MONITORING REPORT

Trusteeship of any charity is a serious responsibility and the regular visits by trustees to The Gambia plays a vital role in ensuring up to date feed back and checking that monies raised in U.K. have been utilised as agreed by the trustees. Having a very able Gambian Operations Director, Kabiro Jabang and a Gambian Sponsorship Secretary, Jerreh Jammeh as staff who are on hand in The Gambia of course is of major assistance. This plus the presence of the GETSuk Chairman, Francis Glynn for a large part of the year greatly assists trustees when visiting for monitoring purposes and never fails to confirm our confidence in the aims and undertakings of the charity. Anything less would not be acceptable - although sometimes the mere logistics of it ensure there are hiccups!

This February Shirley Britton, our fundraising leader visited the Gambia armed with her questions and weighed down with printed information for distribution to tourists who may wish to help. Shirley's involvement with the Gambia is over many years and her experience of Gambian ways is of great benefit to us all.

It isn't always easy - UK logic is often not shared by Gambians and vice versa. Time is not of the essence either in Gambia - we all have to learn to find the happy medium, not always easy when sponsors and funders understandably expect quick answers. Communication and utility problems beset the country on a regular basis too of course and the post takes a minimum of three weeks if you are really lucky.

Shirley's visit was followed by Sheila Plaister, who is also 'Gambia wise' and undertakes the major responsibility for detailing sponsorships and liaising with Gambian staff on the children's' progress to enable feed back to the sponsors in conjunction with the Treasurer. Sheila's visit this year helped sort out many of the communication problems which beset us during the year - but some still remain and determined efforts are being made to improve feed back on both sides of the Atlantic.

My visit at the close of March in addition to visiting and monitoring the projects enabled various queries to be dealt with and a little re-organisation of administration I hope - although I rather suspect both Fran and Kabs breathe a sigh of relief when I return to the UK!!

For trustees and staff alike the interviews for an office secretary which took place during my visit was something we as trustees were very pleased about. Just two staff to cover all the educational visits to the schools, management and overseeing of building projects and the upkeep of establishments plus community liaison, sponsorship feedback and the ever growing administration led us all to acknowledge the need for such a post. Because the office is situated in the restaurant run by our sister charity GTS (Gambia Tourist Support) whose prime aim is job creation via tourist support, queries for both charities come in in equal measure. GTS also recognised the need for better liaison and the benefits to be gained and the funding for this post is covered by both branches of the charity.

The remainder of my visit was of course visiting as many projects as I could manage alongside administration - and I also found a little time to just 'chill out.'

TREASURER: Sarah Travers our treasurer has never visited Gambia but nevertheless gives her time and expertise for which we are truly grateful.

ESSAU NURSERY SCHOOL; Having liaised with the founder and long term sponsors John and Kay Skingsley and their supporters prior to my visit I arrived in Gambia with a list of queries which needed answers to take back to the UK.

On a previous visit I had discussed with the Headmaster the need for water to be connected to the school and the problems in place due to a water embargo. Money was raised and to hand to facilitate the connection but had to be paid 'up front' with no foreseeable date for the connection - maybe spending years on the waiting list.

My visit took another turn when we all agreed it may be of greater value to arrange and fund the digging of a well in the grounds of the school. However, we then ascertained from the secretary of the committee of Essau that there was now a possibility of the water being connected if we purchased all the materials involved to lay the water to the school. Costings are therefore being compiled by the community and a £250 donation for water connection is to hand towards the expense - GETSuk will need to raise any outstanding balance of course.

Also on my agenda for Essau was to see the progress on the rebuilding and resiting of the old and dilapidated toilet block - plus the removal of the open sewer which presented such a health hazard to the 180 children. . Funded in the main by Steve Maw, and my local Sainsburys I was pleased to see the progress to date as shown in the photograph, but very concerned to learn work had stopped due to exhaustion of the funding for the project - with a further £400 now to find, and another £400 to install flush toilets if and when we get water on the site.

On John Kingsley's request I also checked on the electricity situation (no connection or plugs) and the condition of the library (books disappeared along with the previous Headmaster before GETSuk took over Essau project.)

