The following is a guest post from Jo Wedeman who has worked for The Gambia Experience for over 10 years. This is an account of an emotional visit she undertook to a school on a recent trip to the country.
I can’t actually remember the number of times I’ve visited The Gambia, although I think it’s around fifteen over a period of ten years. I had fallen in love with the place the first time I’d travelled back in 1999. It was the first time I’d been to a developing country and seen such poverty and at first it was a shock, the hassle from the locals was also a shock but I soon got used to how to deal with it and from that point on I could see just how unbelievably friendly and funny the majority of the people were. I even started to enjoy the banter, the bartering and the inventive sales pitches the market stallholders come up with.
Gambian School Children
During my many visits I thought I’d seen the majority of sights and experienced all the emotions associated with visiting a developing country – but oh, how I was wrong. On my last visit, last November, I saw the country and more specifically the people in a totally new way. Admittedly I hadn’t travelled to The Gambia in over four years and in that time I’d had two children. I’d experienced new emotions that only a new parent can feel and these travelled with me on my trip to Africa – my first away from my children for so long. I was escorting a press trip on a brief four-day tour of the coastal region and one morning I accompanied a BBC journalist Bridget Blair to a school where she was covering a story for BBC Radio Leicester. The story was about a British woman, Sharon Jervis, who was supporting a school in The Gambia – nothing extraordinary there I thought beforehand, there are hundreds of people supporting schools, hospitals and community projects across the country.
The school’s headmaster collected us from our hotel after breakfast, in a car he’d borrowed, and drove us the half-hour journey to Joyce International School, stopping briefly at a roadside stall to buy some books, posters and pencils to give to the children. As we turned off the tarmac road and started to navigate the potholed sandy tracks between the houses, children playing and goats scavenging I knew we were approaching the village and then I became aware of a distant sound. At first I didn’t think much of it. In The Gambia people live outside: women work, men talk, children play in the streets, there’s always noise. But as we continued the sound got louder until it became apparent that the noise was because of us. For us. We stopped briefly for the journalist to start recording and do a short introduction to what was happening and then we continued. The whole village had come to welcome us. Teachers, parents, children had all come out to the edge of the village to welcome us, chanting “welcome, welcome” over and over again, waving branches and banging drums. The noise was overwhelming and the sight of the children surrounding the car, with their huge smiles and gorgeous eyes, was a sight I will never, ever forget. As we followed the procession to the school I had to keep my sobbing to a minimum for fear of spoiling the radio piece.
The welcoming committee!
On arrival at the school the singing continued and every classroom we went to we were given the biggest welcome from everyone we met. OK, so we were there to publicise the school and they had received a great deal of financial support from the British charity so we expected to be well-received, but I was totally unprepared for the genuine love they had for Sharon and the emotions I would experience. These children were so appreciative of the very basic school buildings and equipment, proud of their new toilets, the kitchen with its bare floors and simple cooking facilities, which meant they all got at least one hot meal a day.
The school kitchen
One girl stood out because she was the only one not smiling, the only one not rushing to hold our hands, the only one who didn’t seem excited by the visit, who didn’t sing and didn’t say how grateful she was to Sharon. She was clinging to her teacher and when I asked why I was told it was the first time she’d ever seen a white person and was she was scared. I smiled, tried to be as friendly as possible but moved away – how do you expect a small child to understand what is going on?
Outside the classrooms I chatted to some men and women who helped in the kitchen and some who lived in the village and had come along to meet the visitors from England. They were the happiest, smiliest people I have ever met. They urged me to take their photographs over and over again, delighting in the fact that they could see their own images on the back of the digital camera. They posed by themselves, with different friends and did dances for me. The most forthcoming of them even asked to carry my bag, parading around the courtyard like a catwalk model. Some people might have felt intimidated about handing over their bag to a complete stranger in a remote village in West Africa, but I had no concerns that this incredibly warm and friendly lady would simply hand it straight back.
