This week, one of IBSF’s early board members came back to Ishahayi to visit. Lindy Edwards was involved with IBSF almost from the beginning, and was instrumental in the production of (as well as a contributor to!) our very first fundraiser, the book Nigerian Gems.

After three years of involvement with the Foundation, Lindy and her husband moved from away Lagos in February 2008. While she kept tabs on the Foundation from afar, she hadn’t visited Ishahayi in five years’ time. In the boat on the way there, current board members assured her how excited Lady Salami (the school’s headmistress) would be to see her. Indeed she was.

Lindy Edwards and Lady Salami greet each other after a five-year absence.

While living in Lagos, Lindy was also an active volunteer with the Motherless Babies Home in Alpere-Ketu. Her affection for the Nigeria’s children is clearly undiminished, and the younger students clamored to be near her.

Lindy Edwards is snapped with three young students from the Light Nursery and Primary School.

Lady Salami gave Lindy a tour of the school, and proudly showed off the student’s current work and accomplishments. When we reached the Primary 6 classroom, our current Chairperson Robbin Unietis commented that these students were old enough to remember Lindy. And as Lady introduced “Mrs. Edwards” to the class, a young student named Gabriel remembered her and called her by her first name.

Gabriel, Primary 6 student, and Lindy Edwards are reunited.

The Ishahayi Beach School Foundation has been shaped by many volunteers. Most live in Lagos only for a few years, and few get to come back to visit. Lindy helped the Light Nursery and Primary School grow from an original thatched shack holding 70 students to a 6-classroom brick building holding more than 100 students. As the school now packs more than 180 children into the same space, and the Foundation begins our second major building project at Ishahayi, we were pleased to share the changes from the past five years. Lindy, it was our pleasure to escort you back to the beach school. Come back soon!