An Education In Memory Of Faletolutasi Tupu Siliga

Hey, my name is Adam Pomfret.

As most of you are aware, we lost our good friend Tolu, on 4th June 2023.

For all who knew him, I’m sure you’ll agree, he was a beautiful, quiet, caring, most generous man, with that beaming, infectious smile. A friend to all who knew him.

We had travelled together for the last 23 years, visiting all corners of the globe.

Our last trip together, was in January 2023, when my wife Janette, arranged her birthday trip to Kenya. 15 of us travelled, Tolu being with us.

One morning, whilst in Samburu, a remote village in the deserts of Kenya, we were drinking coffee and talking with a staff member from The Safari Collection Foundation, Footprint. She explained to us that the 8 girls, smartly dressed and about to leave her office, had won scholarships to attend a boarding high school for 4 years. A conversation ensued and we were made aware, that although relatively new, every child that had gone into this program, (from 500 applicants from the region each year, had not only graduated the school, but, then gone on to complete college/university degrees. Most had returned to local villages, in a variety of roles from Doctors, Nurses, Lawyers to help educate and give back to their own community.

We asked what the cost was to send a girl to school for 4 years. The answer was 4 thousand dollars. High school education in Kenya isn’t free.

At this point, Tolu, as was his way said, he would pay for a child to attend high school.

A conversation started between all of us and it was agreed, we’d try a fundraiser by way of a triathlon (Janette and I had done this before) to raise enough money to send one child to school. That way Tolu wasn’t paying the whole amount.

We have now put together a team, that will compete in the Hermosa Beach triathlon, on August 13th 2023.

We can’t think of a more wonderful way, for Tolus name and legacy to live on, than placing a child through school in his honor.

If you’d like to honor Tolus memory and contribute to something, he genuinely wanted to be involved with, please donate and send a child to school.

If you’d like to research the Footprint Foundation, it can be found under The Safari Collection, Sasaab.

Many Thanks

Adam Pomfret