Report-back from the January/February 2018 visit

Posters proclaiming views
of the new Gambian government

This is the first of a series of newsletters we'll be sending over the next few months on our visit to Sohm in January/February this year.

We had useful meetings at the Lower Basic and Senior schools, met with and continued to fund our sponsored students and conferred with the regional director of education and some of his staff, in order to advance some of the projects we have been involved with and are looking at funding. We also caught up, and cemented our relationship, with FirstAid4Gambia, which has done so much to support our health work in the Lower Basic school.

We will report on each of these in more detail,  with photos of progress, over the coming months.

All of this activity, of course, takes place within the new political climate and circumstances that The Gambia finds itself now.

A year ago today - Independence Day -  the new president, Adama Barrow took office, after almost a quarter of a century's misrule and plundering of the country by the former dictator Yahya Jammeh, now in protected exile in near-by Equatorial Guinea.

The country seems more at ease with itself and efforts are being made to retrieve the money Jammeh stole from the country and put on trial some of his corrupt henchmen.  This process will, doubtless, take years to fully bear fruit.

One very visible difference over the last year is that roads are no longer adorned with billboards of endless photos of Jammeh, with his preposterous vainglorious boasting, like the one laughable one, below. Photos of Barrow, by contrast, are rarely to be seen, outside of news reports.

No more vainglorious Jammeh

 with his preposterous claims

Instead, far more progressive and enlightened ones, of a "public service" nature are to be found - such as that at the top of this article and others encouraging people to pay their taxes (!) and extolling public health and safety messages, such as those - below - calling for an end to female genital mutilation.

Billboards extolling progressive
 ambitions, in the new Gambia

Posters, of course, can be empty gestures and propaganda tools.  The difference in tone and message between the old and the new, however, seems very real - and to be greatly applauded. Another progressive move was announced by the new government, today - the end of Capital Punishment in The Gambia.

One of Jammeh's legacies was the encouragement of Chinese investment into the country. Some of this is apparently benign, like funding infrastructure projects, such as roads and bridges. 

Cynics may draw parallels with similar "Chinese aid" elsewhere in Africa, where these constructions are mainly channels to help the Chinese transport minerals out of the country, in fulfilling their 21st century economic imperialist ambitions.

The Chinese intervention is being felt widely in the country now - and opinions (now open and freely expressed) among Gambians are very much divided on how beneficial the impact will be for The Gambia in the longer term, compared to that accruing to China.

Nice, new embassy for the Chinese,
 in the former Bijilo Hotel

The Chinese, meanwhile have installed themselves in the former Bijilo hotel - as their new embassy and are getting to work on other projects.  

Among them, shamefully, is the destruction of a near-by former monkey park reservation, which has been bulldozed down to erect an 800-seater conference centre. And, as is the case elsewhere in Africa, much of the labour being used to construct it is not local, unemployed, Gambian workers, but staff brought in from China.

Monkey Park destroyed, to make way for
 swish conference centre - progress, Chinese style

A beach at Sanyang, meanwhile, is being dug up by the Chinese, because as local rumour has it, traces of interesting minerals (gossip says either oil or cobalt) have been found there.  Watch this space!

Future, monthly, newsletters will update you with progress over a number of areas we were able to advance in Sohm.  Among them will be:

• Update on student sponsorship activities
• This year's investments in the schools
• School twinning arranged with a Luton primary
• Difficulties at the senior school
• Report on progress with major works at the Lower Basic
• Sohm 2020

April 2017 Newsletter: Getting bogged down in toilet matters

As we reported in our newsletter of October last year (see here), following a some dealings with Simon Danczuk, the MP for Rochdale over the last few years, we decided to name a toilet block in the senior secondary school after him.

The ceremony was covered by the Mail-On-Line (see here for full details and below for some of it) in February this year, and we reproduce, below some of their extensive coverage.

We are delighted to say that these facilities are now up and running and much appreciated by the staff and students, alike, at Sohm Senior Secondary school.

Ok, we'll leave out the endless puns.

We are pleased to report that we "sold" the story to the Mail-On-line, through a news agency and that money received will help us fix more school toilets in the village.

