15 years ago, SYL CEO, Laurie Gardner, went on a safari in Tanzania, Africa. Excited to learn that Laurie was an educator, Laurie’s safari guide, Gebra, drove her to his remote village of Meserani. There, he excitedly showed her a few cement blocks outlining the foundation where he planned to build a school. Without a village school, the children had to walk miles to the nearest government school or try to learn under a tree when the strong winds and scorching sun were not too harsh.

Sadly, Gebra died before he could realize his dream. Years later, his son contacted Laurie to tell her that he and his mother were building his father’s beloved school…but they needed help. Thanks to leadership services fees from paying SYL clients and our generous donors, The Gebra Memorial School became a joyful reality. Its mission is to provide a quality education to children who are “marginalized, destitute, and traumatized,” including many who are orphans of the AIDS epidemic.