April 2015 newsletter - Generous donations from our supporters

This year we were able to take an unprecedented 55 boxes and crates of donations to our Sohm schools, via container space kindly provided, free of charge, by our good friends at Football Gambia.

The logistics were difficult and time-consuming. But the results were spectacular, and incredibly well received, as we will describe, below.
The photo of the loaded truck gives an indication of some of the transport challenges we were presented with in getting the donations to the Sohm schools!

Bikes on top of the pile, of goods
 from London to Sohm!

But, HUGE thanks from the very grateful Sohm recipients to each of the following

Little Heath School, Redbridge

They donated 30 good-order computers (desk tops and laptops), that they were upgrading, together with a number of keyboards, mice (mouses?), and desktop printers. We paid to have them overhauled and cleaned up and to have a modern Windows Office suite installed on each of them, and provided ink supplies and back-ups for the printers.

Students expressing gratitude for generous
 PC and printers' donation from Little Heath

The vast majority have gone to the Senior Secondary school (with a small number going to the Lower Basic -primary - school).

PCs being delivered

 to computer room at

 Senior school

And, laptops 

being fired up

Eastlea Community School, Newham

Donated a range of redundant/surplus school science equipment (microscopes, electrical testers etc) and maths and English text books, together with a range of school library books and an assortment of dictionaries.

These have been distributed between the two schools and are greatly appreciated.

Science equipment being eagerly
 inspected by Sohm's head of science

The senior school had NO science equipment until we made a small donation last year - relying solely on book- learning to understand the principles of science! The Lower Basic (primary) school has no complete sets of textbooks in ANY subject, for class use. The donation of English and maths books will be a great boost to encouraging the youngsters to work on their own, and negotiate their way around text books.  Key learning skills!

Much-needed books, gratefully
 received by the Lower Basic school

It is so easy for schools and others in the UK to discard what we regard as out-of-date materials and consign them to dustbins - but they can offer such benefit in remote communities in developing countries. And are massively appreciated by people who do not benefit from Western wealth.

Newham Woodcraft Folk - hands across the seas

Newham Woodcraft is currently celebrating its 80th anniversary, and are embarking on "80 Greats" (or initiatives)to commemorate the achievement. The pupils of Sohm's Schools have been the beneficiaries of one of these.

Inspired by the imagination and generosity of group leader, "Bill" Bremner, Newham's "Woodies" donated and restored seven bikes for the use of the Sohm schools and their students (see them being transported in the photo, above!). 

Woodies' bike donation, well received

These are highly prized and sought-after, and can each massively reduce the travel-to-study time of many pupils currently walking and hour each way in searing heat, from remote villages to get to their local school.

One of the bikes has been given as a "staff bike" to the Lower Basic school, which will be used for contacting parents swiftly, when their children fall ill, or have difficulties at school. The others will go to those pupils with the furthest travel-to-school journeys at the Senior Secondary school.

School caretaker can't believe
 his luck, with the boots!

Additionally, Woodcraft, themselves were recently given 25 pairs of good condition, second hand, hiking boots. These were surplus to their own needs and requirements, so were sent to Sohm. They have been welcomed as if they were gold-dust, being highly prized for confronting the floods in the very rainy summer season.

Boots and dictionaries ready for distribution

We look forward to delivering more surplus equipment and stock in future years - but there are big questions over our ability to access free/low cost transport for the future. We will keep plugging away to find the ways and means, if our generous donors can continue to extend their generosity.

So, a huge thanks to our supporters, above, for their material donations. The cash donations given by many others, too many to mention here, have enabled us to pay for customising the ICT equipment, and funding the other projects we have considered on this blog over recent months. 

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.

Feb 2015 newsletter - Sohm - a year of great progress

Just back from our annual visit to Sohm, and there's great news to report on considerable progress over the last twelve months. This is the first of three newsletters, over the coming months, in which we record some very considerable achievements.

Nursery class repaired

We were delighted to pay for the repair of the main nursery class, during the year. This meant that broken doors, windows and roof could be restored and dangerous cracks in the plaster-work walls could be fixed, so that the room is back as a functioning classroom.

