Basori Nursey, toilets, uniforms and 1st Aid training!

We have decided to fund raise for a toilet at the nursery in Basori. The toilet that was there is now dangerous and has been condemned. Consequently for quite some time now the children are having to relieve themselves in the area around the school, which is neither hygienic or dignified. We have had a quote and after much negotiation (as you do in The Gambia!) we have agreed a price of around £550. I have given them so far about £120 to buy sand and cement and to start making blocks in readiness. They have cleared the site of the new toilet and will start digging the soak-away very soon. The toilets will be very simple but safe and easy to keep clean. They will be built in the local style i.e. a hole in the floor but will have a concrete floor and a proper cement soak-away. We need to get the money together as soon as possible so we can complete this job. Any one who would like to donate anything to this cause please contact us.

We have also purchased material and employed the local tailor to make 50 school uniforms for the children who have just started and those whose uniforms have seen better days! The uniforms work out around £3 each but this is just beyond many of the parents. We have asked them to make a small contribution for their uniforms of 15 dalasis (around 35p) and we think most will manage that. If they can't the child will still have their uniforms as it is very important that all the children feel equal.

A further development there is that I have arranged for a charity, First Aid 4 Gambia, to go there on Thursday this week and they will train 10 people, school staff included, in basic first aid. They will then leave a supply of first aid equipment estimated to last a year and will return after that time to offer further training, check the supplies and accident book to see if they tally and replenish where necessary. I am very happy that they have agreed to do this training in Basori, many children get serious infections from quite simple wounds simply because there is no first aid knowledge or supplies there. The clinic is run by a doctor who has many villages to cover and has no medicines or medical supplies to help him in his work. While the training is primarily for the children at the school the skills these people will learn could prove invaluable to others in the village.

Anyone visiting the school in the near future, if you could pop a few plasters, hand sanitiser, calpol and small medical supplies this would be very welcome

Another development there

Short lives

Have recently been informed of the deaths of two young people we know. One was a 6 year girl in Sanyang, she was one of the scouts there. On the Sunday she visited me in Tanji with some of the other Scouts, Monday she was sick and by Thursday she had passed away. Malaria! We went to visit to offer our condolences and were told that only last year her older brother dies from Malaria too. We have now decided to fundraise for mosquito nets for the families of the scouts in Sanyang as very few have these nets. It is only £5 for net so any donations would be gratefully received.

Today I went to Basori with some visitors and was told that the Alkalo's daughter had passed away this morning at the age of 16. She was a diabetic and also contracted TB. Too many children have such short lives here. The village and the family were so apologetic for not greeting us in the usual way with dancing, drumming and lots of noise. Still concerned about us despite their grief.

New Season

The new tourist season starts next week and I have great hopes that we will be able to take many people to visit our projects and witness for themselves the work we are trying to do here.

We have been very busy paying all the school fees in September and October, we try and visit every school and student and if time allows their families too. Many of the children are progressing to higher levels and trying to coordinate payment in time as well as uniforms, shoes, bags, books etc is a big job! Most of them are all sorted out now, there are just a couple of students who did not do well in their grade 9 exams (equivalent to GCSE) who are not sure what they want to do next. We try to encourage those who do not do well academically to go for skills training but we need to establish what skills area is most suited to them. Some want to take grade 9 again but we have found from previous years that it is unlikely they will pass the second time. Skills will give them the ability to earn money for themselves and their families in the future. There are some excellent skills training centres here and they can choose from many areas including, electrical, plumbing, metal work, mechanics, office training, and catering.

We plan to continue fund-raising for the building of the Arabic School. There is not much left to do on the first phase, just painting and finishing off and then we will concentrate on the two smaller classroom blocks we plan to build.

We also want to build a small toilet block for the children at the nursery school in Basori. Presently they do not have any facilities and the children either have to go home or use the area around the school which really is not hygienic or dignified.

Anyone with any ideas for fund-raising or who wants to make a donation to these projects please contact us at goalforthegambia@hotmail.co.uk

Quiet month

August and the beginning of September have been quiet as the schools are all closed for the summer. It has also been Ramadan and as it was my first month to fast I did not have too much energy! The rains have been very heavy the last couple of weeks, sometimes raining all day and all night which is quite unusual. Severe flooding has hit many parts of the country and the government have declared a state of emergency. Sadly many homes have been lost as many people still build with mud blocks which really don't go well with water!

