Senegambiagroup

Schoolproject:

De Gambiavrienden has been active in The Gambia in its current formation since 2003. In this year the schoolproject started, and Belgian sponsorparents who wanted to give a Gambian child the opportunity of decent schooling were sought. The cost of each schoolyear, which includes schoolfees, lunches, uniforms, shoes and a bagpack, is 95 Euro. At the moment we're already active in many different towns, such as Manjai Kunda (Nyodema Nursery School), Sifoe, Jambanjelly, Bakoteh, Tallingding, New Jeshwang...

Today, the project holds more than 270 children, who have already been granted schooling. And the amount of children we hope will rise furthermore. Once a year the sponsor parents are given the opportunity to send their children a 'sponsorbox', which will be handed to the child and its parents in person. But of course you can also write as many letters as you like, which will be send directly to the schools by our secretary, thus ensuring a safe arrival. In 2005 and 2006 we built new school buildings in the Nyodema Nursery School in Majai Kunda, and in Bakoteh Proper Lower Basic School an entire computerclass was installed. Students from the school as well as the adults from the town can take classes on how to use a computer.

Hospital project:

Hospital Project that is supported by our organization, is situated in Somita. Since the start of our cooperation with the Clinic we were able to install electricity, bring fresh water into the clinic and also installed toilets, lavatories, showers and a bath in the maternity ward. We also are delivering a lot of medicines every year and medical equipment. Once fully equipped, the hospital will be able to help more than 11.000 people from Somita and the surrounding villages. In 2007 we installed a sun powered warm heather which will provide warm water to the maternity ward.

"Youth Centre" in Jambanjelly:

“Youth Centre” situated in Jambanjelly was innogurated in 2006. The centre is fully equipped with electricity and an internet connection so that the village youth is able to meet the digital world in the center of their community. We also installed a library equipped with an outstanding collection of English (school)books and educational materials. Microscopes will provide the means to enter in an invisible world and with the help of video recorders and TV's, every night they can create an “open air” cinema experience for the entire village population. Even the chairs needed to provide a seat for every visitor is provided by our organization.

Agricultural Project:

Somita, Jambanjelly, but also at several other locations, a lot of efforts are made within the organization towards the development of the agricultural project. In Somita the project is been run in cooperation with the women of the village, who are taking care of the “vegetable gardens”. Every year we deliver a lot of fruit- and vegetable seeds to the village, combined with new gardening tools, materials to make strong seedlings (which can be sold to other villages), soil improvement and also barbed wire (to keep cattle out of the gardens). In this way we try to improve the variety in vegetables available for the Somitanka's (= people of Somita). “Batik-project” is meant to provide materials for the women which makes the work with the sometimes dangerous chemicals to produce the Batiks more safe.

Container:

Every year we do sent a 40 foot container to The Gambia, which is shipped in October towards Banjul. In November we leave with a group of people of approx. 20 people to unload the container and to bring the above mentioned materialsto the right places !

If you like to get more information concerning our projects, or if you like to sponsor a Gambian child so that it can get a good education, please mail us at info@gambiavrienden.be