Senegambiagroup

In 2003 the parents of Ellen were also in The Gambia, looking why Ellen had become so totally attached to this country. Pieter and Hinke the Klerck, visited the lower basic school in Tanji. Green fingers as they were they rapidly saw the needs of the school garden. Pieter invented a water system to prevent the school children from carrying large buckets with water too far.
A number of cementen bins interconnected by a pipe, which can be filled up by the hand pump. That was the start. Meanwhile, Gamrupa build a wall around the school garden, a pump has been placed but also removed again because it was not working correctly and this year the hand pump is replaced because it was totally broken. The banana trees now grow far above the heads of the children who work in the garden. Vegetables like onions, lady finger, garden eggs and so on are grown. In the garden are given lessons as well. Students sit on their knees to the crops to measure them. They get an explanation of the garden master on insects and weeds and they write reports about how "their" plants grow. Fruits and vegetables from the garden are partly eaten by the children and the rest will be sold. With the money they gain from selling their crops, small tools are bought like spades and rakes, as well as two wheelbarrows. Of the revenue from last year, there has been bought a very large first aid kit. A number of teachers, as well as some members of the parent Council are trained to professionals first aid.
This was their own initiative. This shows that development is not an imposed matter but a matter of own initiative.
We are pleased and proud about that.