For the coming year, the Lower Basic school in the village has asked us to refurbish their toilets - for boys, girls and staff.  The photos tell their own story of how much this restoration is needed.  These three tiny blocks provide toilets for over 400 students and 25 staff.

This year's funding project

They are clearly insanitary and, until March this year, were nowhere near running water.

The concrete bases of the blocks have cracked and the ground underneath the blocks are home to snakes - particularly in the rainy season in the country (summer and autumn), with the result that many pupils and staff, alike, refuse to use them.

Roof and doors blown off
 during rainy season

The school's request for assistance is modest. We are committed to working in partnership with our colleagues from Jersey to: restore and recent the concrete bases and erect new doors and roofs, where necessary.

Girls' toilet - snakes nest
below the concrete slab.
200 girls only toilet at the school

Fortunately, because of a water supply project the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission has funded, a new standpipe was erected close to these outside toilet blocks in March this year, to try and address some of the sanitary issues associated with them.

Roofless staff toilets

Given the success of the naming of the Simon Danczuk block, we would look sympathetically on bids to rename any of these three blocks after other people, in return for a suitable donation.  

Water now running near toilets,
 for better sanitation

We will of course be willing to supply photographs of the unveiling of the appropriately named facilities to any sponsor.  Just contact us at: John@SohmSchoolSupport.org.uk if you are interested in this nomination facility!

Whose name would you like to
 adorn this fine facility
- when renovated, of course!

Reporting back from a recent visit

I have just returned from a month in the Gambia (Sandra stayed at home with our new puppy)and can report on very considerable progress at both schools, which I will post details of over coming months.

 The headlines are:

• After concerns about the political stability and personal safety in The Gambia following the disputed presidential election results of last December, all is calm in the country, as it looks forward to a new era;

Anti - Jammeh graffiti, widespread
 in The Gambia - making local feelings
 clear about the former president and tyrant

• As promised in our newsletter of last October, we were able to officially open the new "Simon Danczuk Toilet Block", which gained press coverage in the UK. We will deal, in detail with this in our next newsletter;

• Last year we funded the complete reconstruction of the Lower Basic school's First Aid room.  It now looks spectacular!  We will be posting details of this, and exciting forward plans for it, in a forthcoming newsletter;

Tee-shirt democracy - much in evidence

• It is a similar good news story with the library that we were able to fund the restoration of in the Lower Basic school, again with exciting forward plans. We'll have photos and news of this in a future newsletter;

• Our funded "Additional Classes" scheme in the senior school had a slightly disrupted start, because of the change of head at the school and the political instability in the country from November - February (see below). Those problems now seem to be ironed out and the scheme is back and successfully running on a firmer footing;

• Our funding of equipment in specific curriculum areas in the senior school continues this year.  The school had a couple of spectacular successes over the last year, resulting from our previous equipment interventions - again, we'll provide fuller details in a forthcoming newsletter;

Local feelings made clear

• We are continuing to sponsor a number of students in the village's senior school; some with excellent future prospects.  We are not, however, extending the scheme, as education is now free for all school students in the country.  We will be devoting our activities to whole school subject sponsorship initiatives in future - additional classes in the senior school and a trial homework club in the Lower Basic school. Once more - full details will be given in a later post;

• For the future, we will be looking to restore the boys', girls' and staff toilets in the Lower Basic school.  We will provide details of the need and progress in addressing it, later in the year;

• As a result of our ICT interventions in both schools, and because of better telecoms in the country, we will be sponsoring the installation of Wi-Fi hubs in both schools - so there will be good internet access for the first time. Again, we hope to report on progress, later in the year.

The medium is the message - Gambia style

Political climate and background

So much for the headlines. The more detailed aspect of this newsletter concerns the political climate in the country. Although this is, of course, completely outside of the control of this charity, it impacts directly on all those we hope to assist.

The Gambia is tiny (less than 2 million people) and is rarely news in the rest of West Africa, never mind in the West. What is reported in the UK is often garbled and incomplete, so we will attempt a brief, but fuller picture here.

The President of the Gambia for the last 22 years has been a corrupt, civil rights-abusing, brutal dictator, Yahya Jammeh. He lost the presidential election to an almost (even in The Gambia) unknown, Adama Barrow, in December last year.

