Meet Our Extraordinary Team
HRH Princess Beatrice of York
Patron, Northwood African Education Foundation
“I am proud to be patron of this extraordinary endeavour. One that shares the most precious and enduring of gifts with those who will not take it for granted. I am grateful to all of you who’ve made this possible and continue to drive forward this unique model as a beacon of compassion.”
Founders of NAEF
Sir Malcolm Colquhoun
Malcolm Colquhoun is a Scottish farmer and landowner who came into education by accident almost thirty years go, when Katharine Mears (now Lady Colquhoun) asked him to help out with the administrative side of the school she had just founded, Broomwood Hall. He now divides his time between Scotland and London, with frequent trips to Ethiopia to oversee the progress on St George’s School which is, he says, “the most exciting thing I have ever done”.
Lady Katharine Colquhoun
Katharine Colquhoun trained as a teacher in Australia before returning to her native England and founding Broomwood Hall School in 1984 with just 12 pupils. Subsequently she and her husband Malcolm established Northcote Lodge, a boys prep school in 1993 and Northwood Senior in 2022. Between them, the schools educate 850 children in Wandsworth, London, between the ages of 4 and 16.
Since moving on from Northwood schools in 2021, Katharine has played a more active role overseeing the development of secondary education for the pupils of St Georges and is currently working on plans for their future. With the first students leaving school in July 2026 there needs to be a smooth transition to tertiary institutions, vocational training or local employment.
2024 marks the tenth anniversary of St George’s School and there will be a wide range of celebratory events.
Trustees
Nick Wilcock
Chairman
Georgia Dawson
Evrim Maitland
Patrick Colquhoun
Rupert Fane
Lucy Brooke
UK Team
Adam Sibley
Chief Executive Officer
Charmian Dawnay
Governance Support
Victoria Tindall
Finance Director
Vicky Middleton
Sponsorship Associate
Ethiopia Team
Birara Asmare
School Headmaster & Country Director
The Start
Northwood African Education Foundation was established in 2011 by parents, children and staff at Broomwood Hall, an independent school in south west London.
The charity's aim was to build and run a new school for orphans and the most vulnerable children in Ethiopia, integrating the high standards of education the children in London enjoy with the best of the Ethiopian curriculum.
Named after St George, the patron saint of both Ethiopia and England, St George's is an independent co-educational school that focuses its efforts on orphans and the most vulnerable children in Ethiopia.
The School
The charity's aim was to build and run a new school for orphans and the most vulnerable children in Ethiopia aged between 4 and 18, integrating the high standards of education the children in London enjoy with the best of the Ethiopian curriculum
With the support of generous corporate and individual donors, we opened the doors of St George's School in Azezo, northern Ethiopia in 2014, offering a free, rounded education to help children who would not otherwise have had such a chance.
The Children
With over 400 children now attending St George's, our aim is to keep both boys and girls in education to 18, with a higher than average number progressing to university. We support job entry and apprenticeships for others, offering a variety of practical vocational training opportunities.
Academic results in 2019 were four times better than the national average, and in a country where half of all children leave school by the age of eight, our retention rate over the 2018/19 academic year is an extraordinary 100 per cent.
We have also embarked on new programmes to demonstrate our potential to be a force for good across the local community, supporting jobs, promoting health and wellbeing and sharing facilities and expertise with other local schools.
Governance
We do all we can to ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of St George’s School in Ethiopia:
NAEF operates a constitution or Charitable Incorporated Organisation
We comply with charity regulations both in the UK and Ethiopia
NAEF is registered with UK Charity Commission Charity number 1153346
Our Ethiopia branch is listed as a foreign NGO in Ethiopia under the name St George’s School
We ensure 100% of money raised goes directly to the project in Ethiopia.
Direction and funding of St George’s remains under NAEF UK
St George’s has its own bank account managed by local staff
NAEF provides monthly grants to St George’s to fund day-to-day operational costs
Ringfenced funds for the running of the school and education of the children is covered by child sponsorship, Northwood Schools children and Parents Association
To continue our success we believe we need to ensure the following;
Minimise drop-out rate
Deliver quality education to help the children increase their future income-generation possibilities and bring prosperity to themselves, their family and their community
Ensure 80% of St George’s children pass their exams in key curriculum subjects
Provide 2 nutritious meals per day to aid concentration, growth and development
Be proactive in healthcare and hygiene, teaching children the importance of these in classes
Offer community members learning opportunities, support and micro-financing projects
We have changed the traditional education model in Ethiopia by creating a school that is the centre of the whole community offering full time education, 360-degree healthcare and community support.
Ringfenced funds for projects and programmes i.e. building and facilities are raised by donors, trusts and fundraising events
Building work is carried out by local contractors
UK architect regularly visits to oversee and liaise with Ethiopian project manager, ensuring work is completed to highest standard in line with the original plan and budget
All administration and governance fees are covered by an individual donor