A RETIRED postman who founded a school in Africa had the gift of explaining what a chocolate Easter egg was to children during his latest visit.

Ron Cavie spent a month at St Ronnie’s Academy in the village of Shanzu, a suburb of Mombasa in Kenya.

The school opened its doors with just nine pupils in January 2013. It now has 125.

The Prestatyn fundraiser arrived at the school armed with a suitcase full of gifts, £1,000, an Easter egg and eight bars of chocolate.

The father of three grown-up children and grandfather of one said: “I kept it [the egg] in a little fridge in a shop by the school. Otherwise it would have melted in no time at all – it is so hot. I don’t think any of the children had heard of one, never mind seen one. Lilly Pendo [the headteacher] and the teachers had never seen one.

“The children loved it. I told them the reason for the egg and why we have them to celebrate Jesus rising from the dead. We had to eat it very quickly as it was soon melting – but that was not a problem!”

Lilly has plans to repaint the school in the near future.

Ron said: “She plans to have the bottom half of the walls a dark colour and the top half bright, light colours – yellows, greens, pinks and blues I think. Africans love bright colours.

“I helped create a new kitchen during my visit. We took down the old metal sheets and timber and replaced the walls with concrete blocks which are much stronger and cleaner.

“I showed the children and teachers the Journal and we had a photo with them holding up the paper. They love seeing their school in print – they know they are so famous.”

Ron is already looking forward to returning to the school in October. He also plans to stay for two months next January/February.

He added: “The kitchen looks so much better. I’m always amazed how the cooks can prepare so much food on a fire – they use these huge pans. We had a little party with cake, juice, sweets and of course the Easter egg. The afternoon was spent with singing, dancing, soda, games and we gave out toothbrushes and toothpaste.

“The cooks work so hard. Their salary is about £70 a month, plus food.

“One of my favourite jobs is marking the school work. The children are so keen to learn and try so hard every night with their homework. The highlight is always seeing the children. They shout of my name all the time – ‘Ronnie! Ronnie! Ronnie!’ – and the look on their faces is something I will never forget.

“We have 125 children at the school now. We have lost a few who have moved on to high school, which is a great achievement.

“I’m very happy with the progress being made and how we have grown in such a short space of time.

“I wish the building had a couple more rooms. Lilly is trying to buy a plot of land next to the school so we will see what happens.”