Signing off the Sukuta project (1)

This is the first of two articles celebrating the successful conclusion of our Sukuta Project.

Three years ago we started what proved to be a mamoth undertaking, to refurb the Gambia's largest primary (Lower Basic) school - the Sukuta LBS.

We raised a little over £40,000 for the project, a third from Sohm Schools Support's funds and two thirds from Rotary, via a combination of grants from local clubs in London (mainly Redbridge), a generous London-wide Distrct Grant and a top up payment from Rotary International in Chicago.

COVID proved to be a major distraction and obstacle, but in March this year we signed a contract with a Gambian Rotary club (Brusubi) and contractors Future in Our Hands (FIOH) to deliver the multi-faceted undertaking.  We have covered details of the proposals in a few previous posts.

FIOH delivered the project on time and to spec in October and they and the Brusubi club were the subject of a Gambian TV feature celebrating the handing over event. Below are stills from that TV report, which focused heavily on Rotary and the good and the great, who were at the sign off of the project.

Ribbon cutting at the ceremony - left to right: Alpha Jallow (Brusubi Rotary club), the head and chair of governors of the school and right, Jainaba Sarr - Director of Future In Our Hands (the contractor).

View of the event, from the top table

Children welcoming the new facilities

Alpha Jallow of Brusubi Roatry club, addressing the meeting, calling on the school to make maximum use of the facilities, and to look after them

                                           Attentive audience                                                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

Left, Haruna Bah, head Sukuta LBS, right Jainaba Sarr, CEO of contractor Future In Our Hands

 

Exterior of renovated library

Two water tanks - doubling the capacity available to the school

"Modest" shot of interior of new toilets at school - hugely more hygenic than those they replaced

Alpha Jallow walking the party through the new "vendors' stalls", for the hygenic distribution of school meals.

The Sukuta project was signed off, on time, to budget and spec at the end of September. In addition to the facilities outlined in the TV report, the project established a new sick room for the school, greatly extended the size of the school's only computer room and increased the number of standpipes from which pupils can access water, from one to ten.

All in all, a very considerable success that will benefit the 2,000 children attending the school, now and well into the future.

The second post, detailing the signing of of the Sukuta project is to follow, and will feature "before" and "after" photos of the various strands of the undertaking.

2nd July 2019 - a red letter day for Sohm

Tuesday 2 July 2019 was a great day for Sohm, although few in the village would have known it, at the time.

It was on that day that the last piece of funding fell into place and we were able to sign off the cost schedule and timeline for building the new hall and kitchen for the Lower Basic school. This was a project that we had labelled Sohm 2020, two years ago, as we set about raising £20,000 by 2020 for the project.

We are ahead of schedule and hope to be present for the opening of the new facility in January next year!

Architect's plans for the new hall -
to be complete by the end of this year!

The building will be our most significant contribution to the village of Sohm - by some distance - since we established the charity eight years ago. It will replace an old school dining hall, which had to be demolished, because it was dangerous two years ago, with a brand new facility. The previous building - over 35 years old - was inflexible. Its "furniture" consisted of immovable concrete blocks, which children perched on to eat from other concrete blocks. The school kitchen had no modern equipment.

Village elders and school governors,
after a session planning the layout and
location of the new school hall, in January 2019

The new building - 30 metres long - will be multi-functional. In addition to being a dining hall - , because we are acquiring flexible, portable furniture - it can also be used as a gym, an assembly hall, a prayer room, and the village's first community village hall. Village leaders have played a significant role in helping to design and decide the location for the hall, as shown by the photographs. They have been overwhelmed with gratitude at the generosity of our supporters.

Above: the decrepit (and now demolished)
building the new school hall will replace. Below: its
 roof, that was in danger of collapse

Our charity has been assisted by a number of individual donors, whose efforts have helped us reach our funding targets so rapidly.  We thank them all - you know who you are!

In addition, we have received huge support and assistance from two major organisational donors: Beech Hill community primary school, in Luton and Redbridge Rotary club. Sohm Lower Basic school has shown its recognition of their efforts on the freshly painted walls (funded by these donors!) in the main teaching block (see photo).

