The Gambia

On Feb 14th 2019, my daughter Scarlet (age 11) and I went to The Gambia to volunteer with the charity Our Global School.

Mbollet-Ba is a rural village in the north of the country and we will live in the Njie family compound and contribute to local community and family life. With no electricity or running water, three wives at the head with daughters and grandkids and more people living in the compound than we could count, it will be an amazing change.

Scarlet will lead classes in the village's school, which has 400 pupils. There's no provision for creative fun so she plans to teach drama group games, creative writing, art activities and maths and share stories of London.

I've been asked to

- meet with the women's micro-finance group to evaluate past projects and support new start ups.

- visit the local market to help with ideas on how to get more visitors and people involved.

- meet the village's women's drumming group are concerned about it losing it's heritage and want ideas to keep it going.

- meet up with local DJs and teens to share music.

- visit the local radio station.

Others in our group are getting involved in different projects focused on, for example food security, nutrition, education and health and we're taking around 300 pairs of shoes, to set up and run a shop to measure feet and give out shoes, which are really needed.

My key question when I meet the groups will be

and I'll share any skills or knowledge which may be helpful and identify, with the charity, where the funds can be used best. I'm hoping this will be the start of something.

I know we'll both learn so much from this experience, from the people we meet, our hosts and village life in Mbollet-Ba.

Your support would be greatly appreciated and have a significant positive and lasting impact .

Thank you for whatever you're able to give.

Big love, Caren & Scarlet

Our Global school website. If you would prefer to give directly to the charity for tax purpose please do. I've set this up on their request to be able to see what monies come in through me. The full amount will be transferred to them. Thank you.