Gambian band Deglulen playing in Chiswick

Posted on February 21, 2011 by Kathryn Burrington

A short film about people helping other people

Posted on February 10, 2011 by Kathryn Burrington

You can imagine my delight when, on a chilly morning between Christmas and New Year in a very quiet office, I received an email from The Gambia Experience clients Lou Hamilton and Paul Lang saying that they would like to make a short film about responsible tourism, The Gambia Experience’s School Development Fund and Nyodema.

Lou and Paul were going on holiday to The Gambia and as professional film makers wanted to use their skills to ‘give something back’. As luck would have it I too was going to The Gambia on the very same flight and offered to show them around some schools. Just to explain: as well as working for The Gambia Experience as a graphic designer, I am part of the UK team for the School Development Fund and chairman of a community group called Nyodema (meaning ‘helping each other’ in Mandinka).

Here is the result of a wonderful week. I found it fascinating being involved in this project and would like to say a huge thank you to Lou, Paul, Ali and everyone who helped in the making of this film – a wonderful way to show people in the UK how they are making a difference to the lives of people in one of the world’s poorest countries.

For more information please follow these links:
Lou Hamilton/Createlab
The School Development Fund
Nyodema
Karmic Angels
Chris Diallo/Hands on Skin

Deglulen Live

Posted on October 13, 2010 by Matt Smith

Sulay Sowe has been in touch via our Facebook page to say that our friends Deglulen are returning to play another gig at the George IV pub in Chiswick on the 24th October. There will be kora and djembe drumming in the performance, and tickets are £8 on the door. For more details you can visit lead singer Solomelo’s MySpace page, and here’s a map for how to get to the pub!

Bognor to Banjul Festival

Posted on August 20, 2010 by Kathryn Burrington

Following the success of ‘Nyodema by the Sea’ back in June, where enough money was raised to finish the first classroom in Dairuharu, The Gambia, the team at ‘Nyodema’ couldn’t resist hosting another event on the August bank holiday weekend with an exciting variety of music from around the world from Bognor Regis to Africa!

Saturday 28th August
The Waverley, Marine Drive West, Bognor Regis, West Sussex PO21 2QA
Free Entry – noon until 10.30pm
Live music, workshops, craft stalls, raffle and auction in aid of mosquito nets for The Gambia

Headliners Bristol based band ‘Baraka’ take their inspiration from the music of West Africa, South Africa, The Caribbean and Ireland, producing their own unique and original sound. The result is a heady mix of global beats, intricate rhythms and soaring melodies. Baraka are a wonderful example of world music at its’ best with Ben Baddoo from Ghana on percussion and balafon, Paul Bradley on guitar and Mark Bradley on drums both from Northern Ireland, Dominican, Royston Gage on bass, Brendan Whitmore from Southern Ireland on sax and the outstanding Senegalese kora and djembe player, Modou Cissoko.

More information on the event and Nyodema’s work in The Gambia can be found on their website www.nyodema.org