Like most students completing secondary education at St Jude's, Irene opted to join the Beyond St Jude's Scholarship Program (BSJSP). The BSJSP allows secondary school graduates to give back to the community as volunteer teachers in understaffed government schools or in various placements throughout St Jude's. Those who successfully complete their community service placement may then be eligible to receive a BSJSP scholarship to pursue higher education.
"I spent a year teaching English and Civics at a local government school in Arusha town, not far from St Jude's," shares Irene, who is currently a university scholar. "To be honest, my volunteering experience was good. I enjoyed teaching and being one of the adults that students can look up to," she adds.
Having spent over 12 years as a student at St Jude's, Irene understood how far a supportive learning environment could go to enhancing academic performance. Thus, she was particularly excited at the opportunity to share her knowledge and skills with others.
"I was privileged to attend St Jude's, which offers a wealth of resources, including computers, books, sports facilities, and educational trips, for an exceptional learning experience. But others weren't so lucky and this became clear during my Community Service Year (CSY)," narrates Irene.
She noticed that there was only one water tap for the entire school of 600+ students. Students had to wait in long queues just to fill a cup of water. There wasn't enough water to properly conduct science experiments for students, clean the school's infrastructures, and maintain the environment. Irene was deeply disturbed by the problem and resolved to find a lasting solution for it.
"The volunteering experience left me with the belief that even the smallest actions can have great value to the community. This inspired my passion for volunteering and helping my community in any capacity I can," reflects Irene.
Soon, after completing her community service year, Irene won a scholarship grant to pursue higher education in neighbouring Kenya. She was fortunate to join the same university with her long-time friend and fellow St Jude's scholar, Queen.
Like Irene, Queen had joined St Jude's as a Standard 1 student in 2007 and went on to spend the next 13 years at the school. One of her most favourite earliest memories at St Jude's was being mesmerised by the size of the school.
"I was blown away by how big the school was, from the playing fields, to the library, dining hall, and the school buses. I was shy at first because I couldn't speak much English. But it all changed within a few years; I became fluent and fell in love with my favourite subject, history," she explains.
Upon completing her secondary school education, she too, joined the Beyond St Jude's Scholarship Program (BSJSP) and spent a year as a volunteer teacher at a government school in Arusha. When the pair linked up in university, they began looking into how they could support less fortunate students back in Tanzania.
"As part of our scholarship, each of us was entitled to a one-time funding to support a project of our choice within the community. We discussed this amongst ourselves and agreed to install a water system at the government school that Irene had once volunteered in as a teacher," explains Queen.
With support from St Jude's and the external funding, the pair financed the construction of a water system at the school, which involved pumping water from a source 900 metres away. They also installed several drinking water stations throughout the school and water taps in the toilets and laboratories.
"It's a dream come true for us, to give back and create a better learning environment for others," shares Irene passionately.
St Jude's alumni continue to embrace the school's values of Respect, Responsibility, Kindness, and Honesty whenever they go. Through the Alumni Association, they regularly give to support the school financially and volunteer their time and expertise during school events. Beyond St Jude's, they are active within their communities, organising orphanage visits, launching businesses, providing employment to others, and so much more.
Every year, St Jude’s conducts health checks for its 1,800 students across three campuses to identify any health concerns, monitor existing conditions, and tailor support for those with specific needs. This year’s Health Check team included some familiar faces, with three St Jude’s alumni returning to give back to the very place where their journeys began.
For Nadia, Class of 2019, coming back was a full-circle moment. “It feels special to come back and contribute to the same process that helped me so much,” she says. “I remember the medical professionals from my own health checks when I was a student, and thinking ‘I’d love to do that one day!”
Nadia joined St Jude’s as a Standard 1 student in 2007 and is now in her fifth and final year of a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, which consists of a year doing practical internship at Mount Meru Hospital, not far from St Jude’s Sisia Campus. Despite her demanding schedule, Nadia sought special permission to take two weeks of leave from her program to participate in the health checks, knowing it was an opportunity she couldn’t let pass by.
“My internship year is supposed to be uninterrupted, but I was fortunate the hospital team was very supportive and granted me the leave so I could be here,” notes Nadia, who says her passion for pursuing a career in healthcare was forged during her time at St Jude’s.
“I’ve always dreamed of returning to give back, and it’s everything I hoped it would be. I’ve seen students who were in Form 1 when I was in Form 6 who said, ‘Oh Nadia, look at you now!’ and I told them, ‘Everything is possible. You just have to believe in it,’ she says.
Returning alongside Nadia was Erneus, Class of 2020, who vividly recalls his first health check after joining St Jude’s in 2018 as a Form 5 student. “I was so happy as I had never had a check-up like that before. We were advised on how to improve our health, and it was crucial for me. It’s very fulfilling to now be a part of something that helped me in the past.”
After graduating with a degree in Biotechnology and Public Health in 2024, Erneus felt there was no better way to kickstart his career than applying his skills at the place that helped shape his future.
“It’s my first time volunteering in the Health Check team, and I’m learning a lot. It is so rewarding to see the students’ reactions and learn from an international cohort of experts,” says Erneus.
“I have been working in the vision team, helping assess students’ eyesight to identify any issues that could affect their learning ability. If not detected, these issues can grow and start to impact a student’s education, which is why the health checks are so important,” he says.
Like Erneus and Nadia, Winniefreda, from the Class of 2019, also volunteered in the vision team this year. She describes her return to St Jude’s as a homecoming. “I spent so much of my life here,” she says. “Being back feels like coming home. St Jude’s is where I learned and grew, and now I’m able to return the care that I once received.”
In 2023, Winniefreda completed her Bachelor of Nursing and Midwifery. She now works at a hospital in Arusha and doubles as a private nurse, providing home care as part of the government’s clinical nursing program.
“It’s incredible to see how much the school has grown. What excites me is knowing that we’re helping students who could very well be the next generation of health professionals. Some of the students we helped this year could be in our position in the future. That’s the power of St Jude’s. It always comes back around,” she says.
Nadia, Winniefreda, and Erneus are prime examples of how a St Jude’s education creates a ripple effect, coming full circle to give back to their communities and inspire future generations.
At the break of dawn, the silence is broken by the roar of St Jude's buses as they emerge from the school gates. An hour later, they return full of students and staff, all eager to start the day. With their characteristic yellow colour, distinctive animal on the side, and the school name, St Jude's bus fleet has become an iconic sight throughout the streets of Arusha, Tanzania. Today, let's take a closer look at the key numbers associated with St Jude's school buses.