A visit to Essau is not a quick affair - first you must get to the capital of Banjul and from there catch a ferry for an hour's trip across the river Gambia to the North Bank. Once there a local taxi is found for the journey to the school. It's a long, hot day and you can wait hours to catch the ferry either way as the number of people, vehicles and goats making the trip soon take up all the available space. You may be one of the unlucky ones that are left standing on the quay when the ferry, still with people jumping on board and the back wide open, just draws away from the shore when it is considered full! I know, I've jumped the gap between shore and ferry! I couldn't help thinking of Health and Safety in UK and I won't pretend the Herald of Free Enterprise disaster didn't enter my mind either!

A much less demanding visit to Bakoteh Nursery School just a short drive from the charity's office was of particular interest to me as I had been present two years ago at the planning meeting for the official opening. I had also been able to spend a little time support teaching and my friends Bob and Anna Aston along with other sponsors kindly contributed to the building of a substantial block housing six toilets. Sadly the foundations were washed away in a flash flood, three times - but eventually the block was completed and is now fully in use

On a previous visit to Bakoteh I had been disappointed to see the run down appearance of what had been a dear, bright little school. Little fingers had picked holes in the external rendering and there was an evident need for redecoration and some refurbishment.

This time I saw that all had been accomplished and once again it looked as it did for the official opening. It is this school in which Jo Evans plans to introduce an educational curriculum of real value to the children. Jo is currently living in The Gambia, creating materials and supporting the teachers. Sadly however the progress of the curriculum's introduction has been affected by Jo's poor health. We wish him well.

A feeding programme is needed at Bakoteh - a kitchen and an sitting area for the children. We noted the almost adjoining community hall and wondered if negotiations with the community and owner may enable us to rent it to provide a feeding programme one day. We also considered the alternative of asking the community to allow and help us build our own kitchen adjoining the school if necessary. But that is as far as it stands at the moment. Yet another development which would need considerable funding and sustainability of food provision.

This major project with funds raised by Tim Mawer and Lesley Hedley is in its final stage of completion but already being used by the school & community. It is a tremendous undertaking and a credit to all involved. It not only provides an additional room for teaching & for assemblies and exams for the school in whose grounds it is built but can be booked by the local community as the venue for social events, fund raising, weddings and birthing parties (christening to us). The main purpose for the sponsors is of course badminton and such is the standard of the facilities I feel sure it will bring a higher profile to the area, for it is well outside the tourist area where most help is geared.

The school that houses the sports hall is not one funded by GETS. However, whilst the Director of Operations negotiated funding with the builder I was taken across the school square and shown a newly constructed, although by no means finished kitchen and dining area. A feeding programme had been in place before, cooked in a little hut over an open fire in the Gambian way. The erection of a purpose built, larger kitchen and the creation of a large dining room had seemed a wonderful step forward, thanks to another organisation's support. That is until the World Food Agency who had been supplying the funding for the children's' food withdrew its support and diverted it in the wake of the dreadful disasters which have beset the world, including the Tsunami.

'Their need is great I know, we understand, but many children will go hungry here.' said the headmaster.

I hope that that another organisation can help. It was sad to hear the headmaster say he hoped the new kitchen and dining room will not be a 'white elephant.' - Yes, he used that very English expression.

London Corner in Serekunda, a very busy and heavily populated town, the nursery school is solely funded by the community of Dumbarton in Scotland and a separate charity under Father Kenny and Mrs. McClarty. GETSuk staff manage the funding on their behalf...

The school was a riot of singing and chanting with great interaction between the teachers and the students. 140 children in three partitioned off areas seemingly competing to be heard against the adjoining class! I tried to imagine how UK teachers would cope with such conditions - the noise level alone would take some adjusting to. But that is life in The Gambia - those children are just pleased to have the opportunity to be at school and the teachers are pleased to have a job.

Kabiro Jabang the GETSuk Operations Director discussed with the Gambian headmaster (an X schools inspector) the plans to close off each classroom and thus reduce the noise level.

On the way out of the school I was asked to take photographs of a very large banana tree whose roots had knocked down a wall and were in danger of damaging the adjacent toilet block.

I then popped my head into the building which housed not only the stores but doubled up as the 'kitchen' where over an open fire a very large black cooking pot containing the day's mid-day meal simmered. For many children the feeding programme provides the only proper meal the children would have that day.

I marvelled at how the ladies cooking the meal managed to stay in that overwhelming heat. I thought of my kitchen and all the modern conveniences and once again counted my blessings.