Preparing for Barrow's inauguration,
which co-incided with Independence Day

Jammeh refused to accept the result. The surrounding West African states (known as Ecowas) played a key role in "persuading" him to go - including by amassing an armed force to ensure the election result was adhered to.

There was almost 3 months of instability (December - February), during which time Jammeh plundered the state's coffers and negotiated himself an exit (to Equatorial Guinea). He eventually left on 22 February, without a shot being fired in anger.

Hash tags abound - showing
 importance of social media in
 communications
 in the new Gambia

Adama Barrow was inaugurated as the new president on 18 March, amid much jubilation. Barrow is best, if at all, known in the UK as having worked as a security guard for Argos in Islington. Correct - but he was doing so when a student in the UK, as a means of paying his way through college.

He heads a coalition administration, with a very difficult job. The state coffers have been depleted and there are few people in positions of power in civic society, or the military who are not in some way tainted by their association with his predecessor.

Half the country have known nothing
 but Jammeh misrule - and
 are keen for change

So, the task ahead is a difficult one and it is far too early to indicate whether the new regime will be up for it.  But, the early signs are good.

• The Gambian people are delighted with the change, as a few of these randomly photographed revellers indicate;

• The Ecowas states are providing material assistance in helping the country's reconstruction;

• The Gambia will be rejoining the Commonwealth, three years after Jammeh stormed out - and Boris Johnson flew to the country to discuss the process (see photo of him, at a beach bar we like to frequent);

Boris Johnson with Gambians at
the Calypso Bar, Cape Point, the day
 before the presidential inauguration

• The country will be rejoining the International Criminal Court, after Jammeh flounced out, following criticism of his regime;

• There is a fund of international goodwill for the new Gambia; and the EU has offered to restore Grant Aid to the country, for very specific and agreed projects, two years after having stopped aiding the country because of Jammeh's behaviour;

• Barrow has said that he wants The Gambia to become a beacon of human rights in Africa, after the oppression of Jammeh.  Easy words, perhaps, but the gay-friendly article in the newspaper clipping below is a very bold step in that direction in a region of the world usually hostile to gay rights.

Western educated Barrow showing
 liberal attitude to gay rights -
uncommon in the region

As we say, these are early days, but we hope they will provide a peaceful and more prosperous political background for the people of the country, and in particular for those in the village of Sohm and their students.

End of Year Report

Pupils at the two Sohm schools, like those in Britain, are now enjoying their summer break.

We have reported previously (see blogs below) on the very considerable progress we feel we made with the schools, with our brief visit earlier this year.

In this newsletter, we present a couple of reports from the two school heads, on the impact of the charity - and implicitly - you, the supporters, have made.

The Gambia doesn't get favourable press coverage in the West, largely because of the controversial behaviour of its president, and because it sits in West Africa - the region blighted by Ebola, earlier this year.

Our view is that, regardless of the president's activities, children in remote rural villages still deserve the best educational opportunities possible. In this blog, we provide some academic evidence to explain why this is important.

As for Ebola. There have been more cases recorded in Britain than there have in The Gambia, which is almost 500 miles from the nearest outbreak.

Unfortunately, the tourist trade took an estimated 40% hit this year, which further depressed conditions for the population of this small, poor African, tourist-dependent nation.

Senior Secondary school

We delivered a large number of computers and related ICT equipment to the senior school in January. We have had a couple of brief messages from Mohammed Jawara, the ICT teacher, and the school's principal, on their impact:

"All the items given to Sohm Schools came at the right time (just as electricity was being connected to the school) and are really helping a lot. All thanks to you and all the donors."

2015 consignment, gratefully received,
 and put to good use, by the secondary school

Ismaila Sambou, the school's principal has written:

"On behalf of the parents and teachers of my school, I would like to thank you for the unselfish and untiring effort that you have tasked yourself to help our schools achieve quality education."

In his end of year letter to us, he said:

"I write to inform you that we conducted our national and international examinations (grades 8, 9 and 12) successfully, due to your wonderful support."