Broken, out-of use nursery class, 2014

Interior of refurbed nursery,
 ready for action, 2015!

See below for "before" and "after" photos. Decor and paintwork are not a priorities in the cash-strapped Gambia, so the room still looks scruffy - but is now a lively base for 35 youngsters!

Short video of excited youngsters
 in repaired nursery class

Teachers' accommodation fixed

We were able to make a small donation during the year to fix the teachers' accommodation block.

Broken staff shower block, 2014

Fixed staff showers, 2015

So, for the future, 15 teachers can look forward to rooms that don't let in water during the rainy summer season, and can wash in safe showers.

New roof on teachers accommodation,
 ready for a "dry" rainy season

Once again, the standards of decoration fall below Western standards and expectations.  But, the teachers are delighted, particularly at the prospect of a "dry" summer!

New flooring for the head's office

The Lower Basic school's head's office plays so many roles, not the least as a meeting room for almost all activities involving staff and parents, in the school.  But for years the dirt floor has been infested by termites and most solutions have been, at best, temporary.

So, this last year we were delighted to pay £30 for the cost of ceramic floor tiles and cement.

New flooring makes head's
 office serviceable -
 all for £30 SSS donation!

The result - a delighted and proud head, decent floor covering and a termite-free meeting room. A small sum, for a big difference!

Stationery - and moving forward!

Each year me make an annual donation to each school (benefitting over 800 pupils)that ensures all of them will receive at least one 120 page exercise book and a maths work-book, plus appropriate pens, pencils, crayons, drawing papers, erasers, sharpeners etc.

Piles of stationery, for each of the schools
 - give the students the tools!

See the piles of stationery ready for distribution.

Lower Basic pupils eagerly display
 donated exercise books and pencils

No wonder the pupils are delighted and both schools have seen improved exam results, as pupils and students are given the tools to assist.

Huge strides made in the Senior School

As a result of SSS's efforts, the Senior School now has key text books for every student in every subject to share, together with some key ICT and scientific equipment.

The impact has been dramatic, confirmed by a national Ofsted-type inspection. The school has shot up from about fiftieth place in the region's schools' league table, to second out of 85, over the last four years (since our intervention).

The Education Permanent Secretary, Regional Director, school's head, staff and PTA are all absolutely delighted and are under no illusions for the reasons.

New teaching block for senior
 school, in progress

They put it down to being able to mobilise the gifts that SSS has made to the schools. The students have been better equipped to deal with the challenges that face them, in public examinations and professional assessments.

They are all most grateful and have asked us to convey their extreme gratitude to all of our donors and supporters, which we are delight to do!

So, thank you all for helping make such a difference!!

Success rewarded

The Gambian government rewards the best performing schools, believing that they provide best value for money and are more likely to benefit from more investment than poorly performing schools.

The two schools we support in Sohm have been major beneficiaries of this policy. Our investment has been like start-up money, which results in further state investment.

Electricity linked up!

And, the PCs are fired up!

And the meter is ready for installation

So, as a result of our investments in the senior school (see above), the ministry is now paying for the construction of an additional teaching block (see photo) and has paid for the whole school to be refurbed (also photo).

Lick of paint for all existing school buildings

Best of all, however, the school has just been linked up to mains electricity - which we have lobbied for, over the last five years. On the last day of our visit to the school, this year, the school was linked to the grid, and mains electricity flowed.

Happy days!

October 2014 newsletter - all packed up and ready to go

We had an amazing response to our appeal for goods for The Gambia, in our last newsletter, and have just packed up 55 boxes and seven bicycles and put them in a container, ready for transportation to The Gambia in three weeks time.

Sohm supplies, safely installed
 in Banjul-bound container

Little Heath - Big help!

Special thanks must go to Edwina and the staff at Little Heath school in Redbridge.  The school was upgrading some of its ICT equipment and donated 40 PCs - a mixture of desktops and laptops to us, and half a dozen desk top printers and twenty keyboards and mice.

The Windows suite in schools is usually held within the school's system and so disabled when PCs are moved from the environment.