Mr. Conteh the Headmaster was justly proud to learn of the progress made by past pupils when they moved up to their state junior school at the age of 7 - I remember thinking that the mere fact he followed up on their progress showed a true concern and dedication to his profession. Much credit is due to Mr. Conteh and the good people of Dumbarton.

Sponsorship of children and projects are growing - our hard working GETS Gambian staff must have their salaries reviewed if we as trustees can justly ask more of them as we continue to develop. We must do our best to be fair and good employers in a country where we know inflation has risen a good deal and caused even greater hardship for so many. But it is not easy.

Sponsors understandably wish to sponsor actual children or projects - how 'on site' management is funded is an area that few consider. To ask people to sponsor wages is a difficult one, a 10% contribution from sponsorship receipts does help and we must consider wage increases soon or risk losing very knowledgeable and committed staff.

We must also look at all the Gambian teachers' wages in our schools and the schools' support staff.

Neither GETSuk or GTS is perfect by any means but great efforts are made for some 800 children to benefit from the charities input in various ways.

When I go to The Gambia and I see what has been achieved by so few it confirms my belief in the charity, I also know of course that we still have a long way to go and there will always be hiccups, problems, lack of funding, more needs and projects identified and most of all the need for continued support in so many ways from people such as you - without the interest you show and the support you give we could do little, please accept our grateful thanks.

In March we appointed a Secretary in Gambia after shortlisting 3 out of the 60 applicants for the job.We felt the most suitable was a school leaver but with no work experience, Ousman did very well for the first month but had thought he was to get the top of the salary scale on offer rather than the bottom with the prospect of rises after 3 and 6 months. At the end of May he left to work at MRC, we are seeking a part time secreatary to cover until we can re-interview

The block at Essau will provide 6 toilets of the squat sort. As there is no running water at the Essau school these are the easiest to keep clean with limited water Built directly above the soakaway minimises piping costs & the 3m deep soakaway will not need emptying for many years.

Bakoteh is really the only truly GETS school, Essau was set up by the Skingsleys and London Corner by Father Kenny and the Dumbarton Community. Funding from the Jo Richardson school via Andy Buck, the Essex school's head has been greatly appreciated and has made the school viable for the next year.

Teachers salaries are our major concern and presently the teachers at London Corner are being paid 2 or 3 times the wages of GETS teaching staff. Thsi has to be addressed as soon as possible.

Although a feeding programme for the children is important the staff are essential if effective learning is to happen. Doubling the 8 staff salaries at Essau and Bakoteh would cost a total of £4000 a year (includes watchman's salary)

£333 a month on school staff wages

This has to be a priority, it amounts to about £40 a month per teacher

The funding for the Younna project has come from the very hard work of Lesley and Tim and a group of young Badminton enthusiasts in the UK. The hall was built on government land at the Younna Basic school, where Lamin the current head has turned the school around with a number of major projects benefitting the whole community. This is currently the biggest building project undertaken by GTS/GETS.

GETS receives a 10% levy on all the money spent on such a project. This pays towards staff wages and provides all the negotations with builders, suppliers, painter, roofers, tilers, plumbers etc and regular monitoring, to ensure the project progresses.

Jerreh spends most of his time with the Badminton team when they are in Gambia

Their own website which is very slow if you dont't have Broadband can be accessed via out Links page.

London Corner

The church of St Andrews Dumbarton, its congregation and the Dumbarton community have been galvanised by their Father - Kenny MacCauley to raise a great deal of money for this school.

The project is truly impressive, there is a feeding programme, a medical programme, adult literacy classes in the evenings, and 3 busy and lively classes - everything money can buy.

GETS administers the money, pays the staff, the cooks the medical staff and as soon as the Language, Literacy and Numeracy training starts for the Bakoteh & Essau teaching staff, the London Corner staff will be invited.

At present Bakoteh and Essau are very POOR sister schools in terms of funding and extra curricular benefits, a great concern toi us and one that we hope to address as more funds become available.

As founder of GTS and current Chair of GETS. I am always looking at the best way of achieving sustainable progress and improvements.

Funding of our Gambian charity staff and school staff is a major issue.

I anticipate our total wage bill in Gambia (Charity and School staff) costing £7000 a year - if salaries increase as they should.

This means raising a little more than £500 a month - every month AND that is just for wages.

If you can help GETS raise funds please contact Shirley Britton Email

Francis Glyn