Sorry, sorry, sorry!

Sorry that we've been out of touch. My computer has been playing tricks on me; every time that I try to log on the connection drops so I've borrowed a friend's machine to try to update things!

The spare bed is now piled high with things to take to The Gambia next week. Thank goodness that Thomas Cook have been so generous with extra baggage allowance! Michelle, the TC advisor who has been helping us has also given us goodies to take, and our neighbours have been donating everything from pencils to children's clothing - hope it all fits in! We've also done quite well with books this time, and because of the extra weight allowance we'll be able to take them, ranging from medical dictionaries to Tracy Beaker stories.
So, it's pack and go time!
Thanks to one and thanks to all!

Back to packing!

Managed, with the help of Michelle at Thomas Cook, to find a short trip to Badala Park that fits the pocket. She even tolerated our (well, my) shameless attempts to scrounge extra baggage, children's clothing, reading glasses, medication - all the things that are worth their weight in gold in Sub-saharan Africa. We'll be able to see how the building work at the school is going and to visit the students we sponsor and inspect their college and school reports.
Most important of all, we'll visit the many friends we've made over the years and enjoy their hospitality and swap chat about our families.
Not been to The Gambia? Please consider a visit - yes, it is a third world country but it can teach us a lesson or two about respect for other people, and how to enjoy life.

Mandinari Sanchaba Youth Foundation

You may be interested to look at out fellow blog which is following our attempts to equip a village with a maize grinding machine. This is a co-operative venture beteen GOES and the villagers - being discussed here at a village meeting last year. Contributions in the usual way, please!

Urgent Invitation to Contribute

The out-goings of G.O.E.S. are in danger of exceeding the in-comings! This is not a good state of affairs. We will have to content ourselves with funding our existing projects, and reluctantly have decided to decline to taking any new commitments until the financial situation improves. We are very sorry about this, and we know that many people will be disappointed.

If you would like to, for example, fund a talented high school student through college we can put you in touch with one. We recently had an application for funding a nurse through her second year at uni, and from a young man for similar support for an IT Diploma course.

Please, we need your money! Well, the young people I've mentioned above are the ones who really need it. Can you help them, please?

Awa, headteacher of the SHINE Nursery School at Bundung.

Awa sits at her desk, catching up with the paper work. GOES has helped with the installation of a water supply and the school gates. We help in other small ways to support her in the excellent work her school does for the local community.

Not the most romantic of subjects, but of vital importance! A beautiful new toilet block for the school - note the tap on the wall so the children can wash after using the toilet!

Gate and water tap!

This is the nursery school compound at Bundung Borehole. In the corner, to the right of the gate, is a water tap. A friend of ours, David, gave to money for the installation of the water supply, but sadly died before the work was completed. Before this tap was in place water had to be carried to the school from a neighbouring compound.
The school gates were provided by GOES and decorated by the staff of the school. The students are now safe in the playground and have a good supply of fresh drinking water. Thanks, David and thanks to all those kind people who support us.