from Monash University.
In 2024 Mark was awarded to Member of the Order (AM) for significant service to the community through charitable organisations.
Gemma Sisia
Deputy Chairperson
Gemma is the Founder and driving force behind St Jude’s and set up the school in 2002.
At 22 years of age, Gemma set off to Africa to teach maths, science and sewing to girls in Kalangu, a rural village in the middle of Uganda. While in East Africa, she saw how children, families and communities were crippled by a lack of education. Later, her father-in-law, gave her land on which to build her school in Arusha, Tanzania.
Opening in 2002, St Jude's provides an education to the poorest children from the local region. Gemma and St Jude’s supporters have tirelessly fundraised so the school can provide a quality education to the poorest of the poor.
David Collins
Treasurer
David has been a sponsor of students’ scholarships at St Jude’s since 2009 and has followed the school’s growth with keen interest.
In 2017 he joined The School of St Jude Board (Australia) as a Director and Treasurer.
David is an active member of the Board, supporting donors and sponsors and volunteers for the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS). He loves driving his Mazda MX5 and travelling with wife Gail.
David had a 42-year career in the IT industry.
John Bailey
Director
John became involved with St Jude’s in 2002 when his daughter, Angela, joined Gemma to become the school's first teacher.
John joined The School of St Jude (Australia) Board in 2017.
John is a qualified lawyer who ensures that The School of St Jude Board (Australia) meets its legal obligations annually.
Rita Harris
Director
Rita has sponsored students at St Jude’s since 2010 and joined The School of St Jude (Australia) Board as Secretary in 2015. She is a passionate supporter of the organisation's objectives and lived in Tanzania for two years during her childhood so experienced firsthand the poverty that exists.
Rita has been a company director for over 15 years in financial services and not-for-profit organisations, with professional experience in governance, strategy, risk and regulatory change.
She is a qualified lawyer and a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Angela Bailey
Director
In 1999, Angela heard Gemma speak about her plan for St Jude's at St Vincent's College where she was studying and where Gemma had previously been a student.
In 2000 she arrived in Tanzania and became the school's first teacher.
After returning to Australia for a number of years, she relocated back to Arusha, Tanzania to lead the St Jude's tertiary program, Beyond St Jude's.
Angela joined the Board in 2017-2018 and again in 2019.
In 2021, Angela completed her tenure as the school's Deputy Director and now lives in Australia.
Shean Gannon
Director
Shean has a long association with St Jude’s after volunteering at the school for three years, between 2010 and 2013. He joined The School of St Jude (Australia) Board in 2013. During his time in Arusha, Shean worked as the Construction Manager to complete the school’s building program, before moving into the role as Business Manager and Acting School Director.
In Australia, Shean spent 30 years managing construction projects throughout Australia and the Pacific. He set up and ran a number of businesses, including Guard Rail Installations, which he sold in 2006. He is currently a partner with NEM Australia, providing business consulting services to small and medium business.
Nicholas Rice
Director
Gemma Sisia’s brother, Nicholas, has been supporting his sister’s school since it began. He joined The School of St Jude (Australia) Board in 2017.
He shares Gemma’s vision that The School of St Jude really can make a difference in fighting poverty through education.
Kim Saville
Director
Kim Saville has been a member of The School of St Jude board since it was founded.
She volunteered at the school from 2002-2016 during which time she joined Gemma and Angela in every aspect of developing the school from digging ditches to fundraising worldwide. Her previous work experience includes theatre and film production, adventure travel and publishing. Kim honed her skills in written and verbal communication, public relations and problem solving which benefitted the school greatly.
Kim’s initial 3-month stint at St Jude’s grew to many years as she witnessed the incredible impact the school had on so many lives, and was definitely a project that she was prepared to give up her favourite Sydney coffee shop for.
Cindy Skarbek
Director
Cindy Skarbek and her family have been supporting St Jude’s since 2005. Her background is in insurance underwriting and she has extensive experience in school governance, as a long-serving board member of an independent college prep K-12 school in Kentucky, as well as on the board of Wesley Seminary in Washington D.C.
Cindy has a great enthusiasm for St Jude’s and her commitment to the school has grown tremendously. Cindy and her family are impressed with and support the mission of St Jude’s which includes the commitment to finding the best teachers and to educate students to be moral leaders in their communities. She takes special joy in watching the St Jude’s graduates begin their adult lives by living out the spirit of the school – putting younger siblings through school, helping their parents, and contributing to their society.
Cindy is a founding member of the American Friends of The School of St Jude, a similar organization channeling American support to The School of St Jude.
Our responsibilities
Providing funds for projects of The School of St Jude in Tanzania conditional upon such funds being expended in accordance with projects as mutually agreed.
Managing and maximising funds from donors globally in a responsible and effective manner.
Fundraising activities, including events in Australia, whilst recognising and leveraging the significant profile and role of the Founder of the school in this area.
Monitoring and managing funds responsibly, ensuring statutory requirements meet Australian standards.
Marketing and communications activities in Australia, including raising the profile of the school throughout Australia, and positioning the school with targeted groups and individuals.
Assisting The School of St Jude in Tanzania to identify, design, appraise, implement and evaluate potential new projects of the school, using appropriate documentation and sign-off protocols to support such projects.
Assisting The School of St Jude in Tanzania in working towards independence and sustainability of the school.
Communicating with The School of St Jude in Tanzania regularly about new initiatives and opportunities.
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