Just some of the donated PCs and
printers from Little Heath, prior to packing

A local ICT repair shop took them all, checked them out, cleaned them up, cannibalised to make 30 well-functioning PCs. They then installed windows in each, all for £1,100 (paid for by generous donations by other supporters).

Another local company did the same with the half a dozen desktop printers, added ink cartridges and back- ups for each for less than £100, once they realised the work was for a charity supporting African schools.

This really will be transformational, for the schools we support, and will double - at a stroke - the number of well-functioning computers available to the students.

Computer provisons doubled in Sohm - at a stroke!

Sandra and I have already dubbed the stock as the Little Heath Diamant suite, by way of thanks to the school who supplied the hardware and Bernie Diamant who has been such a generous financial supporter of our project, and who, in another incarnation, has offered such great ICT support and encouragement to both of us, in the past!

Scientific advance

Thanks, too, to Eastleigh school, in Newham, and to Jo Walker, in particular. They have donated some surplus science equipment (including microscopes, ammeters and electrical testing equipment) and a range of science text books. This, again, almost doubles the supply of relevant stock for Sohm's Senior school, instantly.

More science equipment to go round, now.
  Thanks to Eastleigh school!

 

Bookish progress

Little Heath and Eastleigh, between them have also donated about half a dozen crates of very useful library books and dictionaries, which will be well used across the two schools the charity supports.

Book stocks greatly enhanced,
due to generous donations

Other books have been donated by Jim and Jen Chrystie and the Whiteheads - to whom our considerable thanks go, knowing that these "redundant" books in the UK will be far from that in Sohm.

International co-operation - in practice

Woodcraft Folk in Newham is celebrating its 80th birthday, and is running an "80 Greats" initiative, of volunteer projects during the year, to celebrate. One of those has been to donate and restore seven bikes for us to ship to Sohm.

These will be of great assistance to many of the pupils who , transportless, have to walk an hour each way in searing heat, to and from school, each day.

International co-operation in
 practice! Woodies bikes to Africa

The Woodies, and one of their local leaders "Bill" Bremner also contributed 20 pairs of sturdy walking boots (and generous quantities of dubbin too!), which will be of great help, particularly during the rainy summer season.

Big thanks to Football Gambia!

John, with Ian from Football Gambia,
 during last year's trip

Our good friends at Football Gambia have generously donated space in their container, that is taking equipment to the Gambia in November, to offer free passage of this great supply of donations. The container leaves the UK in early November and we hope to be opening it up in early February, when we are next in the country.

Football Gambia's building in The Gambia

 

Ebola crisis

Sandra and I intend visiting the Gambia next, for a period, in January. We hope to be able to pick up the goods from the container and see their safe delivery and distribution at the two Sohm schools, then.

We are, however, keeping our options open for a short period, in light of the Ebola crisis that is devastating areas of West Africa. The situation is developing rapidly, as the crisis spreads.

The Gambia is, at present, immune from the condition. There are no recorded cases.  The country is almost totally surrounded by Senegal, where there has only been one case so far - a traveller from Liberia, the most affected country.

Monrovia is the capital of Liberia, and over 850 miles from Banjul, the capital of The Gambia.  Freetown is the capital of Sierra Leone, the next most affected country, and that is well over 600 miles from Banjul.  The least affected country (though the condition is still of emergency proportions) is Guinea and Conarky, the capital, is 500 miles away from Banjul.

Disease is, of course, no respecter of geographic boundaries or distance and we are not complacent. But The Gambia seems to be safe, at this moment.  It is quite reassuring that the UK Medical Research Council has a high capacity research station about 200 years away from our apartment in The Gambia,  and it is taking the lead in the UK's investigation into Ebola in West Africa.  So, if in doubt when visiting, we should have help pretty close at hand!

Economic impact

We are approaching the peak tourist period for the Gambia.  Bookings are badly down, for very understandable reasons.  This will have a dramatic adverse impact on the fragile Gambian economy, where it is the second most important industry, after agriculture. Agriculture, itself, has suffered from a year of adverse weather conditions. So, the short term economic outlook is not good.

