Lunchtime Speaker-Natalie Hernandez

Guest Speaker: Natalie Hernandez

This week’s speaker was Natalie Hernandez, a Brighton Beachside Rotary Club member and founder of Chat Club, which supports disadvantaged children in East Africa.

Origins of Chat Club

After retiring from British Airways, Natalie shifted her focus to Kenya, where students needed help with:

• Life skills development
• Self-confidence and self-worth

She recruited mentors and involved UK 6th formers, leading to the creation of Chat Club, now a UK-registered charity.

Chat Club Partnerships

Chat Club works with East African schools and orphanages, including:

• Zanzibar Learning 4 Life: 400 students
• Children's Garden Home (CGH) in Kenya: 500 students

UK Schools Involved

Three UK schools are part of Chat Club:

• Charters School (Ascot)
• Canford School (Dorset)
• LVS School (Ascot)

Mentoring and Impact

Mentors work with students aged 12-17 for 3-4 months, improving:

• Life and language skills
• Cross-cultural understanding

Over 100 children are involved, with 23 UK mentors.

Fundraising

Chat Club raises money for:

• Sponsoring education
• Facility improvements, including a £4,000 donation for CGH toilets and showers
• £8,000 for a new science block

Support comes from donations, fundraising events, and local communities.

Conclusion

Carol thanked Natalie for her inspiring presentation.