There is no Ebola in The Gambia. Not a sign of it - so why are the hotels nearly empty? We stayed at our usual haunt - more staff than guests! The flight going out was cancelled and passengers transferred to the next 'plane - same on the way home and with seats to spare. The Gambians are suffering, not from some vile disease but from our fear of it. Many employees depend on tips to supplement their wages; tips are essential to enable, for instance, them to travel home late at night by taxi and to return to work the next day - apart from buying food to feed the family (one of my friends supports 16 family members on a tiny wage), pay the rent, pay school fees for the children, pay health care costs ... GOES helps many people - 66 students, two schools and a clinic at the last count but the country needs you! Just go and lie on a sunbed for a week and you'll provide employment. Travel about a little, ask to visit the home compound of your waiter/room boy/the gardener and see how people really live. You'll be safe, you'll be fed - you may even be offered a bed for the night. The generosity of the local people knows no bounds - does yours?
Sorry for the rant.
No, I'm not.
Tom
PS - there is no Ebola in The Gambia ...
Sunday, 14 December 2014
Wednesday, 26 November 2014
A bit about GOES
It's a bit arrogant to assume the whole world knows about GOES!
So: GOES (Gambian Occasional Emergency Support) is a charity, registered for Gift Aid with Her Majesty's Revenue and Excise & Customs No. XT7385.
We aim to help people in need who live in The Gambia, West Africa. We help with school fees, health care, food, medical supplies. We have put roofs on storm damaged houses, brought fresh water to a village clinic, paid the wages of cleaners, helped students with school and college fees, given grants to seriously ill patients enabling them to travel abroad for treatment. We've been doing this for the last 12 years.
Why do we do it? Because we can and it needs doing.
What do we get out of doing it? A lot of headaches and a great feeling when something goes right!
We also have the pleasure and privilege of meeting wonderful people, and learning much about life from them, both here and there.
What don't we get out of it? Any form of financial reward. We pay all our own expenses - travel, accommodation, running costs and no, we do not gain any income from the charity! If you donate a pound or a penny you can be sure that 100% of that money goes asap to some one in need of it.
Next week we are taking medical instruments, donated by our local doctors and nurses, to the Victoria Teaching Hospital, in Banjul, and to Mandinari Village Clinic. The clinic has already received a donation, given by friends, to equip it with a wide range of anti-bacterial gels, gloves, wipes etc. There is no case of Ebola in The Gambia at the moment but it's as well to be prepared.
We're taking funds on behalf of another friend to equip a village school with educational materials - and pay the teachers.
We will, if past trips are anything to go by, come home exhausted and ready to sleep for a week.
Sorry - rant over!
Best wishes,
Tom
So: GOES (Gambian Occasional Emergency Support) is a charity, registered for Gift Aid with Her Majesty's Revenue and Excise & Customs No. XT7385.
We aim to help people in need who live in The Gambia, West Africa. We help with school fees, health care, food, medical supplies. We have put roofs on storm damaged houses, brought fresh water to a village clinic, paid the wages of cleaners, helped students with school and college fees, given grants to seriously ill patients enabling them to travel abroad for treatment. We've been doing this for the last 12 years.
Why do we do it? Because we can and it needs doing.
What do we get out of doing it? A lot of headaches and a great feeling when something goes right!
We also have the pleasure and privilege of meeting wonderful people, and learning much about life from them, both here and there.
What don't we get out of it? Any form of financial reward. We pay all our own expenses - travel, accommodation, running costs and no, we do not gain any income from the charity! If you donate a pound or a penny you can be sure that 100% of that money goes asap to some one in need of it.
Next week we are taking medical instruments, donated by our local doctors and nurses, to the Victoria Teaching Hospital, in Banjul, and to Mandinari Village Clinic. The clinic has already received a donation, given by friends, to equip it with a wide range of anti-bacterial gels, gloves, wipes etc. There is no case of Ebola in The Gambia at the moment but it's as well to be prepared.
We're taking funds on behalf of another friend to equip a village school with educational materials - and pay the teachers.
We will, if past trips are anything to go by, come home exhausted and ready to sleep for a week.
Sorry - rant over!
Best wishes,
Tom
Monday, 10 November 2014
Fingers crossed - it's going well!
Difficult typing with crossed fingers! We've arranged that the village clinic can have an adequate supply of anti-bacterial wipes and gel and gloves for the staff and hope soon to repeat the order for the patients. I think I've managed the on-line transfer system for sending money - well, it's worked once! Our friendly pharmacist keeps giving reliable advice so we feel well supported in these medical matters.
We expect to collect our travel documents sometime this week, after a little difficulty concerning arriving at the hotel a day before the booking started ... what can go wrong? Just a little matter remaining about being able to pack all the goodies we've been given - medical stainless steel instruments weigh a ton!
Can't wait to be there - so many friends to see. This blog seems to be gaining interest - seventy-plus viewers one day last week!
We expect to collect our travel documents sometime this week, after a little difficulty concerning arriving at the hotel a day before the booking started ... what can go wrong? Just a little matter remaining about being able to pack all the goodies we've been given - medical stainless steel instruments weigh a ton!
Can't wait to be there - so many friends to see. This blog seems to be gaining interest - seventy-plus viewers one day last week!
Monday, 27 October 2014
A day in the life of ...
... an old volunteer man!