Eyes and smiles
As I was waiting for Bridget to finish her interviews I wandered around the school yard and started to get the feeling of déjà vu , but I had visited a number of Gambian schools in the past and the simple buildings can all look fairly similar. But then it occurred to me, I had been here before about six years ago. The buildings had been in a much worse state then, there had been no kitchen and no toilets, there hadn’t been the same enthusiastic welcome but I had been here before. And then the appreciation of how much had changed for these children and for the villagers really hit me. I realised how much one person can do to help and suddenly I felt very very humble.
If you want to read and hear more about Bridget’s project there is some information on the BBC Leicester site that is well worth a look.
I am going on holiday for a week 12- 19 February 2010 to Mansea Beach Resort in Banjul.
I am an art teacher and would love to visit a local school. I am interested in Art and dance and the arts in general.
Hi Jenny,
Many thanks for getting in touch with the blog. One official way of visiting a school is to take part in the 4×4 excursion, which includes a school visit in its itinerary (info here: http://www.gambia.co.uk/Docs/Gambia-Holidays/Excursions/Four-Wheel-Drive.aspx). Saving that, I would speak to your rep at the hotel, or visit the Gambia Experience resort office at the Senegambia Hotel in Kololi.
if I can provide any more info on this then do let me know
Cheers
Matt
Julie and i have just returned from Mansea Beach and were taken to a school by Mamas Safari taxis who are situated just out side the hotel, it isnt an official tour but they took us to a REAL Gambia school who were desperate for help, tell them to take you to the school that Alan and Jule went to, we should be fresh in their memories.
Hey,
I am a teacher who fell in love with a country and managed to raise some money for a Gambian school.
I am actually going to volunteer in a local primary school during the time you are here Jenny! I will be staying in the local village, not too far from the tourist area and if you or anyone would like to visit a real Gambian school, please drop a line here!
Hi, This is to Nat- I am very interested in volunteering in The Gambia- I am a qualified teacher with over 25 years of experience in many different countries. I should be most grateful if you could help me with any information and contact details.
Many thanks for your time,
Julie Redpath
A query for Nat – my daughter & I are visiting the Gambia for a week on the 6th April. Are schools open during this period? Any advise on term times & school hours would be helpful.
Regards,
Jane
Hello there to you all,
Its just great to see all you wonderful people thinking on how much to help the true needy Gambian students.
I know what it means when you say be in need. I once fall in that category when my dad died and I was unable to pay my fees. I was academically gifted but was on the verge of being kicked out of school when one wonderful English woman decided to sponsor my education.
I was very lucky to be sponsored until i finish all my studies in Gambia and they later decided to help me complete my education in the UK where I am now living with them and on my Final year Degree Program in computer Science at the University of Greenwich. Amazing Story and a lucky chap.
Thank you all for you help and I hope you all enjoy your trips in Gambia. Great Job and the crew!
Regards
Lamin
Lamin thanks so much for stopping buy and for leaving a lovely comment. It’s been passed around the office here and put a big smile on everyone’s faces! Thanks again and good luck with everything in the future.
In 2007 i raised money to ship all the desks and equipment from our local School which was being renewed. I shipped the equipment to Banjul and was to be delivered to the Khadeejah Memorial School. Could anyone give me any contact to allow me to assertain if the desks got to the school. Thanks.
Hi I am planning to spend a few months in The Gambia from the end of december and would love to get involved at one of the schools there.
However I dont have any teaching experience but would be happy to do anything that helps
Hope to hear soon
Kim
Hi, we are spending 2 weeks in gambia (palma rima) from 21st dec-4th jan & would love to get involved in one of the schools there if open, i am a level 2 primary school ta, do you have any info? would love to visit one and maybe help, also would be packing a case of supplies to give, Leanne x
I am going to visit gambia in december and as a teacher I am hoping to get my students to donate things for me to take over to one of the schools. I would really like to make contact with a school so that I can give my students more information about what they need and to encourage them to become more interested in fundraising. Are there any schools out there who would like to make some links with a school in England?
