First Aid transformation

We are proud to have championed and facilitated a transformation in the First Aid provision in Sohm Lower Basic school over the last two years.

This article sets out how it has been undertaken and the spectacular results achieved.

Each year we sit down with the heads of the two schools in Sohm to determine their priorities for our funding them for the next twelve months. Last January a key project for the Lower Basic school was to reconstruct the dilapidated and non-functioning sick bay (see photos).

The way the sick bay was

... and from the outside

We got the head to provide costings for a complete refit that would: re-plaster and paint the walls, re-floor, provide a new door, two beds, a medicines cupboard and some limited other furniture - and curtains. The overall cost was out of our budget, but we found a funding formula that worked - see footnote for details.

So, we were able to give the project the go-ahead and ensure that the money was available for the refurb. Political uncertainties in the country held the project up for a while, but the work was complete by the time we revisited in February this year.

The school was able to proudly show us the results then.

We then worked with a local pharmacist and the first aider at the school to stock a secure medicine cupboard with necessary items (see photos).

.. and is now

A First Aid room/Sick Bay is vital at the school, where children can experience bouts of malaria, debilitating hunger pangs and the older girls experience menstruation for the first time. The medical facilities in the village are almost non-existent, apart from a couple of visiting clinics held every month or so.

Lamin - deputy head (far left), first aider,
 Malamin, head (blue shirt) with teacher and
 three pupils displaying early first aid kit,
 in refurbed sick bay/first aid room

For some time we have been following a UK charity First Aid 4 Gambia on Twitter (@FirstAid4Gambia - www.firstaid4gambia.org), and have been impressed with their work in the local education sector. So we contacted them to see if they could help take the Sohm project on to the next level.

They could - and responded remarkably quickly. For a small annual charge (well within our budget)they have undertaken to completely restock the medicine cabinet each year with appropriate provisions and to provide first aid training every two years for a dozen or so people nominated by the school's head.

The first training session took place within a month of us making the connection, and the results were spectacular - as the photos and comments show.

Head, Malamin Gibba opening the training session

Staff and community members at
 FirstAid4Gambia training session

The head and deputy head, together with the nominated first aider took part, as well as the head boy and head girls (a great move in our opinion), two parents/members of the community and seven teachers.

Community members dressing wounds

First Aid 4 Gambia declared the day a great success and the school was more than delighted with the outcome.

Head boy learning
respiratory techniques

This small initiative has not only up-skilled members of the school staff, but provided a huge boost to health provision within the whole community - all for £150!!

New first aid kit - courtesy of FirstAid4Gambia

The school head wrote to us:

So pleased with your effort in bringing this wonderful initiative to our school. We have all benefited from the training. Every teacher in the school is now a first aider.

Deputy head practices wound dressing,
 with head as the patient

The First Aid 4 Gambia trainer reported back to his charity that the training went well:

Monday 10 April 2017, New training course with supplies to the Sohm Lower Basic School at the Sohm Village West Coast Region.

Staff practising respiratory techniques

 14 participants received the training including the School Head Boy and The Head Girl respectively attended the training .The school is running a first aid centre which is well organised and clean, two beds in for temporal admission in case of any emergency.

The School First aider was also part of the workshop, along with 2 community members also joined the training. All the topics were briefly discussed which to my understanding was well received and their practicals were perfect too.

Head girl hard at work, using
 some of the training equipment
 FirstAid4Gambia brought to the day

All the participants were certified and the school was fully supplied. Though it was a long day, everything went successful.

On behalf of the School Mr Malamin Gibba the school Head  thanked the Charity for the gesture, as First Aid 4 Gambia have boosted them to a higher level in terms of first aid.

Some of the other equipment used on the day

 He said the community will also benefit from the supplies.

We would like to thank all of our supporters for helping us achieve this. It is quite an extraordinary achievement, made possible by goodwill, and partnership working across charities, with the fullest enthusiasm from the host community.

Deputy head, Lamin, practisng revival techniques

Footnote: The funding formula

The cost of the building work and refurbing the old sick room was in the region of £2,000. This is considerably out of our price range, but our Jersey partners in Sohm were able to persuade the Jersey Overseas Aid Commission to "match fund" our contribution to the cost. So, suddenly tour commitment was halved to £1,000.