"This year's food and nutrition practical was good. The examiner could not hide the improvement she observed on the ground (we fully re-equipped the teaching classroom this spring). She commended the school for the provision of most of the utensils."

"We had our Speech and Prize Giving Ceremony on 13 June. The stationery that you gave to us were partly used as prizes."

Mohammed Jawara, ICT teacher with
 some of his pupils and their computers

Lower Basic school

Our biggest single intervention this year was to pay almost £1,000 to the Lower Basic (primary) school for its electrification and that of the adjacent staff quarters.

Few things happen quickly in The Gambia, so we were delighted to receive a lengthy report from Malamin Gibba, the new head. He was able to report that the project was completed on 29 May - and he enclosed all the receipts, as evidence!

He detailed what this sum of money enabled:

"We have two (electricity) meters, one for the staff quarters and the other for the classrooms and the office. In addition to these, the library, kitchen complex and the three stores are all wired. Every room has a lighting system and sockets for appliances. All the staff quarters, the two bathrooms and a kitchen are also fitted with lighting systems.

Lower Basic school classrooms, now
 with added electricity - lighting and power sockets!

All rooms in the quarters have lighting systems and sockets. There are outside lamps in both the quarters and the classrooms."

We were also able to donate a small amount of ICT equipment to the school, for which Malamin expressed his gratitude, saying that it would mean that:

"We would have most of our (related) works due in the schools, rather than going elsewhere."

He continued: "Needless to say, John we are still enjoying the stationery you gave us and the bicycles are still in good working order. The second-hand clothes were shared among the pupils. There weren't any problems during the process of sharing."

"On behalf of the school administration, the School Management Committee, teachers, parents and pupils of the Lower Basic school, and on my own behalf, I wish to thank you for all the support you are giving us, in our schools."

Bikes - still in good hands

Why bother?

Was it Mao, or Confucius, who said "Give a hungry man a fish and he'll be hungry tomorrow. Give him a fishing rod, and he'll never starve, again"?

Education is, perhaps, the largest metaphorical fishing rod at society's disposal today. Evidence to support the view and academic support for the case can often be thin on the ground of what is sometimes simply instinct or intuition.

A relatively recently published academic tome: "State and Society in The Gambia since Independence - 1965 -2012", ed. Aboulaye Saine et al, provides some pretty convincing evidence.

It is fairly technically and densely written, but a few bullet points, drawn from it, establish the case fairly well:

• ·         Only 42% of Gambians had received any education by the time of independence, in 1965. And typically, it was only for one year, of primary school!
• ·         Figures improved gradually over the next twenty years, in percentages and length of stay terms
• ·         Latest figures (2007) suggests 65% of the current population have attended a Lower Basic school, 36%, an Upper Basic (middle) school, and 21% a Senior Secondary school.
• ·         Fees, although small, stopped further growth of these numbers. Fortunately, they are now being phased out. Our sponsors, however, are still assisting some, for whom fees are still payable (mainly the older pupils).
• ·         There has been a closing of the gender gap, over the most recent decade, so that attendance figures for girls is now almost identical to that of boys.
• ·         There is a strong link between maternal education, and good child health.
• ·         There is a clear link between improved education levels and falling birth rates.
• ·         There is a clear association between better education and agricultural production - the ONLY industry in Sohm.



Some of the students that Sohm School
 Support's donors are sponsoring

• ·         The biggest determinants of good staying-on rates of pupils is high quality staff and better resourced schools (to both of which we are contributing).

• ·         Significantly: those with only one year's primary education make on average 21% more income than people who haven't been to school, in The Gambia. That figure rises to 63% for those who have completed Lower Basic education, 72% for those who have had ANY secondary education and 84% for those who have completed Senior Secondary education.

With the educational fishing rod we are helping to provide to Sohm, we are confident that, if replicated elsewhere, The Gambia, as a whole, will become better educated, more politically sophisticated and self sufficient, for the future.

Finally

Regrettably, we are no longer able to access free container space to take supplies to The Gambia. Our previous provider has ceased to offer the service. We have been unable to source an alternative low/no cost transporter.

Unfortunately, our last consignment,
 via a container, to Sohm

This means that we will no longer be able to take donations of books, second hand clothes, computer and scientific equipment to end to Sohm.  This is a great pity.