Reply to school twinning and volunteering:
I believe the best way to arrange twinning with a school is through The Ministry of Education. We are currently looking in to getting the full details for this so that we can pass in the information to anyone who is interested. I’m afraid I do not have an email address or contact number but the postal address is:
Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education
Willythorpe Place Building
Banjul
website: http://www.edugambia.gm
Regarding volunteering in schools I suggest people contacting the VSO in The Gambia.
http://www.vso.org.uk/where-we-work/the-gambia.asp
I hope that is of help and please do let us know how you get on.
Kathryn
Hi publishers,
Am a borned and bred up Gambian.Schooled by action aid the gambia-a uk ngo, taught as a qualified primary school teacher for 5years in gambia.currently in portugal learning portugues, already learnt deutch in austria.
my dream is to go back home and open an education centre including nursery and adult education in my little new residence at gunjur sambuyang by end of 2011.yet, we looking for partners in edu… development materials.
Upon my travelled,i’ve witness a lot of obstacles encountered by young gambians who have travel abroad due to language barriers, reaading,writing,etc.
as a young teacher, i would be please with whoever can lead my dreams go true in any kind links for educational development. we are recently working on our web site which will be soon open to public.
Kind gesture to all of your services done and doing in OUR LITTLE GAMBIA.
Big thanks
If you want to help out in a new school for girls, go to Starfishinternational.org to connect with my friend Mam Yassin Sarr
Hi, we are visiting Gambia in December and each of us will pack 5kg of gifts for children of Gambia ( 6 in family so 30 kgs in total) can you advise us whats best to bring for school children/infants etc?
We will also pack lots of small treats.
Thank you.
David
Hi David, Footballs are always popular! Other ideas are chalk, skipping ropes, pencils, exercise books, plain paper, flip-flops are useful too. Avoid things like felt tip pens that dry out easily. I’m sure you wouldn’t but I’d just like to remind people that you should never hand things out from vehicles as this encourages the children to chase them and can be very dangerous.
Hope that helps, Kathryn
tnanks alot
Hi I’m going to The Gambia next Wednesday 18th jan 2012 to support the work of a newly formed Irish charity GIVE( Gambia, Ireland, Voluntary education) Most of the 18 people are retired Irish Teachers and it was by chance that as I was travelling for a weeks holiday to The gambia last february that I was sat next to the Charity Founder on the plane and we struck up a conversation about teaching and schools in the Gambia. I expressed my interest in his work and i am so looking forward to the 6 week experience. I am humbled by the generosity of our schools population as they have raised 400 pounds so that we can sponsor 2 childrens education and strike up a link with them so that our children can begin to understand the lives and experiences of children in a 3rd world country.One little 6yr old brought me 11 pounds that he had saved from his Eid money! I was wondering if anyone has any information on how sponsorhip works. i don’t really want to go through a charity for this as I would like to select the children myself when I am there.
Dear Ann,
That’s wonderful ! It is particularly heart warming when you hear of the generosity of a young child like this.
Regarding sponsorship I would always suggest that people sponsor children through an existing charity such as:
FoTGA http://fotga.org.uk/page9.html
where you can select a child from a short list,
Plan http://www.plan-uk.org/
or Gam-BLE http://www.gam-ble.co.uk/
where you can sponsor a teacher rather than a child
Has any one else any experience of sponsoring a child directly?
Well done, Ann, and all the best for the future. We’d love to hear how you get on. I hope you have a wonderful experience.
Kathryn
Hi we are going to Gambia in a few weeks and we are going to visit some schools there and we were wondering if we are able to take some gifts for the children at the school, eg work books (with no writting in) colouring books, pencils, rubbers ect please let me know if we are able to or anything else we can take.
thanks
Hi Viv, I’m sure they would be delighted with what you suggest. Footballs are also always very popular! Please do, of course, keep in mind your luggage allowance. (We get many requests for additional luggage allowance on our flights and sadly cannot help everyone. We have had to limit it to registered charities only and even that is limited to up to a certain amount.)
I hope you have a wonderful time. We’d love to hear about it and see any photos you might like to share.
many thanks,
Kathryn