The school officially opened in January 2007, Summer in Tanzania, and four of the Azar team organisers returned to Dodoma shortly after to see how things were progressing.

When they arrived they were delighted to meet with Dina, the school’s Headteacher and her staff - two other teachers, Flora and Mlingi. They were then taken to the classrooms to see the children - 155 new first year students all sitting at desks eager to learn.

Caroline, Liz, Craig and Simon were all deeply moved to finally see the bright smiling faces of these children in the Azar school after the three long years of planning. It was a very emotional experience for them all.

Liz had brought pictures and letters of greeting from the children of her own school in Lewisham and they were given to Dina to put on the walls and read out.

The children sang songs to them and said what they hoped to be when the grow up, “president!, soldier!, doctor!, footballer!, nurse!”

Simon and Caroline handed over some £600 worth of schoolbooks which had been purchased by them from money donated by friends and family. Dina and her teachers hugged them with delight! The school was not due to receive any money for resources until July 2007 and so these were desperately needed.