NEW classroom have been built for a deprived Tanzanian school, thanks to donations raised through a regular curry club.

Veninder Dhaliwal, 46, of Burnham, and her husband Pip, founded the ‘Great Expectations’ charity back in 2015 with the aim of creating long-term positive change in deprived communities by improving access to education. Their first major undertaking, over two years in the making, was the construction of two new classrooms for the Elerai School, in Arusha, Tanzania. The school serves over 1,000 pupils, but is so overcrowded students have to attend in either a morning or afternoon shift in order to ensure classroom space.

Mrs Dhaliwal, a Slough solicitor, said: “We took the view that we could help these communities by giving young people a better chance through education. They could become doctors, engineers, giving them skills for a lifetime and a brighter future.

“We met the headmaster of Elerai in 2015, and asked what we could do to help – he said more classrooms was what the school needed the most. He said children here would love to come to school, but its not always easy for them.”

Mrs Dhaliwal raised the £10,000 required for the new classrooms, that were completed early this year, through a series of curry clubs, popular social events that raised significant contributions for the new charity. The new classrooms can house 200 students, relieving pressure on the overburdened school.

Mrs Dhaliwal said: “We are greatly indebted to the curry club participants for helping us achieve our goals.”

Mrs Dhaliwal’s work is not finished yet, as she is planning further additions to Elerai School, including new books for the students and a generator to supply the school with electricity.

The couple hopes their four children will continue to expand and grow the charity, for the benefit of future generations.