Should be busy over the next couple of weeks as the schools all start to return, many fees to be paid for the sponsored children. Will try and get as many photos as I can for sponsors and will send them when I return to the UK at the end of September for a holiday.

Shop opens in Tanji and Ramadan

We have at last opened the shop in our compound wall. Its main purpose is to sell every day items to local people but we also want to sell some of the 2nd hand stuff we have bought over. We opened on Tuesday, just with the 2nd hand stuff and it was a huge success! At one time there was so many women in the shop they managed to get behind the counter and were opening stuff we had not even put out. Absolute chaos and Sarjo looked as if he had done a day on the battlefield, which in a way I guess he had! The stuff we are selling is donated from various people and places in the UK. A lot of what we are given is donated straight to schools but we are selling some of the clothes, toys etc in the local community as a way of recovering our shipping costs. We are selling the items very cheaply so that the local people can benefit. There is a huge market for 2nd hand goods but often in the bigger markets the prices are still too high for many. Some of the locals even commented on how cheap the items were and what good quality, never heard that in The Gambia where they will generally feign indifference in an attempt to lower the price! The kids come to "help" too and we usually give them a small toy, pencil or something which they are very happy with. Unfortunately so many wanted to "help" that we had to turn some away but most of the children got something on opening day so everyone is happy. Thanks to everyone who has donated items and if you want to donate anything please contact us and we will find a way to collect your items. If you really want the items given away or donated please let us know and we will of course respect that request. However, I hope that most people will understand the need to cover the costs of shipping without taking it out of charity funds.

Yes, its Ramadan now. It started on Wednesday and will last 29 -30 days, depending on the sighting of the new moon. It is a very different Gambia during Ramadan, people are much more focussed on God and praying. Generally it is quieter although the mosques are heard far more frequently. It is my first year for fasting, last year I was in the UK and cheated by giving out charity as I did not have any support from other Muslims but this year I am doing my best. It is only day 3 and so far it has not been too bad, have been very lethargic though and very thirsty. We get up at 5am to eat and drink before morning prayers just before 6, as do many other people. I, however go back to bed for a few hours sleep if I can. Others stay up and maybe sleep later in the day. The fast is broken around 7 45pm, many break the fast with dates or hot water. The evening is then spent drinking and eating a meal later. Surprisingly I have not felt that hungry and I guess that is the same for many as no one rushes to eat a lot when the fast is broken. Little and often seems to be the key until you eat a full meal later. This of course means no one seems to go to bed very early so the days have a very surreal feel to them.

Prize giving and speech days

Have been invited to and attended many end of school year programmes. All very nice, lots of speeches, food at the end, happy students and lots of certificates (even I got one at one of the schools!) The only problem was that ALL of them started at least 3 hours late!! I thought I got GMT - Gambia Maybe Time - but even I was surprised. Most of the schools are closed now for the summer but many open for study classes in a week or so.

Visited the Arabic School Tuesday this week and the floors are now down in the classrooms so a little rest now before the next stage I think!

All set up to blog now!

Sorry to anyone who has been looking for blogs but its been chaotic to say the least over the last few months. Now I have e mail, a desk to sit at and much to tell everyone!

It has been a very busy few months on the charity front. I have been receiving visitors through Trip Advisor and taking them to various projects. It has been so much fun. The schools were not used to seeing visitors but they all love it. The visitors have been incredibly generous, bringing supplies for the schools, donating money, sending money when they return home and sponsoring students. So, thanks to everyone.

The Arabic School is coming on in leaps and bounds, I visited on Friday and the roof is on, the doors and windows have been fitted and I have the money to lay the classroom floors. Most of this has been achieved through donations from people visiting!

Basori Nursery School have just closed for the summer and I was invited to their prize giving and speech day along with two visitors on holiday here. It was a lovely occasion with prizes given to the best students, reports for those in nursery 2 and 3. Every child went home with something, again thanks to the donations from visitors. The teachers are all receiving a salary now and when funds allow I will increase this as we don't pay very much at all.

Its rainy season again now, so very hot and humid and still 4 months of the rains to come.

Promise to write more regularly now so please keep checking.