Here we go again!

Well, not just this minute - late October! We've booked flights and hotel (the usual one) and we're collecting things to take. We collected some T-shirts and hats while we were in the travel agent's shop this morning! Well done, Thomas Cook people, many thanks.
Stories for Gambian Children is on Kindle free offer for a few days (15 - 19 July 2014) because I heard there's a shortage of stories for ethnic groups and this little book has several examples of Gambian children setting a good example (just as they do in real life).
We're out tonight to a meeting of story-tellers and poets at the Blue Cap in Sandiway. They're a generous hearted group and have done much good by providing money for wheelchairs and operations and stocking village clinics and schools ... we'll see what tonight brings.
Thanks for reading,
Tom

Working together.

GOES is, as I may have mentioned before, a very small charity. It therefore makes good sense to join with other charities or individuals from time to time to achieve a good result. We received the email below, which we publish with the senders permission, to illustrate a happy outcome in such a case. It also shows how determined the young people of The Gambia are to succeed for the benefit of their families and their country. We wish Xxxx every success in the future.

 Hi Tom,
Yes, he worked very hard and yes, I provided some encouragement and financial support to him. But...... you and Joyce stepped in when I couldn't and provided him with the funding for medical care he needed. You get both of our thanks and appreciation for that.
Happy for you to put something in your blog without my or his name and  that thanks to support from GOES, M was returned to good health following a severe bout of malaria and was able to gain the strength to go forward again in his life to successfully complete his studies and his exams funded and cared for by his British sponsor.
Something along those lines anyway. but yes Tom, credit where credit is due in order!!.

Hi Tom and Joyce,

Just a short good news message from Xxxxx.

They had their graduation day at Arabic school yesterday (similar to our last day of final term). He had a good time of celebration with his friends.

All pupils were called back into school today to check the lists of pupils who had failed their exams. (You will probably be familiar with this process from Mandinari). 

Xxxxx has emailed me to say that he has not failed! He doesn't know his final pass mark yet but at least has passed all his subjects.

He has tried really hard. Even to the point of not eating and losing weight in order to get his days and evenings full of study time.

I thought that you would like to know.

Next stages will depend on his results. Hopefully he will be able to secure a placement at college or university course in Banjul. If he does, I will make sure I help him every step of the way. 

Warmest good wishes. Thank you so much for your caring, loving support of him. You HAVE made a difference!! If you hadn't paid for his malaria treatment and the mosquito net, things may have been very different.

Well done Joyce!

Joyce has just completed a 25 mile sponsored cycle ride for GOES. Not bad for 70+ ! Very proud of her - well done!

Writers to the rescue!

Our friends at Vale Royal Writer's Group have generously contributed their work to a small anthology - poems and short stories - to help raise funds for GOES. We sold the first batch at our Summer Wordfest when VRWG joined with the Dead Good Poets of Liverpool and performed at the Blue Cap Inn at Sandiway. We'll have the next edition ready for the Winter Wordfest in December. If you would like a copy - excellent value for £2.50 ( inc. postage) - send the money and you'll receive a copy of this original work! Fourteen poems and stories for less than 18p each!
Thanks to all the writers, and a special 'thank you' to the printers and publishers - Liz, Mark, Jenny, Tim and Co.
Roll up - collect in person and it's yours for £2.00 !