The Gambia Blog

We’re lucky enough to feature today a guest post from Natalia Finfando, a London-based teacher, who is currently in The Gambia volunteering at a local village school. Natalia got in touch with the blog after reading a post on here by a member of our staff (Jo Wedeman), a post which has inspired a number people to enquire about the possibility of school visits, donations etc. The schooling situation in The Gambia is an emotive one, and one that is easy to support with basic resources and help – as Natalia’s post ably illustrates. And it’s precisely the kind of thing we set the blog up for in the first place, as a place for people who are passionate about The Gambia to swap ideas and anecdotes, and even set up future projects. Natalia’s story is a fascinating and inspiring one and if anyone wishes to know more then please get in touch – either via the comments or the usual address. Here’s hoping her time as a volunteer teacher goes well! Stay in touch as we hope to feature more from Natalia on her return.

Natalia Finfando with a Gambian pupil

I consider myself a relatively well-travelled person. I have been to many countries; I even lived in three, always hoping I would find the one I would love to come back to. They were all great, fantastic countries to visit. Once. Always once. February 2010 and I am finding myself going to the Gambia. For the third time! How on earth did that happen?

When I think about it, it all started like a typical package holidays, maybe the destination was slightly more adventurous for a less daring European. I went to the Gambia with a friend of mine two years ago and the first thing I noticed was that everyone was smiling. I know that everyone calls the Gambia the smiling coast of Africa but there is actually a reason for that, trust me! When we finally decided to leave the hotel and face the country, it was far more exciting than I could ever have imagined!

The first Gambian school I visited was the one included in the program offered by the Gambia Experience. Going across the country, you can visit one of the local schools. The company tries to take you to different schools so that more schools could get support from the tourist if they choose to do so. I thought that was a brilliant idea. Children performed a little song for us and a few brave ones decided to dance. They were all genuinely excited to talk to us and meet us. Support was not expected but highly appreciated – pencils, text books, pens can be donated. Whatever a normal school might need.

I looked at the school I visited and quickly noticed that it was actually a sponsored school, so in theory better equipped. However, it had no toilet, only two classrooms packed with children of all ages taught in one year group with bare walls and old chairs. Children who were able to afford books and pencils, cherished them immensely. Not to mention that there were no maps, no fresh paint, decent furniture or a library. I tried to imagine what a school that is not sponsored might look like.

Since I already knew a few locals, I was taken by them to a tiny bush school. Yes, it was virtually empty (i.e. with no resources) and yes the walls were old, bare and unpainted but I immediately realised that for a teacher from London who struggles everyday with many behavioural issues in their classroom, Gambian students are dream students! So happy to be taught, lapping up every word, so grateful for the experience, so eager to learn. Suddenly I remembered why I became a teacher in the first place.

What one needs to realise is that in the Gambia children have to pay for education. If you include a weekly fee (teacher’s salary), cost of pencils, text books, uniforms etc. It is around £30 per year. In the Gambia people earn £30 pounds a month if they have a job. If you have many children, which one would you choose to send to school? Many parents face this dilemma and since they cannot afford these school fees, this means their children often do not go to school. Hence the education is very limited for children aged 4 to 7 years.

When I got back to England, I immediately talked to my colleagues at school. Quick brainstorm, discussion, and the decision: we are raising money for a primary school in the Gambia! We had some sponsored silence, school disco and even a pyjamas day. Thanks to this and the tremendous support of my brilliant colleagues, generous parents and understanding of my head teacher (many thanks!), we raised enough money to help one of the schools. I decided not to send money to an existing charity but pay for my own flight and take the raised money myself straight to the chosen primary school as well as volunteer there too.

My children in London are also so excited to hear about another country, to get to know it, contribute and perhaps find new pen pals! They also learn how to share what they have and some of them contributed in the sweetest ways possible. One of them for brought all the pennies he has been collecting for a year and another donated her own pencils. They both insisted on me accepting their contribution. Thank you Loyan and Khadijah, you made it all worthwhile!

Tomorrow we are writing postcards to our future friends in the Gambia. I am going to take them with me and hope to bring back a pile of responses. I already prepared some worksheets. I am setting off on Thursday. They are expecting me in the local school on Friday morning, keen to experience my ‘English way of teaching’, whatever they may mean! Cannot wait. The Gambia, here I come. For the third time.