HE MAY not have slayed a dragon or wear a halo but to school children in the little village of Shanzu, Ron Cavie is a “living Saint” and an “Angel on earth”.
The retired postman stamped his place on the suburb in Mombasa, Africa - 6000 miles from his home town of Prestatyn - after delivering St Ronnie’s Academy.
The 68-year-old grandad founded the school - which opened its doors with just nine pupils - in January 2013. He has since spent three years tirelessly fundraising and transforming the build - which started life as a derelict building with “not even any plaster on the walls” - to what it is now, a well-loved and first-class stamp worthy establishment with six classrooms that caters for 121 children.
Pupils standing outside the school
Last Monday (August 29) was the start of a new term for pupils at St Ronnie’s; the school broke up for two weeks over the Summer. Ron is to fly out to say a happy ‘jambo’ to the children in October.
The father, who has three children of his own - Martin, Julie and Rachel and a grandson Joshua - even hopes to embark on a new project after Lilian (Lilly) Pendo, headteacher at St Ronnie’s Academy, spied that a building, next door to the school, had become vacant; The mother of four daughters, two of which are twins, is in the process of negotiating the rent on the building.
Ron said: “The school is very full now. When I visit in October, I will have two suitcases full of pencils, books, pens, rulers, crayons, tennis balls, skipping ropes and toys. The little ones go crazy when I turn up, it brings tears to my eyes.
Ron trying to get the children to calm down. The children were excited as the school was hosting a party
“I am so glad this has happened to me. It has changed the life of the children of Shanzu and my life. It has made retirement so worthwhile.”
Ron first went to Kenya on holiday in 2009. He previously worked as a postman and before that, as an entertainment host for First Choice.
”I used to travel the world,” he said. “That is what gave me the travel bug.”
When in Kenya, Ron had a desire to discover the ‘real Africa’. Whilst out walking, he came across a dirt track which led him to the village of Shanzu and school – Little Angels. He offered his support to the school and visited the venue every year.
On a visit back to Little Angels in 2012, Ron met Lilly - a teacher at the school – and the duo struck up a friendship.
Lilly and Ron at a school party. The pair have become great friends
The Rhyl Pavilion Theatre volunteer explained: “Lilly told me how it had become her dream to have a school she could run with her friend Celestine, another teacher at Little Angels. The school was becoming overcrowded.
“She found a building about a mile away, it was a house but we knew it was ideal.”
Ron and Lilly started work on transforming the build; which had no windows and no electric. With the help of locals, the duo painted inside and out and sourced a carpenter to make six desks and a chalkboard.
“I remember the morning I first saw the building,” Ron said. “It was run down and needed everything you could think of.
“The most beneficial thing we did was to have fresh water piped in. It cost about £300 but it was well worth it, not only to make life easier for staff but when the parents heard we had fresh water, the children started to register at an amazing rate.
“Looking back to after the first week we opened, I remember Lilly’s determination. As the weeks went on, she had 500 leaflets printed advertising the school.
“When I returned to Prestatyn, she would email me most days: ‘Ronnie, we have two new children today’, ‘Great news, twins have arrived.’ It was fantastic.”
Ron said St Ronnie’s Academy has become “the main part of his life”. He credited his friends and supporters in North wales who have helped with his fundraising and with the growth of the school. Ron runs quiz nights and hosts talks to raise money.
“Without our friends from North Wales, St Ronnie’s would not have been so big. It is so important for me to say thank you and to show my appreciation,” he said.
Lilly added that the pupils were “really waiting” to meet Ron again in October.
“I can’t believe my eyes, the school is growing so fast,” she said. “It means God is on our side. He planned for St Ronnie’s and we really appreciate it.
”Ronnie has transformed the community and he has created employment to the people around. He is our living saint, our angel of earth, the father of many children. He means a lot to the pupils.
“I am from a humble family. Teaching is the best job in the world, to make children happy, to learn and have a great childhood.”
“Lilly is a great friend,” Ron added. “Never have I come across anyone who is so determined to to make a go of her life and to help the children of Shanzu.”