School For Life Foundation

School For Life Foundation

The 28 year old co-founders of the School For Life Foundation, Annabelle Chauncy and David Everett have both received the OAM in this year's Honours List announced this morning.

The award is recognition of David and Annabelle's achievements since they both founded the organisation at the age of 21 in 2008, building a fully functional primary and vocational school in rural Uganda.

Katuuso Primary and Vocational School provides world-class education to 300 primary students, vocational training to more than 100 adults as well as clean drinking water, electricity, community outreach and medical treatment to the entire community of more than 1000 residents.

Annabelle and David have recently commenced building a sister Secondary School to enable more than 1800 students access to higher education.

School For Life Chairman, Darren Perry comments, 'The Board of School For Life are extremely proud of David and Annabelle's significant achievements at such a young age and we are thrilled that they have been recognised with the OAM today. They are both amazing role models and a joy to be associated with".

Annabelle grew up on a farm in the NSW Southern Highlands. In 2007 she joined the World Youth International Overseas Service Project and spent months in Kenya and Uganda doing aid work.

She returned numerous times over the next few years and led a volunteer school building project in Northern Uganda. Her experience led her to found SFL with David Everett.

In 2012 Annabelle was listed in the Australian Financial Review & Westpac's Top 100 Women of Influence and voted Cosmopolitan Magazine's Role Model of the Year.

She is a Paul Harris Fellow and was the 2014 winner of People's Choice in the Australian Women's Weekly and Qantas' Women of the Future Awards.

David Everett was born in South Africa and spent the first years of his life living in Botswana before moving to Australia. In 2007, David also undertook the World Youth International Overseas Service Project in Kenya, working to construct a women's health clinic, conduct health camps and work with the Red Cross.

David is a Paul Harris Fellow and was recognized as the William Clarke College Alumni of the Year in 2012. He has spent 5 years working in East Africa to set-up School for Life's operations, which included purchasing 43 acres of land, construction of a primary and vocational training school, establishing close government relationships, recruiting staff, and designing and implementing a range of different education, agriculture, health and sanitation programs.