Redbridge Rotary and Beech Hill's logos,
outside Sohm LBS head's office, by way of
appreciation for their fund-raising efforts.

We have covered the activities of Beech Hill school in a number of posts (see above) notably for their splendid and highly successful Gambia Days.

Tuesday 2 July, however, was - in addition to our signing off the contract for the new build - a big day in our relationship with Redbridge Rotary Club. It was the hand-over day from one president to another.

Outgoing president, and friend of our charity, Tony Betts, presented two awards to SSS in his farewell address. One was a cheque of £1,000 to us - as one of his nominated charities for the year. The second was a prestigious Certificate of Appreciation from Rotary International for charitable work we undertake in The Gambia, putting some of the funds that they have raised to such good purposes. We were greatly humbled by both awards.

John and Sandra (centre) from SSS, receiving the
 Rotary International Certificate of Appreciation
from Tony Betts (left), immediate past president,
 and Mike Bell, incoming president of Redbridge Rotary 

The Rotary International Certificate of Appreciation

We would, very publicly, like to put on record our immense gratitude to Redbridge Rotary for its generous support to us over each of the last four years - and we look forward to its continuation.

We promised the club, in return for their support, to return next February with a short video of the opening of the new hall, for which they have contributed so much, to support.

The old kitchen's cooking stoves

"Furniture" in the old building, which
 made it unfit for multi-purpose use.

They, like Beech Hill, and all of our generous sponsors really have helped transform young African lives, in ways in which it is difficult to appreciate from the comfort of our homes in the UK.

Thanks, one and all - onward to 2020 and the opening of the new hall!

New term, new start

Classroom refurbishment almost complete

As the new school year starts in Sohm, we are delighted to provide a progress report on our ambitious Sohm 2020 project.

This year we have established two great partnership projects to help raise funds for our charity: Beech Hill Primary school in Luton and Redbridge Rotary club. As a result of this, we embarked on our most ambitious project to date - which we have labelled Sohm 2020. Our object is to raise £20,000 by the year 2020.

Friendship agreement between
 Beech Hill and Sohm LBS

We have pledged to repair and refurbish six classrooms in a block suffering from serious decay, and to completely replace the school's condemned-as-unfit kitchen and dining hall area with a new kitchen and fit-for-purpose multi- functional (dining, sports, assembly, meeting, prayers, performance etc) hall.

Progress to date has exceeded our wildest expectations.  As we have previously mentioned, Beech Hill school has established a friendship agreement with the Sohm Lower Basic school. The Luton school held a fund raising day towards the end of last term for Sohm - and have now raised almost £5,000 for the school.

Our good friend Tony Betts has become the President of Redbridge Rotary club this year and nominated SSS as one of his three charities (Rotary International and a local Redbridge one, being the other two).

Big thanks to Redbridge Rotary club

Generous funding from Rotary has meant that we have been able to get a move on.  As Sohm LBS returns after the summer break, we are delighted to be able to share that progress, via photos, of the refurbishment of the six-classroom block - nearing completion, as I write.

The four photos, below are of the sorry state of the block before the refurbing over the summer break.  

The next four photos show repining, repairs and painting work under way, over the summer holiday.

The six classroom block's refurbishment is ready for re-occupation, after the summer break, thanks to the hard work of contractors - Future In Our Hands - and the generous funding of Beech Hill and Redbridge Rotary.

Estimates have been provided for replacing the unfit kitchen and dining hall block, and we are working with the school to firm up their requirements for the replacement block. Below is a reminder of the dreadful state of the block to be replaced.

Unstable and unsafe roof

Holes in walls and door frames ready to fall out

Kitchen, unfit for purpose

Roof in danger of collapse

Fixed concrete blocks for dining area,
meaning it is completely unusable for anything else

The contractors, meanwhile, have not let the grass grow under their feet on this; they have already demolished the unfit block, ready for constructing the new on.

No real pressure on us, then - just another £10k to find over the next eighteen months, in order to replace it!

Come on - dig behind the backs of your sofas!

October 2018 update

The great work that Beech Hill school, Luton has done in helping restore the classrooms at Sohm Lower Basic school was recognised on the 4 October edition of The Luton Herald and Post.Thanks to them for the coverage - and of course, to Beech Hill for providing them with a great story!