It means that we are more dependent on cash donations, than ever - so that we can source gifts-in-kind for the schools in The Gambia.

Your donations will be gratefully received.  As you can see, from the above, we are confident that every £ donated makes a real and tangible difference to young African lives.

Working with the Lower Basic School

The Lower Basic School in Sohm is much longer established than the Senior School, with an experienced staff and a very inspirational head. It benefits from more state aid than secondary schools (e.g. supply of books etc), so is not in as great a need of outside financial support as the senior secondary school.

Sandra mobbed, as she visits Sohm Lower Basic School,
we'll be helping - with your support!

It is however, one of the feeder schools to the Senior Secondary School, and so we will assist the school in smaller ways, to lay a strong foundation for those who will become the senior schools' students, in years to come.

We have already provided some help (sponsoring some of the pupils, paying for exam papers etc) and will be offering teacher training support for the staff next spring.

We will continue to support the school, in other ways, if we are convinced it will be to the longer term advantage of those who attend Sohm Senior Secondary School.

Every penny donated to this charity is spent directly on improving the education of Gambian youngsters.

Upgrading Librarian Skills

As a result of generous donations, largely from Jersey, Sohm Senior Secondary School has one of the best libraries within the region, according to the ministry's inspection reports. But those same inspection reports draw attention to the need to improve the skills of the untrained library staff.

Training for school librarian needed, to get maximum benefit for this important educational resource

We are working with the Regional Director to address this, and so ensure that all of the school's pupils can benefit from help and guidance from a trained librarian. So, a small contribution to training costs of one person will positively impact on the educational chances of 263!

Increasing Text Book Supply

We have already supplied a range of core curriculum text books for parts of the upper school. We have made it clear that these are not the property of the students, but loans to them, to be passed on to future years intakes.

Our ideal would be to get to a system when a book loan system could be up and running that is self sustaining, as students contribute, by way of small loan fees to replenishing the stock. This will not always be possible, because of real local poverty.

Supplies of text books being delivered to the school - more required!

So, we will work with the school, to ensure that no student is denied access to necessary textbooks on grounds of financial difficulty.

It is our aim to establish a school books fund to ensure this goal is met. It is likely to require an investment of £5,000 to establish, with a regular annual top up sum of around £1,000. Your help with this would be very welcome!

Helping Students From Outlying Areas

As a rural school, Sohm Secondary attracts students from quite a large geographic area. There is no effective, reliable, local public transport - and in any case the school is mile and a half from the nearest main road. So journeys on foot of over an hour each way to and from school, in the blistering heat, are not uncommon.

UK charity, Jole Rider (JoleRider.org) supplied 100 bikes to the school a number of years ago. These are loaned to students for the year and then repaired ready for the next batch of students. Testimonies to how grateful Sohm has been for this gift flow on a regular basis.

Students arriving at school on bikes supplied by Jole Rider

This has enabled large numbers of pupils to attend the school, who would otherwise have been unable to do so.

Now the school is doubling in size, the need for bikes has increased, accordingly. We are working with Jole Rider, to see if they can meet the increased demand, with more bikes for the growing school.

Providing Teacher Training Support

One of Sandra's teacher daughters and a work colleague of hers will spend a week in the Gambia in February 2013.In a structured way with an agreed plan, they will provide support and training to the school staff in lesson planning and preparation in English and Science subject areas.

Help needed to improve skills of under-trained teachers

This will enhance the skills of 20 teachers at the Senior Secondary School and the eighteen at the Lower Basic School, which in turn, will improve the education received by the 700 or so students attending the two schools.

Staff - their background

There are 20 staff at the Sohm Senior Secondary School, about a third of whom are unqualified. Most of the others have very basic teacher training qualifications.

Sandra with head of English, Buba Mendy, unloading books donated to the school

Lack of books and equipment in the school means that staff, necessarily rely on "talk and chalk" as the main teaching method.

Helping to improve the teaching skills of the staff and enhance the educational experience of students at the schools is central to our mission.