Wednesday of last week we received a call for help from the family of a very poorly lady. Bus into town, draw the money, take it to B's Bank and pay it into the Bayba a/c. Or so I thought! Usually pay in over the counter to a human. This time, bank very busy so I decided to use the 'quick deposit' technology. Old man + new technology = dog's breakfast. Sure I'd done the right thing and I'm back on the bus for home. Call Bayba in UK, they accept the transfer, give me the transaction number which I text to the family of the poorly lady. They try a couple of times to collect from the local office in The Gambia but without success. Transaction number fine but money hasn't arrived. Spend most of Friday and Monday morning on the 'phone without being any wiser so this afternoon into town again and into the bank, where a lovely lady (L) sorts it all out without calling me names! Money paid directly to Bayba and collection arranged for tomorrow morning.
Wednesday of last week we received a call for help from the family of a very poorly lady. Bus into town, draw the money, take it to B's Bank and pay it into the Bayba a/c. Or so I thought! Usually pay in over the counter to a human. This time, bank very busy so I decided to use the 'quick deposit' technology. Old man + new technology = dog's breakfast. Sure I'd done the right thing and I'm back on the bus for home. Call Bayba in UK, they accept the transfer, give me the transaction number which I text to the family of the poorly lady. They try a couple of times to collect from the local office in The Gambia but without success. Transaction number fine but money hasn't arrived. Spend most of Friday and Monday morning on the 'phone without being any wiser so this afternoon into town again and into the bank, where a lovely lady (L) sorts it all out without calling me names! Money paid directly to Bayba and collection arranged for tomorrow morning.
Sunday, 26 October 2014
Sorting scissors ...
Just a normal Sunday - cycle to the paper shop, buy paper, remember to pick up some yoghurt, cycle home, read paper.
Remember a sack full of medical equipment that needs sorting. How many types of scissor-like things can there be? Tip them out onto the bed and start 'sorting'. No two of the blessed things are the same. Some are a bit the same, or look it. But they're not! Some cut things but have different blades or handles. Some clamp together but don't cut. Some .... I give up! Consulted Google and tried to match 'scissors' to pictures. Probably not a good idea - pictures are labelled 'Kelly' or 'Hu-Friedly' or 'Venous' or 'Needle drivers' or 'Adso Tissue' or 'Hemeostatic' or ....
Give up! Wrap them all up in clean cloth, pop them into Ziploc bags and into the first suitcase. Ten kg of shiny scissors. People in the clinics and hospitals in The Gambia will know exactly what they are for.
There's another sack full of stainless steel things. I'll leave that till tomorrow!
Sold four 'Malinding' books yesterday - thanks to the buyers! Money goes straight from Amazon into the GOES bank account, where it won't stay for long!
Remember a sack full of medical equipment that needs sorting. How many types of scissor-like things can there be? Tip them out onto the bed and start 'sorting'. No two of the blessed things are the same. Some are a bit the same, or look it. But they're not! Some cut things but have different blades or handles. Some clamp together but don't cut. Some .... I give up! Consulted Google and tried to match 'scissors' to pictures. Probably not a good idea - pictures are labelled 'Kelly' or 'Hu-Friedly' or 'Venous' or 'Needle drivers' or 'Adso Tissue' or 'Hemeostatic' or ....
Give up! Wrap them all up in clean cloth, pop them into Ziploc bags and into the first suitcase. Ten kg of shiny scissors. People in the clinics and hospitals in The Gambia will know exactly what they are for.
There's another sack full of stainless steel things. I'll leave that till tomorrow!
Sold four 'Malinding' books yesterday - thanks to the buyers! Money goes straight from Amazon into the GOES bank account, where it won't stay for long!
Monday, 20 October 2014
Going to The Gambia!
Well, we hope we'll be going, and if we are, these are some of the things we've been given to take with us! As you see, mostly medical equipment for the clinics we support. Scary looking stuff some of it is!
The last picture is the usual shot of the spare bed - mainly a few reference books, children's clothing and bags and bags full of reading glasses! We usually manage to take out a few bits and pieces for ourselves - a change of clothes, that sort of thing; sadly, Thomas Cook haven't managed to extend our baggage allowance this year so if we want spare clothes we'll have to wear them on the journey out!
All in a good cause.
Best wishes to all of you,
Tom
All in a good cause.
Best wishes to all of you,
Tom
Thursday, 16 October 2014
Never rains but it pours!
Good things are raining down - please stop! We don't often ask people to stop giving, and if you're one of the people who have already promised us things we don't mean you! Our lovely friendly pharmacist, who has been advising us for years, is helping with our preparations for equipping the clinic with stacks of latex gloves and hand wash lotions. Our local medical centre called me in today, and after a brief moment of confusion at reception (they don't often come across people who don't want treatment ...) we were presented with stacks of stainless-steel instruments which will assist in gynaecological procedures - looks scary to me! I also called at our local Salvation Army centre to collect a gift of reading glasses organised by Stuart. They must be there somewhere so I'll call again when they come to light!
People are so good and kind. Fingers crossed the Ebola is soon under control; too many lovely people have died already. I don't understand why people have to go to war against one another when there's a war against poverty and disease waiting to be won.
People are so good and kind. Fingers crossed the Ebola is soon under control; too many lovely people have died already. I don't understand why people have to go to war against one another when there's a war against poverty and disease waiting to be won.
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