2007 Report

MONITORING REPORT – MARCH 2007 –

HON SEC. J. LIMBRICK.

The first week was spent as a holiday with my daughter on the island of Jinnack, a very poor community with few resources other than a school built and supported by a European organisation.

I felt support was desperately needed for the actual community – the need for as many households as possible to own a goat for example (cost £20 per goat) and ideally the purchase of two or three canoes for the small community of 8 extended families to share - thus enabling the women to harvest the abundant oyster beds growing in the mangroves and earn money to feed their families. (£180 per canoe.)

Anyone wishing to donate to either of the above should send a cheque made out to Gambia Education and Teaching Support (GETSuk) to Hon.Sec. GETSuk, Mrs. J. Limbrick, 109 Blenheim Road, Deal, Kent. CT14 7HA with a covering letter detailing the requested use of the donation. If donators will gift aid their donation it will help offset the costs of transferring their donation to Jinnack and a gift aid form can be found on our website www.getsuk.org or obtained directly from the Secretary at secretary@getsuk.org Any donations will be acknowledged by GETSuk and by the community and appreciated beyond words.

I then returned to the mainland and visited as many of our projects as possible in my remaining week. They were as follows: -

Time spent with the newly appointed Administration Manager, Musa Coley who has done sterling work to implement much needed administrative systems in the office.

Time also with Kabirou Jabang our Operations Director with discussions on the on-going projects in Essau Nursery School on the North Bank and discussing details of work outstanding there, water connection progress, account completion for the main sponsor and other issues appertaining to clarity of accounting from UK and Gambian reciprocal arrangements – all for discussion with the other UK trustees. A helpful and worthwhile discussion.

Many issues were discussed of course with our Executive Director Mr. Francis Glynn and it was so good to see all the GTS staff again and catch up with their news.

A visit to Essau Nursery School enabled me to congratulate the Headmaster Malik Manneh and his colleague on graduating from Banjul College with their diploma. We need to raise funds as a priority to train teachers to a higher standard and thus provide an education of real value to the children of Gambia who deserve nothing less. We also need to attract sponsors who would be willing to sponsor a teacher’s wages from £25 a month initially if we are to continue to maintain our three schools and raise wages as training is completed. Offers of help to be directed to the Secretary at secretary@getsuk.org

I was pleased too to see the near completion of the new toilet block, imminent promised connection of the water supply and the beginnings of a new classroom and storeroom. A re-organised Headmaster’s office with a good book store and daily lessons rota with pictures and work adorning the walls. No longer will the children have to sit under a tree to have their lessons when the new classroom project is complete. Thanks to John and Kay Skinsley and their loyal sponsors the classroom will prove a major asset to the school.

A visit to Bakoteh Nursery School was of equal pleasure. I could see in just six months since my last visit the progress made by the children and was not surprised to learn of the promotion to Education Manager of the Headmaster Farmara Juju who now makes weekly trips to all the schools checking and advising on standards of teaching methods. He is doing an excellent job and all personnel are co-operative which is heartening.

I also visited two sign writers appointed by GTS/GETSuk for new school signs and marvelled at the different styles, one very African and one very European – both excellent

Due to limited time I was sadly unable to visit London Corner School, supported by the people of Dumbarton is Scotland this time, or St Peter's School supported by Alan Pickles and his church group, neither did I see the progress of the Youna Sports Hall and other projects – but I shall make a point of it on my next visit in Sep/Oct. 2007.

I did however attend a meeting with GETS Gambian staff and the Director with two representatives of Banjul College – an informative discussion which I believe will prove to be of mutual benefit in the future.

This concludes my report. Julie Limbrick. Hon.Sec. GETSuk