Lift New Forest students help transform Kenyan schools on life-changing trip

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A group of young people, part of a student trip from Kenyan schools and Lift New Forest, stand smiling in front of a yellow sign that says You are now crossing the Equator with an Africa map illustration. Trees and buildings frame the cloudy sky.
A group of young people, part of a student trip from Kenyan schools and Lift New Forest, stand smiling in front of a yellow sign that says You are now crossing the Equator with an Africa map illustration. Trees and buildings frame the cloudy sky.

Students build classrooms and deliver donations to local communities

Students from Lift New Forest have returned home from a volunteering trip to Kenya, where they supported two local schools through hands-on building projects and classroom activities.

A group of 29 students took part in the trip, organised by African Adventures Foundation, working alongside local communities throughout the week.

During their time in the East African country, they built and painted furniture, laid concrete and tiled floors. By the end of the trip, they had completed 22 chairs and fully tiled a classroom.

Students also taught lessons and spent time playing and interacting with children aged between 18 months and seven years old, building strong connections across the week.

The group delivered a large number of donations, including educational resources, clothing and food, with 16 suitcases of items shared between the two schools.

One teacher described the moment the donations were distributed as “like Christmas” for the children.

Students also helped to wash the children’s hands, a simple act which staff said highlighted the contrast in daily life and the importance of basic resources.

Alongside the volunteering work, students enjoyed a number of cultural experiences, including a safari, a visit to the Great Rift Valley, Thomson Falls and a giraffe sanctuary.

The trip concluded with a celebration alongside the African Adventures team, giving students the chance to reflect on their achievements and the connections they had made.

  • A group of young people, part of a student trip from Kenyan schools and Lift New Forest, stand smiling in front of a yellow sign that says You are now crossing the Equator with an Africa map illustration. Trees and buildings frame the cloudy sky.
  • Several people sit on a tiled classroom floor with painted walls and educational posters. A wheelbarrow, broom, and buckets hint at renovation work—possibly part of a Lift New Forest student trip supporting Kenyan schools.
  • Student volunteers mix cement with shovels inside a classroom adorned with colourful educational posters and a large Kenyan flag on the wall. Sunlight shines in from above, capturing the spirit of Kenyan schools and community involvement.
  • A young woman stands outside with three smiling children. Two girls wear red jumpers, and one girl wears a light-coloured dress. Other children, possibly New Forest pupils, play in the background near a weathered building with an open blue door.
  • Three boys work together on a woodworking project, assembling a wooden frame on the floor—a scene inspired by student volunteering often seen in Kenyan schools. Tools and wood pieces are scattered around as they collaborate and assist each other.
  • A smiling boy with blond hair gives thumbs up as a younger child wearing a brown hat, sunglasses, and matching outfit sits on his shoulders, also giving thumbs up. They’re outdoors during their life-changing trip with Lift New Forest, with people and buildings behind them.
  • A woman blows bubbles outside while several young children in red and grey uniforms—likely from Kenyan schools—excitedly reach for them. A stone building and a few other children are visible in the background.


The school thanked Aeropark for supporting the trip through a charity golf day, which raised more than £12,000 and helped fund a significant proportion of the project work, including feeding and sanitation programmes.

They also thanked parents for collecting donations, and ExxonMobil for providing pencil cases and bags, as well as safety goggles and gloves used during the work.

Kelly Pratt, trip lead and Inclusion Manager at Lift New Forest, said: “This was an unforgettable and genuinely life-changing experience for everyone involved.

From the magic of the safari and waterfalls to the time spent volunteering in two schools, it was both inspiring and humbling.

Our students should be incredibly proud of how they approached the trip.

They showed kindness, resilience, patience and compassion throughout, fully embracing every challenge and every opportunity to make a difference.

It was emotional, eye-opening and at times overwhelming, but above all deeply rewarding.

Seeing their confidence and understanding grow over the course of the trip has been nothing short of amazing.”

Rob Forder, Principal of Lift New Forest, said: “This experience will stay with our students for life.

It gave them a real insight into different ways of life and the challenges faced by communities in the region, while also showing the impact that small acts of support and teamwork can have when people come together.”