Secondary School Report - who goes

There are currently 263 pupils at the Senior Secondary School, most of whom are in years 10 - 12 (older teenagers). Since 2011, a year 7 has been introduced to the school, and within three years the roll will have risen to over 400 pupils, and offer education for 13 - 18 year olds in Sohm and its surrounding area.

54% of the pupils are boys and 46% girls. They come from nine different ethnic or tribal groups, each with its own language. Jola and Mandinka are the largest of them, and account for two thirds of the pupils.

Boys, girls, Christian and Moslem, from different ethnic and language groups learning together

Although English is the official language of the country and the school, many pupils speak an African language as their first one, at home.

It is a secular school. About 60% of the pupils follow the Islamic faith and 30% are Christian.

The school is, however, fully integrated in terms of gender, ethnicity, language and religion. All pupils and their needs are treated with equality and respect.

Track Record - achievements to date

Although we were only established in late 2011, we have managed to make a difference to the life chances of Sohm's youngsters, already. We have:

• arranged for the sponsorship of 11 pupils at the Lower Basic and senior secondary schools;

Sandra with a group of Sohm School Support sponsored students, February 2012

• provided basic school stationery for every student at the secondary school;
• provided over £600 of core textbooks, in English, Maths and Agricultural Science for the secondary school;
• supplied wall posters and maps for each senior secondary school classroom;

Deputy head, Nicholas Mendy (right) with a student putting up donated poster in science lab

• provided examination papers for all pupils in the final year of the Lower Basic School;
• generated national press coverage for the school (observer.gm/africa/gambia/article/jersey-technical-senior-secondary-school-boosted).

Local Ownership - all together

Everything we do with the schools in Sohm is done with the up-front, explicit, support of the school principals, the Parent Teachers' Associations and the Regional Director of Education.

We have an improvement and involvement plan, agreed with the Senior Secondary School Principal. This is a twelve point plan of specific, costed and timetabled projects that we will work towards funding. Everything in this is based on an analysis of what the school and Regional Director - through an Ofsted-type inspection report - have identified as being required for the school.  Copies of this are available from us, on request.

Parent Teachers' Association enthusiastically endorsing charity's involvement with their school

• The Jersey Start - early beginnings
• Our Involvement - progress, to date
• All Above Board - our legal status
• Local Ownership - all together

The Jersey Start - early beginnings

In 1996, following a holiday visit to The Gambia, Robin and Carol Mallet decided to establish a technical training school for older students, to learn wood work and metal work, and so help them into employment within the local economy.

They decided upon Sohm village, as a place that needed secondary education and where the village elders were prepared to give land and support for their efforts.  They set about fund raising in Jersey and within a couple of years had raised enough money to build teaching workshops for the students.

The one-time skills centre now a fully functioning secondary school

The Gambian government were keen to see this resource develop and wanted a wider ranging curriculum, aimed at a broader range of students. A secondary school, in fact!

Since 2006, the government has paid teachers' wages and the Jersey charity does all it can to raise money for more classrooms, to accommodate the rising school roll. The relationship works well, to the benefit of the village and its youngsters.

• The Jersey Start - early beginnings
• Our Involvement - progress, to date
• All Above Board - our legal status
• Local Ownership - all together

Introduction

Sohm School Support is the short title for the UK Sohm Secondary School (The Gambia) Support Trust, established in November 2011. It was set up by Sandra and John Walker, following a visit to The Gambia earlier that year.

We were impressed with the work undertaken by a Jersey couple, Robin and Carol Mallet, in establishing a secondary technical school in the village of Sohm, close to the Gambia's borders with Senegal. Robin and Carol, for over a decade, raised money to build the school in Sohm, where there had been none.

School buildings built by our Jersey colleagues, now they need equipping - our job!

Recently, as it has become a more general secondary school, Robin and Carol continue to find money for developing the school's buildings and The Gambian education department pays the salaries and running costs of the school.

Our charity has been established, in the UK, for the sole purpose of improving the quality of education in the school, and its local feeder school - Sohm Lower Basic School.

• Introduction - about us
• Supported Projects - recent achievements
• Sohm - where we're at

Observer (Gambia) - in the news

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The Point (Gambia) - in the news

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Observer (Gambia) - in the news

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