Gemma was raised on a sheep farm between Guyra and Tingha, and spent her school days at Holy Trinity up until year 10 when she attended St Vincent’s College in Sydney.

After studying teaching at university, she headed to East Africa where she worked in a school run by the Sacred Heart Convent.

On her return to Australia, she convinced family and friends to put money towards sponsoring schoolchildren and it was there she fostered the idea of setting up a school in Africa.

The School of St Jude is in Moshono, four kilometres from Arusha, the safari capital of East Africa.

The primary school was founded in 2002, starting with three students.

It is now bursting at the seams with 1151.

Planning and construction have started on a second primary, and two new secondary schools with cork completed on two boarding schools, the foundation for what Gemma envisages will be a network of independent schools in East Africa.

Gemma has a strong connection with Inverell and many locals have helped the idea of the School of St Jude become a reality.

"Local Rotary Clubs were one of the first to help me with fundraising and building of the school, and many people still support us,” she said.

The School of St Jude is open to the poorest and brightest children in Tanzania and takes in 150 new students every year, which means six new classrooms have to be built each year, to considerable expense, as the school does not receive any funding from the Tanzanian government.

The school provides the children with uniforms, transport to and from school and a hot meal, snacks and drinks as well as a quality learning experience that has placed the school in the top percentile in the country.

Gemma and the story of the School of St Jude has been widely documented, with the ABC Television documentary program Australian Story featuring her on a program as well as Gemma’s memoir St Jude’s.

Gemma said anyone could get involved with the School of St Jude by sponsorship or by donating goods.

While Gemma is in Australia on tour the Lonely Planet company has made a pledge to match any donations dollar for dollar.

To hear Gemma speak at her old school about her work in Africa, contact Rosemary Breen on 6722 1537 or call into Regency Jewellers, Byron St, Inverell.

The free event at the Holy Trinity School Hall on Sunday starts at 7pm.