FEBRUARY VISIT TO THE GAMBIA
Rob and I arrived in The Gambia on Wednesday 20 February – slightly warmer than in the UK – nearly 40 degrees!!! It was a very hot two weeks.
THE ROBERT KEMP MEMORIAL NURSERY SCHOOL
I was pleased to see that our four signboards had been positioned along the route from the main highway to the school.
As usual we received a warm welcome at the school.
The new desks and benches which we paid to have made in November
were all in place and being readily used by the children. The border that was donated by Noolibird had been put up around the walls of both classrooms and curtains had been put across each of the windows and doors.
We distributed the 42 mosquito nets to the sponsored children as were the presents and letters that we were given for the children from their sponsors.
THE GAMBIA REALITY NURSERY SCHOOL
The actual construction of our nursery school is nearing completion. All that remains to be done is the roof. The metal roof supports have been made and we are now waiting for the carpenter and roofers to return from another job to begin the mammoth task of roofing this very large building.
Once the roof is complete the children will move over to the school from their temporary classrooms. The rendering, plastering and concrete floors will all be done af
ter the children have moved in. We still have more children who are wanting to register to attend the school but there is not enough room in the temporary classrooms to accommodate more.
The school was visited by an education department official who advised us to make the window openings wider to allow more circulation of air. This has been rectified and we are now on course to becoming a fully registered nursery school in The Gambia.
Lamin has taken delivery of two shipments from Scouts in Denmark of desks and chairs.
Presents and letters from the sponsors were given to the relevant children.
THE SUSSEX OVER 50’S CRICKET CLUB TOUR
Members of the Sussex over 50’s cricket club arrived in The Gambia on the 15 February to coach the local youngsters and to play matches against the Gambian cricket team. I was contacted by one of the cricketers 2 weeks prior to their departure asking if I could organise a day tour for all 34 people taking in Tujering School ( where we shipped the uniform and science books ) and The Gambia Reality Nursery School in Sanyang. Their main request was that they had to be transported in Swiss Army trucks. I was given 48hrs to organise this day trip. Thanks to Lamin who pulled out all the stops, the trip was a huge success. To quote Andy Shanks, the organiser of the cricket tour “This day trip was the icing on the cake. It was a humbling and memorable experience. Some of the lads and their partners shed a few tears.” To quote Peter Crees, the captain and a sponsor of 4 of our nursery school children “ This is by far the best cricket tour that I have been on. These children have nothing but are happy with their lot. In one sense they have everything!!!”
These were my sentiments when I returned to the UK from my first visit to The Gambia – humbling and very rewarding!!
In the words of our logo “ LITTLE THINGS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE “.
THE ROBERT KEMP MEMORIAL NURSERY SCHOOL
I was pleased to see that our four signboards had been positioned along the route from the main highway to the school.
As usual we received a warm welcome at the school.
The new desks and benches which we paid to have made in November
were all in place and being readily used by the children. The border that was donated by Noolibird had been put up around the walls of both classrooms and curtains had been put across each of the windows and doors.We distributed the 42 mosquito nets to the sponsored children as were the presents and letters that we were given for the children from their sponsors.
THE GAMBIA REALITY NURSERY SCHOOL
The actual construction of our nursery school is nearing completion. All that remains to be done is the roof. The metal roof supports have been made and we are now waiting for the carpenter and roofers to return from another job to begin the mammoth task of roofing this very large building.
Once the roof is complete the children will move over to the school from their temporary classrooms. The rendering, plastering and concrete floors will all be done af
ter the children have moved in. We still have more children who are wanting to register to attend the school but there is not enough room in the temporary classrooms to accommodate more.The school was visited by an education department official who advised us to make the window openings wider to allow more circulation of air. This has been rectified and we are now on course to becoming a fully registered nursery school in The Gambia.
Lamin has taken delivery of two shipments from Scouts in Denmark of desks and chairs.
Presents and letters from the sponsors were given to the relevant children.
THE SUSSEX OVER 50’S CRICKET CLUB TOUR
Members of the Sussex over 50’s cricket club arrived in The Gambia on the 15 February to coach the local youngsters and to play matches against the Gambian cricket team. I was contacted by one of the cricketers 2 weeks prior to their departure asking if I could organise a day tour for all 34 people taking in Tujering School ( where we shipped the uniform and science books ) and The Gambia Reality Nursery School in Sanyang. Their main request was that they had to be transported in Swiss Army trucks. I was given 48hrs to organise this day trip. Thanks to Lamin who pulled out all the stops, the trip was a huge success. To quote Andy Shanks, the organiser of the cricket tour “This day trip was the icing on the cake. It was a humbling and memorable experience. Some of the lads and their partners shed a few tears.” To quote Peter Crees, the captain and a sponsor of 4 of our nursery school children “ This is by far the best cricket tour that I have been on. These children have nothing but are happy with their lot. In one sense they have everything!!!”
These were my sentiments when I returned to the UK from my first visit to The Gambia – humbling and very rewarding!!
In the words of our logo “ LITTLE THINGS DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE “.
posted by Suzy at
3/17/2008
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