Speakers

The School of St Jude is a charity-funded independent school in Arusha, Tanzania, founded in 2002 by Australian Gemma Sisia with the mission of “fighting poverty through education.” It provides 100 % free, high-quality primary and secondary schooling to academically promising children from impoverished backgrounds, now educating around 1,800 students across three campuses with boarding for secondary students and over 300 local Tanzanian staff. St Jude’s also supports graduates into higher education and places volunteer teachers in government schools. Scholarships cover uniforms, meals, transport and resources, helping break the cycle of poverty and build future leaders.​

Gemma grew up on a property near Guyra, New South Wales, and studied science and education in Melbourne, the Northern Territory and Armidale. At 22, she volunteered as a teacher in Uganda, where she met her husband, Richard Sisia. Returning to Australia, she fundraised to establish The School of St Jude in Tanzania, which now provides free, quality education to 1,800 students.

Faith Samwel is a graduate of The School of St Jude, Class of 2020, raised by her mother as one of five sisters. After excelling in science and mathematics, she completed community service as a volunteer teacher before earning a full scholarship to study civil engineering. Graduating in 2025, Faith is her family’s first engineer and the founder of the growing hair-care business, Hair Gallery.

Rion Ahl has made a lasting impact on the Boroondara community through his work in youth education, healthcare and public engagement. As co-founder of 50Coach and 100Coach, he has helped make high-quality tutoring more accessible to students, and created Free VCE Notes, supporting thousands of Victorian students. Rion was named Young Citizen of the Year, receiving this honour alongside our wonderful club member Teresa Molella, who received Citizen of the Year. He regularly visits schools to speak on motivation, resilience and wellbeing, drawing on his medical background.

Elaine Pratley is the founder of Peace Kitchen, an Australian social enterprise that supports refugees and people seeking asylum through food, skills training, and community connection. Elaine believes in empowerment over charity, using cooking as a practical pathway to confidence, dignity, and belonging. Through Peace Kitchen, she brings people together across cultures, creating opportunities for newcomers to share their talents, build independence, and contribute meaningfully to the Australian community.