February 2016 newsletter - Great progress over the last twelve months

We are just back from a few very productive weeks in The Gambia, working with the two schools in Sohm.

We saw pleasing evidence of real progress with projects that we sponsored and paid for last year.

This newsletter provides details of them. Future posts will explain what we are hoping to achieve over the coming months, and what steps we have put in place, to help deliver them.

Sponsorship

We, or more accurately our supporters, continue to sponsor the education of more than a dozen Gambian youngsters. We caught up with each of the students, got a face-to-face statement of progress , received a copy of their latest school report and a letter of thanks written by the pupil to her/his sponsor. 

We also took a photograph of each of them.  We will be sending copies of all of the above to the sponsors over the next week or so, as part of our commitment to be accountable for all donations received.

Musa Jarju -
star sponsored student

Progress of the individual students was, inevitably, mixed, with one being a real "star" of the school and a couple struggling a bit, because of home/work pressures.

As we will show in a future newsletter, we have directly intervened to address poor results and performance and hope to be able to report satisfactory progress this time next year.

Computer technology

Last year Little Heath school in Redbridge donated 30 redundant computers to the charity together with a number of desk top printers.

We had them all cleaned up, reconditioned and had a Windows suite installed on each. Assisted by generous free container space, we transported the equipment to Sohm last year.

PCs at work - thanks to Little
 Heath school, Redbridge

The result: a complete transformation! Previously, the senior school only had three or four ancient, working, computers for the 400+ students to access.

The whole Windows suite being
 accessed by Sohm's youngsters

Today, enthusiastic students lap up ICT lessons with the donated computers and many are becoming computer-friendly and proficient for the first time, as the accompanying photographs indicate.

Electrification of the Lower Basic school

Last year we made a grant of £1,000 to the Lower Basic (primary) school, to connect with mains electricity, for the first time. That sum enabled lighting and a single power point to be installed in each classroom and in each of the two-rooms of the individual teacher accommodation.

The standard of electrical work would not gain too many professional plaudits in the UK, but it works - without mishap! The work was completed on time and on budget last Spring. Not a statement you hear often in The Gambia!

All wired up - of sorts! But, working well!

In addition to the installation of power to teaching and living accommodation, power points were also installed in the head's office.  As the photo shows, this, in conjunction with some PCs we supplied, has enabled the school to become self-sufficient administratively - saving costs and time over a number of key tasks.

Electricity and PCs in the
 head's office - real progress!

The geographical location of Sohm means that the schools can have recruitment and retention issues for teachers.  Supplying electricity to their accommodation helps a little: they can now read in their rooms at night, charge their mobile phones and crowd around TV monitors to watch DVDs, for entertainment and training.

Teachers' sparse accommodation,
 above and below benefiting
 from electrification

Cooking equipment

The cooking equipment we supplied the senior school with last year has had some beneficial effects.

External Domestic Science exam results have improved, with examiners commenting favourably on progress. More students are now moving on to catering college, in order to help gain jobs in the important tourist hospitality industry.

Cookery equipment,
being put to good use

While we were in the country in January some of Sohm Students took part in a regional cookery contest.  Although they didn't win, their output went down well with the judges, apparently. They scoffed the lot!

Future newsletters will explain what we have sponsored this year, to be rolled out over the next twelve months, in our efforts to keep supporters up-to-date with Sohm schools' activities.

March 2015 newsletter: Power to the people!

A month ago there was no mains electricity going to either of the schools in Sohm that we support. Within a month both will be fired up, to the benefit of over 800 students.

As we reported last month, following rapid (SSS -supported) progress made by the senior secondary school in Sohm, the Gambian government has fast-forwarded the introduction of mains electricity to the school.

No longer dependent on expensively-fueled generator power,  the school will now have electricity available at the click of a switch, to power up the ICT and craft workshops, as well as the domestic science room (see a future post for exciting details about this).

And the mains meter is installed in
 the senior school: let there be light!

This combined with the generous donation of 30 reasonably modern, well-functioning, PCs, by the Little Heath school in Redbridge (benefiting from SSS-funded software and serving) means full classes will now be able to benefit from ICT lessons, together, rather than in intermittent dribs and drabs installments.

Within two hours: electricity goes live
 and Little Heath-donated PCs start
 to get fired up. No stopping
 them in Sohm, now!

The provision of mains electricity to Lower Basic (primary) schools is not a priority of Gambian education spending at present, so the Sohm  junior school would remain unpowered.

Power cables, however, run to within 20 meters of the Lower Basic school - frustratingly close. Each year Sohm Schools Support asks each of the two Sohm school heads and staff for their priorities for our expenditure in the forthcoming year.  We have tried to spend money on these projects - and report back to you, the donors, on what we have achieved, regularly.

So near, and yet so far. Mains electricity
 within 20 metres of the Lower Basic school

This year, inspired by a new, younger, more dynamic head, the Lower Basic school had a priority list of ONE: connection to the mains electricity.

We asked for very detailed costings, and within a week were provided with a three page schedule of requirements, equipment, cables, switches, meters, , labour costs etc.  We agreed, though funds are tight. This amounts to by far the largest single "grant" we have ever offered, coming to almost £900.

Handing over £900 - which will bring
 electricity to 15 teaching rooms,
 15 teachers' rooms and transform lives

For that sum, we will be providing linkage to the mains and metering costs, plus cabling and switches and sockets in 15 class and other teaching rooms, plus power to each of the 15 teacher accommodation rooms (one per teacher).

This will be the first time either staff or schools have had ANY electricity.

To say they are excited and delighted would be an understatement. Plans are already afoot for some simple ICT lessons (with a couple of the Little-Heath donated PCs) and evening (post dusk) openings of the school library, which has recently be re-organised by the new head.

We had originally planned to assist both schools in a small way on the electricity front by supplying a couple of small, domestic solar power kits we have become aware of. They are from China, simple to use and can fire up three power outlets, for less than £50 a kit. But, what to do with them, now?

The senior school science teacher was absolutely delighted to take one of them, to be used as a teaching aid. Solar power has huge potential for a country with so much sun as the Gambia, so getting the ideas into the classroom early could have massive long term educational and subsequent life-style benefits for the future of the village.

Science teacher; hardly able to
 contain his delight at having
 a solar panel as a teaching aid.

In addition, Sandra and I have taken one particulate Gambian family under our wing, on a personal basis (paying their kids education and medical costs, supplying second hand clothing etc). A visit to their home is a humbling experience, which I will return to in future months. The family has NO electricity and because of their extremely low income, and absolutely no prospects of getting mains power any time soon.

A mobile phone charged, and two
 lights lit - all from a £50 kit

So, we donated one of the solar kits to this family, and the photos below show the impact and transformation in a short space of time. Mobile phone charged up, and light for the kids to do their homework by, within a day of receipt!

Homework, powered by a solar light for
 the Janko children, all from a £50
 (and no running costs) kit

This really is life-changing stuff, for the price of a meal out, visit to the hairdressers  or Premier League football ticket. And we are proud to help.