Gemma is the only daughter of Sue and Basil Rice. They raised their eight children on a fine wool sheep station just out of Armidale on the New England Tablelands, about a six-hour drive north of Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Gemma with her seven brothers.
From left: Matthew, Tim, Patrick, James, Benn, Daniel and Nick

After completing secondary school as a boarder at St Vincent's College, Potts Point in Sydney, Gemma went on to obtain her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Melbourne, a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours from Northern Territory University and a Graduate Diploma in Education from The University of New England.

Gemma with her parents Sue and Basil Rice.

At 22 years of age, with the passion and zeal inherited from her ancestor, Edmund Rice (founder of the Christian Brothers movement), Gemma set off to Africa to teach mathematics, science and sewing to girls in Kalungu, a rural village near Masaka township in the middle of Uganda, East Africa.

The years spent in Africa were tough but rewarding years for Gemma as she witnessed and personally experienced a gamut of life's character building lessons. These lessons were gleaned from incredible hardship and painful loss (not least of which, watching her close friend, Gertrude, dying of AIDS), and rich rewards reaped from seeing many triumphs over adversity and forming strong and lasting friendships, including her best friend, soul mate and now husband, Richard Sisia.

Gemma and Gertrude - it was a loyal and loving friend that Gemma lost when Gertrude passed away from AIDS.

As well as developing and running a successful and fast-growing school and working ceaselessly for a safari company, Gemma and Richard have started a family!

Richard and Gemma - an ocean and a continent separated them... but not for long.

Wide-eyed, chubby cheeked, curly-haired Nathaniel and Jacob – more successful and fast-growing projects! They provide so much joy and amusement, and not only for their adoring parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins – the many members of the school's changing community share in the thrills and spills and provide endless cuddles and playmate opportunities.

Jacob, the younger of the boys, seems to have more energy than his parents together! Nathaniel loves to keep his parents busy!

And how could we forget the newest addition to the St Jude's family, little Isabella who was born in April 2008.She is as cute as a button and proves to be the main attraction in the office as she gets passed from one adoring admirer to another on her daily visits.

Gemma is the only daughter of Sue and Basil Rice. They raised their eight children on a fine wool sheep station just out of Armidale on the New England Tablelands, about a six-hour drive north of Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Gemma with her seven brothers.
From left: Matthew, Tim, Patrick, James, Benn, Daniel and Nick

After completing secondary school as a boarder at St Vincent's College, Potts Point in Sydney, Gemma went on to obtain her Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Melbourne, a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours from Northern Territory University and a Graduate Diploma in Education from The University of New England.

Gemma with her parents Sue and Basil Rice.

At 22 years of age, with the passion and zeal inherited from her ancestor, Edmund Rice (founder of the Christian Brothers movement), Gemma set off to Africa to teach mathematics, science and sewing to girls in Kalungu, a rural village near Masaka township in the middle of Uganda, East Africa.

The years spent in Africa were tough but rewarding years for Gemma as she witnessed and personally experienced a gamut of life's character building lessons. These lessons were gleaned from incredible hardship and painful loss (not least of which, watching her close friend, Gertrude, dying of AIDS), and rich rewards reaped from seeing many triumphs over adversity and forming strong and lasting friendships, including her best friend, soul mate and now husband, Richard Sisia.

Gemma and Gertrude - it was a loyal and loving friend that Gemma lost when Gertrude passed away from AIDS.

As well as developing and running a successful and fast-growing school and working ceaselessly for a safari company, Gemma and Richard have started a family!

Richard and Gemma - an ocean and a continent separated them... but not for long.

Wide-eyed, chubby cheeked, curly-haired Nathaniel and Jacob – more successful and fast-growing projects! They provide so much joy and amusement, and not only for their adoring parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins – the many members of the school's changing community share in the thrills and spills and provide endless cuddles and playmate opportunities.

Jacob, the younger of the boys, seems to have more energy than his parents together! Nathaniel loves to keep his parents busy!

And how could we forget the newest addition to the St Jude's family, little Isabella who was born in April 2008.She is as cute as a button and proves to be the main attraction in the office as she gets passed from one adoring admirer to another on her daily visits.