Great progress at Lower Basic school this year

This post, as promised, reports back on what donations to Sohm School Support have achieved in the Lower Basic school over the last twelve months, or so.

Everything we do there is at the request of, or in agreement with, the principal, governors and community of the village.

Toilets

There are only three, outdoor, toilet blocks for the 400 pupils and 20 staff of the school. As we reported last year, they were unsanitary, attracted snakes and in states of considerable disrepair. At the request of the community, we have completely upgraded these - with new doors and roofs, new concrete bases (to keep out the snakes) and provided them with a lick of paint.  See below for the "before" and "after" shots of one of these blocks.

Toilet block - before and after refurb

Stationery order

As in previous years, we have supplied enough stationery to meet all the pupils needs during the school year, and materials for the staff.  These are not provided by the government, or educational authorities in The Gambia.

Some of the pupils excitedly showing
off some of the stationery donation

Homework club

Many of the pupils are unable to get peace and quiet at home, to either do homework or read.  Following our refurbishment of the school's library, two years ago, last year we funded the creation of a homework club (2 hours) in that library on one night a week for any pupil who wanted it.  This has proved very popular and successful.  We will be continuing with the scheme and looking to extend it in future years.

Homework club in progress

First Aid

Last year we completely refitted out the school's First Aid room and got training for the staff, senior pupils and parents in first aid from our friends at FirstAid4Gambia. The charity has returned to completely restock the first aid room with medical equipment for the forthcoming year.  We thank them for their extended generosity, and to Mamadou, in particular, their extremely efficient local contact.

Some of the FirstAid4Gambia supplies
that will benefit both school and village

TV and DVD 

There are few TV sets in the village and none in the school..Three years ago we paid for the electrification of the school. This year - together with our partners in Jersey - we were able to purchase the school's first TV - and and necessary massive aerial dish - and DVD player. Gambian TV isn't great - but it does mean that for the first time the children at the school will be able to watch appropriate educational DVDs - a huge step forward in the teaching resources available to the school.

Deputy principal, Lamin, unloads the TV and

 an engineer installs the satellite dish

See above and below photos of the school's deputy head, Lamin Saidy, excitedly unloading the TV, people working to fix the aerial and an engineer tuning the system.  It's all systems go, for the future!

The engineer tunes - ready for reception!

And  ... the children watching the TV in class,
 for the first time!

New laptop for staff

Last year we donated a re-conditioned laptop to the school's deputy principal and he has made great use of it, for the school's benefit.  His self-taught up-skilling and the impact it has had on the school encouraged us to donate another laptop to an enthusiastic teacher.  The smile on his face says it all!

Another delighted laptop recipient!

Excellent progress

The school and regional educational authority continue to be delighted by our interventions at the school. One result is that the school is now top of its "cluster" of regional primary schools, in attainment levels.

Exciting plans for this year

Over the last twelve months some extremely generous local donors (including the Redbridge Rotary Club and friends) have donated significant sums of money towards restoring semi-derelict classrooms. Our next newsletter will provide updates on plans for this work.  And they are very exciting.

Watch this space!

April 2016 - huge leaps forward

Our recent post gave details of the achievements at the Sohm Schools over the last year, following our interventions in January 2015.

This time, we are focusing on what we arranged during our annual visit this year, and the progress that is already being made over the last six weeks or so since we have returned from The Gambia.

But first - a huge expression of thanks to Redbridge Rotary club. Following an introduction to the club by a near neighbour last autumn, we gave a presentation to the club in January, a couple of days before our annual trip to west Africa. 

Huge thanks to Redbridge Rotary club
 for generous £250 donation
 - it will be well spent!

It was well received, and the members really seemed to appreciate what working at grass roots level, in international development, can do.  They particularly liked the accountability and regular updates and progress that we are able to provide about our activities in Sohm.

Imagine our delight, when last week we received a £250 donation from the club for future activities in Sohm! Thank you, one and all.  We promise to come back and provide reports on what has happened to your donation - whenever you invite us!

