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Anne Bailey sits in the primary assembly hall, facing out across the lawn. She stares at a building with a low-hanging, green tin roof 鈥� the first-ever building of St Jude鈥檚, which today is the Visitors鈥� Centre.

Behind this stands a building that looks like a house. Indeed, in the very early days, it used to be the home of Founder, Gemma and her husband, Richard. Today it hosts the IT Department.

As Anne looks out, she recalls the story of how her daughter, Angela, once stood there with Gemma, looking out over what was nothing but a cornfield. 

Gemma turns to Angela and announces 鈥� 鈥淚鈥檓 going to build a school here!鈥�

鈥淲e鈥檝e always believed in Gemma and her vision,鈥� Anne explains. With her daughter having travelled halfway across the world to join in the venture, it鈥檚 easy to see why Anne was keen to remain optimistic. 

Today, Anne is spending time with the new Form 1 students, helping them to settle into St Jude鈥檚. With a background in English Second Language (ESL) teaching and decades鈥� worth of experience assisting adults and children by teaching intensive English courses, she is a particularly useful visitor. 

Unlike the students who have continued into secondary from studying at St Jude鈥檚 primary school, the new Form 1s who have joined this year from government schools have never had their lessons taught in English before, and are some way behind their peers in comprehension and confidence.

But she is also here to be with her daughter, Deputy Director of St Jude鈥檚, Angela, as the school celebrates yet another landmark 鈥� the opening of St Jude鈥檚 Girls鈥� Secondary School.

Over the past 18 years, there has been an enormous amount of people along the way who have helped make St Jude鈥檚 the school it is today. Teachers, volunteers, sponsors and of course, the students.

The Bailey family have been with St Jude鈥檚 since the beginning, maintaining a connection that lasts to this day. 

鈥淚 remember when the library was first built 鈥� it had a staircase to the second floor,鈥� says Anne. 鈥淥ne of the parents had never used stairs before, these are the things you remember.鈥� 

Back then, the road outside St Jude鈥檚 was filled with potholes, rocks and dirt (today it鈥檚 made of tarmac) and the only way to get into town was by hitching a ride. 

As we begin 2020, St Jude鈥檚 has close to 1,800 students, and 400 of them are in the midst of celebrating the opening of their very own St Jude鈥檚 Girls鈥� Secondary School. The importance of educating girls resonates with Anne.

鈥淲hen I was younger there were less chances to go to university,鈥� says Anne, who is now 67 years old.

In the 90鈥檚 she decided to go to university as a mature-age student, and during her time there she met other women who were a similar age to her. She remembers one friend who had had to leave school so she could work to support her brother鈥檚 education. 

鈥淲hen I was in my 20鈥檚 people tended to marry younger,鈥� says Anne. 鈥淲omen were more likely to be bringing up a family than setting out on a career path and some people thought it wasn鈥檛 necessary for women to have a tertiary education.鈥� 

Times and attitudes have changed in her homeland, Australia, since then and Anne sees a new horizon for the girls attending St Jude鈥檚 now too. 

鈥淭hese girls will be able to follow their passions and go far,鈥� says Anne. 鈥淭hey just have to go for it!鈥�

Angela, agrees. 

鈥淭hey should be able to be independent and follow their dreams,鈥� says Angela. 鈥淎nd if they get married, it should be their choice.鈥� 

For Anne and Angela both, the opening ceremony for the girls鈥� school will be a day to remember.

鈥淚 was walking through the girls鈥� school yesterday,鈥� says Angela. 鈥淎nd one of the Form 1 students who I鈥檝e known since primary school called out to me.鈥� 

鈥淚 asked her how she felt and she said she was really excited. That鈥檚 when it sunk in for me and I thought to myself 鈥� 鈥渢his is such an awesome thing!鈥