Wednesday 29 January 2020

We've come a long way!

How it started - the first post.

"GambiaGOES" is the diary of a couple of oldies trying to set up a charity (Gambian Occasional Emergency Support) and struggling with the unfamiliar work of blogging, registering as a Charity, setting up a special bank account, raising funds, getting publicity, staying sane, fixing the printer, editing the newsletter ... resisting the temptation to pack it all in and buy that new car. Then we think of the pure joy on Lamin's face when he was accepted by the University, or of Ebou's relief when he received the cash to enable him to repair his mum's house before the rainy season, or - so many people who need occasional help.

'How will people know what you're doing if you don't tell them?' Good question. I'm rather shy about anything that says 'Look at me!' or in any way looks like boasting. I believe that the vast percentage of people are busy being kind to anyone who crosses their path and in doing so are probably doing ten times more than I can do. That was true at 09.39 hrs on the morning of the 29th of August 2007, when the first page of the blog took to the air, and it's still true today. Still the same car, still the same reluctance to go into details about what we do. I can justify this latter thought;what we do is very personal not only to us but also to the people we help. These people are very often stressed out by their worries about how to make ends meet, how to balance putting food on the table with paying medical bills or school fees for their children. I'm not going to make capital by identifying them and their problems.