ICT lessons for ALL students at the senior secondary
 school for the first time, this year, thanks to
 donation from SSS and Little Heath school, Redbridge

As we have tried to show on this blog, each year we fund projects at each of the two schools.  These are agreed with the schools' heads (drawing on their priorities) and are usually cleared with the regional director of education and implemented in conjunction with the schools'governors, parents and staff.

Previous interventions have: provided stationery for all students in both schools each year, fully equipped an ICT suite in the senior school, provided sporting equipment to both schools, run school trips for students at the Lower Basic school, provided and repaired bicycles for students who have long journeys to school in searing heat.

Our biggest intervention to date - three years ago - was to provide enough textbooks to the Senior Secondary school to ensure that all students had access to a key text book in all subjects they are taught.

Over the last five years we have also, provided teacher training days for all staff in both schools, refurbed the staff accommodation at the Lower Basic school, provided mains electricity to the Lower Basic school and teachers' quarters. We have re-equipped the cookery classroom at the Senior Secondary school and added stock to the libraries at both schools.

Electricity supply to whole of Lower Basic
 school and teachers accommodation, for the
 first time, thanks to SSS - and your - support
 and donations.
Probably wouldn't satisfy UK electricity regs!

All of this has been done in addition to sponsoring the education of a dozen or so of the most needy pupils in Sohm.

This year we have initiated some of our most dramatic interventions, described below.  They have been more ambitious than some of our previous initiatives, but we have been able to weave a partnership together with our colleagues from Jersey and the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission, who between them, have provided over half the funding for the projects we have initiated.

Firstly, at the Senior Secondary school. There has been a gradual rise in public examination performance, and school inspection ratings each year since we have been involved with the Sohm schools. 

However, the glaring omission has been the inability of the students and schools to significantly improve examination results and performance in the key subjects of Maths and English. This is a MAJOR issue. To be frank, it is a problem nation-wide.

The excitement of games lessons will soon
 be enhanced a an hour a week's remedial
classes in both English and Maths for all
 secondary school students!

So, in January we worked long and hard with the staff at the senior school and have arranged for a well monitored and evaluated scheme whereby we - with our colleagues from Jersey - will fund the provision of one hour's remedial English and one hour's maths for ALL students at the secondary school, every week of the school year.

See how delighted some of the
 students are at the prospect!

We have allocated enough funds to pay for this for an academic year - subject to termly break-monitoring clauses. We are hopeful this will have a dramatic impact - over the years.  The early signs, from independent feedback we are getting, are that the scheme is working well.

As far as the Lower Basic school is concerned, we have - with our colleagues from Jersey - initiated a complete refurbishment of the library (it is currently out of use because of severe termite infestation).

The termites will be eradicated with new flooring and appropriate deterrent treatment.  We began the process of re-arranging the library stock when we were at the school, and from September, the school will have a member of staff dedicated to running the facility.  

This termite-ridden and out of commission Lower
 Basic school library will be a valuable education
 resource centre and library to be used by ALL Lower
 Basic school students, from September, thanks to
 SSS - and your - funding and support

New library furniture (including 3 dozen chairs and book cases) will be provided by our initiative and all pupils will have weekly sessions in the library, to encourage the "reading for pleasure" habit.

Early reports suggest that the building work is well under way. If things go according to schedule, we hope to have the library re-opened in September and for a couple of computers to be installed (from a donation from Little Heath school, Redbridge, last year). 

For the future, we are hoping to be able to sponsor a homework club in the library for pupils who do not get sufficient support and encouragement at home.

We are also funding the complete refurbishment of the school's sick room.

This will be a completely refurbished and
 functioning sick room in September, thanks to
 SSS - and your - intervention and funding

This is also currently out of use, as its equipment has been cannibalised over the years to assist with insufficient classroom provision elsewhere within the rapidly expanding school, and the doors and windows are in desperate need of repair.

A sick room is necessary in a school where pupils often suffer bouts of malaria (not pleasant, we can assure you, from personal experience!) and faintness fits due to poor diet, extreme heat and dehydration.  Again, we are being assured that this refurbished room will be ready for September.

These initiatives, aimed at addressing things that we, in the West, take so much for granted are literally life-changing for many Gambian youngsters.

We thank all of you for your support - financial, in kind and even just moral.

We will continue to keep you updated in the progress of these exciting projects.