TEN years ago a Carnforth man went on holiday to watch gorillas in Uganda and his life was changed. What he saw made Mike Willetts set out to improve the lives of orphaned African children – and thanks to his efforts the Kitale School was born. Here, ANNA SMITH takes a look at how the project has thrived under Mike’s watch, helping its youngsters to escape a lifetime of poverty.

NOBODY can accuse Mike Willetts of doing anything half-heartedly, least of all when it comes to the project he set up in rural Africa.

Not content with founding a school which now serves 350 children, he has also launched dozens of sub-projects to help it thrive and expand - and his ever-ending stream of ideas brings it closer every day to self-sufficiency.

"There's always something new in the pipeline," he laughs.

"I'm not one to sit back. We want the school to be self-funding and that has required hard work."

The 72-year-old set up the school, located 100 miles from Kampala, after visiting Uganda in 2002 on a ‘Gorillas in the Mist’ tour.

As part of the holiday he trekked through remote villages and towns and was left shocked at the poverty he encountered along the way.

So, unable to simply return to his life in Warton, near Carnforth, he set out to raise £5,000 - and journeyed back with the cash three years later.

He was pointed in the direction of Kitale by a local aid organisation, where he offered to use the money for either a school or a better water supply.

To his surprise, the elders of the town chose a new school, so that the youngsters might have more chances than them.

"I was overwhelmed at that," he says. "I thought they’d choose water, I really did."

Fate then lent a helping hand, when an official from the area of Buganda heard about his plight and donated land for the school to be built on.

Since then, thanks to hard work by him and others he has recruited along the way, he has seen the school grow from three classrooms with 75 pupils to a building bustling with almost 350 children - mainly orphans - aged between five and 16.

There are now seven classrooms, an office, library, staffroom and guest house, and the personnel includes seven teachers, a community liaison officer, a maintenance manager and a project manager.

But education is the tip of the iceberg in a school which Mike hopes will eventually be able to fund itself.

"We've already introduced several projects which will help it become self-sustaining," he said. "Progress has been unbelievable.

"And there's more to come. I have a lot of ideas but it's a case of working out what's realistic."

In recent years Mike has identified a demand for pork in the area, so money has been invested in a piggery.

He realised eggs could be sold in the wider area, so chickens have been bought - and it is hoped they will number around 1,000 by next June.

Mike and wife, Linda, have also travelled to Kitale with members of the Lunesdale Rotary Club, taking knickers, sewing machines and accessories to the school, where they taught young women to make underwear and sanitary protection.

Outside of the school Mike has helped set up a 'savings and loan' scheme and a 'women's empowerment initiative', which has seen residents taught to makes cakes, crafts and pineapple wine, among other things, which has brought money in through sales.

In addition, hundreds of children have been vaccinated against diseases such as malaria, all pupils have been given a pair of shoes, and several school leavers have now been employed full-time tending to the grounds of the school itself.

"The idea is that through education and training plus a little help from us we will turn this community from destitute to self-sufficient," continues Mike.

But he is keen to stress he hasn't worked alone, and it is thanks to both individuals and local organisations that the school has done so well.

He reveals that earlier this year a team cycled from Cape Wrath in Scotland to Mount Etna in Sicily and raised more than £11,000.

This was more than the team's initial £10,000 target, and helped to pay for the pig and poultry businesses.

Carnforth Rotary has also given £7,000 for latrines to be built, while the Inner Wheel group provided material for the knickers and sanitary towels.

And readers of the Gazette, who donated money for seeds, have enabled many school leavers to set up their own businesses in the vicinity.

Mike is also now looking to send some children out on day release in the future to learn trades that will gain them employment.

"The school would not have been as successful as it has been were it not for the efforts of other people," he adds.

"So many people have made it what it is.

"Now it is essential it becomes self-sufficient because I and others won't be able to fundraise forever - and it is such a great place that has already helped so many young people."

But, with a twinkle in his eye, he admits he is not ready to step back just yet and both he and wife, Linda, laugh as he reveals he has 'one more idea' up his sleeve.

"I want to set up a cafe in the area - a really nice cafe," he says.

"It would be the place to be and be seen - a really good way of bringing in some more income for local people."

And Linda adds: "He'll always have just one more idea.

"But I went out there for the first time this year and I completely understand.

"The people that have been helped really do appreciate it and it's hard not to keep wanting to do one more thing, and then another thing, and then something else..."

For more information about the school and how to donate visit www.kitaleschooluganda.org