There is little that we can do to confront these natural disasters impacting on the country, but they emphasise the need to improve educational facilities there, for the longer term survival and diversity of the nation.  We hope we can continue to do our bit, in that regard.

Supporter sought for a major project

We have recently received a plea for help from Baboucarr Suwareh, our local Regional Director of Education, in The Gambia.

He is looking for a partner to help build a senior secondary school in the village of Jalanba in The Gambia, in a similar way to the way in which our good friends from the Jersey Gambia Schools' Trust originally did, in Sohm.

This is a major, long term project, and not to be taken lightly. We are unable to undertake the necessary work, but will gladly assist with anyone who feels able to do so. We can point people in right directions, open a few doors and advise on pitfalls. And be a shoulder to unburden and share frustrations with - and there will be many!

Could you, or an organisation you work
with help in building something like this? 
If so, get in touch - The Gambia needs you!

The initial costs are likely to be in the region of £20,000, to get the very basic fabric and buildings established, with a minimum commitment of around £10,000 a year for at least 5 years to get the classrooms up and running and the school fully functioning.

This could be the kind of project that a company, church or larger organisation, could adopt, and involve its staff in, for the development of The Gambia.

The ministry will provide and pay for teaching staff in the school. You would be well advised to recruit a partner like Sohm Schools Support (and no, we aren't volunteering!) to assist with the necessary supplies of books, equipment and consumables.  This could come in at around £5,000 per year, depending on your ability to beg, borrow or steal!

So, a big ask, for a big project.  It would be very time consuming, as well as money sapping, but hugely satisfying, if you, or an associated group were up for it.
 
It is a project for the long haul, however. There is little point in building school foundations, raising expectations then abandoning the project. There are plenty of examples of that scarring the African landscape already.
 
Give us a call, if you are in any way interested. We can talk it through and let you know what you may be letting yourselves in for.  Roller Coaster would be one polite description!

End of term report - July 2014 newsletter

 
As the school year comes to an end, in The Gambia and back home, it seems a good time to review progress of our support to the schools Sohm, over recent months.

It has been a very productive year, as far as the charity is concerned.  Sandra and John spent a month in The Gambia, in January and set in trail a number of initiatives that have now come to fruition.

Buildings refurbishment

Our latest, and most ambitious, project was to restore two derelict classrooms at the Lower Basic school, and bring them back into use - thus relieving over-crowding in a school, where 60 pupils in a class is the norm.



Derelict classroom, now refurbished
and restored to full use!

Because Sohm is so remote, the school and Education department provides residential accommodation for Lower Basic teachers in the village.  This is now over 30 years old, and has not been properly maintained.  So, we have been able to refurbish all of this accommodation: providing new roofs, doors, and windows, repairing broken walls and plumbing systems, over the last four months.  As a result, teachers now have decent housing, by local standards, which improves their well-being and comfort, from which the students will indirectly benefit.




Teachers' accommodation,
prior to repair



... and after!

 Examinations support

We now provide support to the Lower Basic school, each year, as they approach their external examinations. So, we pay for duplication of past papers, to help with preparation, and other teacher support, for this year's.  Last year this resulted in a significant improvement in the final examination results the pupils sat.  We are hopeful that our support this year will have a similar impact.

School trip

We have just funded the annual school trip for 180 years 6 and 7 students at the Lower Basic school.  This has meant a visit to the country's capital, its only airport and the Atlantic Ocean for the first time, for many of these 10 and 11 year olds.  This is truly a mind broadening and enjoyable event for these youngsters, as they leave their primary school.  The letters we received from last year's attendees were detailed and fascinating (and available for all the charity's supporters to see).  They confirmed our view of the value of this trip for the youngsters.



Essays and letters of thanks,
following last year's school trip

Sports support

Working with our good friends at Football Gambia and Kit Aid, we have been able to give considerable quatities of sports kit and equipment to the pupils of both senior and junior schools in the village this year.  We have provided the junior school with sports equipment, which will help with their physical development and education.  Football Gambia enabled us to supply over 60 full football strips to the senior school - and they were given a pride of place demonstration at the school's recent sports day.