The happy, first aid-certified training
attendees show their certificates

Bearing in mind that we are able to get 25% Gift Aid funding from the UK government for most of the money we raise from UK taxpayers in donations, it meant that we only needed to raise £800 from our donor/sponsors to fund our contribution and kick start this remarkable achievement.

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.

Best post yet! - Partnership in action at the Lower Basic

This is our proudest post to date - and a testimony to true partnership bringing real rewards.

As regular readers will know, each year we attempt to fund a number of projects at both the Senior Secondary school and Lower Basic (primary) school, in Sohm - in addition to our sponsorship of a number of students and the supply of large quantities of stationery for students' use.

Library before(1) - termite infestation

This year we had two major projects at the Lower Basic school - the complete refurbishment of both the school library and of its sick room - from which up to 400 pupils could benefit.

We have just received photos of the library project - and were are bursting at the seams with pride.

The library was an unused wreck. It was termite ridden and no more than a depository for a bunch of books, and other stuff that staff didn't know where to place - see some of the 'before' photos.

Library before (2) - piles of clutter
 everywhere in an unused room

Working with the head and deputy, we identified its refurbishment as a priority - which we said we would fund.

Step 1. The school staff got competitive quotes to: eradicate the termites and cover the flooring and lower walls with termite-proof materials; and fix the walls and windows.  They would also arrange for quotes for shelving and tables and chairs.

Library before (3) - glass-less windows and
 a gap between roof and walls - but at least
 there was light (provided by SSS in 2015!)

Step 2. Establishing the cost. The total quote came to a little over £2,500. We don't have that kind of money - but look, below, at how we could find it.

Step 3. Getting some organisation into the library books the school already had (piles of books donated by other donors but never sorted or used). Sandra and John, with the head and deputy head, spent a couple of days on hands and knees - in searing heat - sorting the books out in January this year, and ditched or moved on many that were unsuitable for the school and arranged some sensible order for the remainder.

Step 4. Finding the money.

Step 5. Negotiating on the prices we were given and getting the figure to a comfortable £2k - that we thought we could find.

Step 6. Signing off the contracts and drip feeding the money.

Library after (1) - a working room, and
 pride of the deputy head and senior teacher

Village labour was used throughout (including building book cases etc). It was a local project which benefited local people, both financially and educationally. And the pride shines through.

Result: a thriving, well-used - just look at those photos - local resource.

We will be looking to build on this next year, by funding a regular 'home work club' in the library for those who find working in cramped ill-lit conditions at home difficult.

What has been achieved

A previously unused room is now a resource used by every class in the school for at least one period a week. We and the head wanted to use the facility to help deliver a 'reading habit' among the youngsters. We are some way down that difficult road now.

Library after (2) - good furniture, excellent
termite-proofed floors, books well
 displayed and avid readers

Just look at these photos (obviously not professional, or particularly posed for). We are delighted, beyond belief.

Finding the money

We are a small charity, entirely dependent on fund raising, overwhelmingly from family and friends.

But, we are resourceful.  A little over £800 of direct donations have paid for what these wonderful photos show.

Here's how:

We claimed gift aid on the £800, from the government - which turned the sum into £1,000 (thank you Mr Osborne - former Chancellor).

As regular readers know, we work very closely with friends from Jersey in Sohm. They were able to use an initiative of Jersey Overseas Aid to 'Match fund' the £1,000 we were able to find.

Library after (3) - a PC in action!
(courtesy of Little Heath school),
as a former dump becomes a
21st century resource centre

Local Sohm labour and enthusiasm for the project kept the price to a very modest one which fell within our budget.

Other factors - it all adds up

Then there are the other factors.  Our 'Lower Basic' project last year was to provide electricity to the whole school.  So, this unused library was already wired up.

Our friends at Little Heath school in Ilford provided us with surplus computers and related equipment last year, so the school was able to install one in the library, as a resource for teachers.  We could only get the equipment to Sohm because of free container space provided by our friends at Football Gambia.

And... so the story goes on.  Lots of people making small gestures - well-co-ordinated - can make a huge difference to young African lives.

