Due to chronic inflation, the divide between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ is widening. Most of Jofi’s pupils are on the ‘have not’ end of the scale. To combat hunger, Luigi’s Hotel is now offering all Jofi’s pupils a high protein, nutritious main meal with meat or fish, rice or pasta every day which can sustain the children for longer.

Since 2012, Jofi School has relied on the generous sponsorship of pupils from donors all over the world. The Nursery school has grown from 20 students to 120 students and the individual sponsors now cover around 50% of the children.

Jofi School finishes in Grade 6 (age 11) meaning the pupils’ education is likely to finish at that point as the state-run secondary school has limited spaces and the parents need to pay for uniforms and textbooks. A major donor and sponsor from the UK, Chris Bialan, on understanding school for his sponsored pupils finished at aged 11, bought the land to create the Jofi High School.

The water supply was sometimes so bad at the Jofi School that there was no water for three days at a time. The school had a 2000 litre tank to store water in but this quickly ran out. In 2023, thanks to Chris Bialan, Jofi School bored a hole to secure a steady supply of water for the school.

All Jofi’s pupils are taken once a year, one class at a time, on a field trip to gain valuable experiences outside of the classroom. Some children haven’t been further than walking distance of the school.

From museum visits, farms, and animal sanctuaries to tech labs and trade fairs, the children’s worlds are expanded and enriched for a fuller education.