Over 60 football strips donated,
thanks to our good friends at
Football Gambia and Kit Aid

Continued sponsorship

As a result of the support we are given by a dozen or so supporters, we continue to directly sponsor students at both the Lower Basic and Senior Secondary schools.  We equalise the payments over the expected school life of each pupil; so we can provide sponsorship for a standard flat rate of £60 per year (£5 per month, preferably by standing order).  This, with the Gift Aid we can claim, provides the fees (school and examination) to enable youngsters to attend school, throughout their school lives. Sponsors are sent a letter of thanks, school report and recent photo of the pupil, each year.



Amie Jarju - one of the dozen pupils
whose education we fund, for a donation
of just £5 per month from the sponsor

Stationery

In January we supplied every pupil in both the Senior and Lower Basic schools with a selection of appropriate stationery equipment - relevant to their specific age and needs.  So, there were a couple of exercise books per pupil, a range of graph and drawing paper books, pens, crayons and pencils for each school. These were greatly appreciated by all - as the photos illustrates!



Thanks for the excercise books!!

Computer and ICT studies support

As a result of generous donations of surplus laptop computers in previous years, we have been able to supply the Senior school with equipment to assist with ICT studies, where there is no mains electricity.  Almost inevitably, however, many of the donated laptops had batteries with short power storage capacities.  This year we have been able to source a number of cheap battery replacements for them.  This has increased battery lives of the laptops, from about 20 minutes to over two hours, on average.  It has greatly assisted with ICT teaching. 



ICT resources and capacity greatly improved

Additionally, a good friend recently gave us 120 memory sticks, so that most of the ICT students can now have their own work on their own device, for use on any PC where they do their work.  A great, and much appreciated advantage for the Sohm youngsters.

Books and bikes

Last year we established a book fund, so that every senior student in the Upper school had shared access to a relevant textbook for all subjects.  We were able to top this up,this year, and the government is now offering a similar arrangements for the youngest age group pupils!  A real victory in the pursuit of raising educational improvement.



Book fund - supplemented!

Transport improvements

As many as 50 students walk at least 3 miles to and from the Senior school each day.  It has been given bikes, in the past, from Jole Riders, to help with pupils' travel arrangements who live furthest from the school.  Many of the bikes, however, have fallen into disrepair.  Last year we were able to fund an overhaul of many of them. This year we supplemented this with the provision of a number of cheap puncture repair kits, pumps and replacement saddles, to encourage pupils to take responsibility for their own bikes.



Bike repair kits, to help students take
responsibility for their own vehicles

Big thanks

Our good friends at Derwentwater Primary school in Acton have continued to assist us in raising funds for the charity - and thus for the students in Sohm.  We have recently raised £100 from a raffle at the school's summer fair, which when added to the money raised at the Christmas fair, and associated Gift Aid, means that we will be able to take over £300 form our Acton friends to Sohm next January.  This will, for example, pay for the much needed and appreciated schools trips, or the annual stationery donation to the Lower Basic school.



Sohm Lower Basic school,
friends with Derwentwater Primary
school, Acton

Our friends north of the border

Thanks to a generous donation by our friends at Auchmuty High school in Glenrothes, in Fife, we were able to considerably equip a science laboratory in the Sohm Senior school this year, where previously there was none.



Science equipment, generously
donated by Auchmuty High school, Fife

How to help

We aim to raise about £5,000 per year.  Our friends and relatives who sponsor students contribute about £1,000 of that, and Derwentwater Primary school has provided as similar sum, over recent years.  We have, additionally, been able to raise another £1,000 via a presence at jumble and car boot sales and the odd sale of unwanted gifts via e.bay etc.  Very generous one-off contributions from good friends has usually ensured that similar sums are given to the charity each year.  Now - that missing £1,000? Well, odd cash earnings from bits of paid for work contribute to that.  But .. we are always open to all offers of cash, or goods that can be sent to Sohm, or sold to raise funds for the schools there.

So, anything you can offer, to continue what we believe is a good value-for-money project in this remote African village, for the educational benefit of literally hundreds of deprived young people would be much appreciated.

John and Sandra Walker