We know lots of corruption and inappropriate expenditure follows the aid sector around the world.  But, please believe - it does not have to be like that, when small organisations, work on the ground with local people - BIG changes can happen at amazingly good prices.

Obviously, we'd like you to send us more money, so that we can carry on in similar fashion in the future.

But more importantly, we'd like to to leave this blog truly believing that well targerted aid changes lives; don't let the cynics persuade you otherwise.

October 2016 newsletter - Big changes at Sohm

Farewell Ismaila

Ismaila Sambou, principal of Sohm's senior secondary school for the last seven years, is moving on to new pastures - having been appointed to a vice-principal's post at a larger urban school, nearer his family home.

Ismaila has overseen huge changes at the school:  a more than doubling of its roll and a considerable increase and upgrading of its accommodation, the introduction of mains electricity, being the most obvious.

Sohm Senior Secondary school
 principal leaves for pastures new

We have worked with Ismaila to equip the school with: computers, science and sporting equipment, enough course books to ensure that all pupils have access to a shared text book for all subjects, and stationery to meet their needs, twenty bikes to help students with long journeys to school, to name but a few.

The big task for the new principal will be to oversee a considerable improvement in the academic performance of the students.  Our funding of out-of-school remedial classes, available for all students in English and Maths, will go some way to addressing this issue.

We believe all the building blocks are now in place to a see considerable take-off in examination results and pupil attainment  - under the right school leadership.

We would like to take this opportunity of wishing Ismaila all the best in this next, exciting, stage in his career.

Remedial class progress

As we have noted, we have funded remedial out-of-school classes accessible to all the senior secondary school students in English and Maths, since March this year.

We have now had an opportunity to review their progress and impact.

The good news is that the classes have taken place with pretty good attendance rates.  All but one of our sponsored students has achieved an 80% plus attendance rate.  The rate for the school, overall, has been around 70% - for this voluntary activity.

On balance, reasonable progress being
 made with remedial classes.  We look
 forward to improvement with the new principal

The bad news is that the largest cause of disappointment has been with year 10 students (15 - 16 years!) - whose attendance rates have bobbled around a disappointing 50%. We have not had a satisfactory explanation for this, or what steps are being taken to address this poor rate.  Overall, the administration of the scheme has left, somewhat frustratingly, much to be desired.

This will be top of our priorities to address with the new principal.  We will, of course, keep you updated with progress on this, our most ambitious and expensive initiative at the school.

New library, refurbished sick room

As we have previously reported, this year we have paid for the refurbishment of the sick room and library at the Lower Basic (primary) school.

We understand that the work has been completed and that the facilities are now in full use, now that the new school year is underway.  We look forward to posting photos of these two great new facilities in use, when we next visit the country, in the new year.

Hopefully, we'll be paying for a homework
 club in the Lower Basic school's newly
 refurbished library, from early 2017

All being well, we hope to be able to fund and after school homework club in the much improved  library, for those pupils who are unable to study at home.

Doing a Danczuk

Some readers/site visitors to this site may know that John has been in dispute with Rochdale MP, Simon Danczuk, for the last three years over copyright/plagiarism issues around his book, Smile for the Camera, which claimed to expose his predecessor as MP, Cyril Smith's, sexual abuse of young men in and around Rochdale.

John always made it clear to Danczuk that any payments made to him for his work on the highly successful book would be donated to this charity - and find its way to Sohm. We said that if the donation were significant enough that we could ensure that a facility at one of the schools would be named after him: say the "Simon Danczuk ICT suite", or "Simon Danczuk science laboratory".
Danczuk consistently refused to make a donation. 

Eventually we challenged his publisher, Backbite, over copyright issues.  They, reluctantly, made a donation of £250 - which is now with this charity.

Reluctant donation from this book's
 publishers will pay for the
 "Simon Danczuk toilet block"

True to our word, we will put the money towards refurbishing a toilet block at one of the schools, and have the facility named "The Simon Danczuk toilet". In all the circumstances, we feel that this is an appropriate name.

It will, after all, give an appropriate meaning in The Gambia, at least to the notion of "Going for a Danczuk". We will post a photo of the suitably named facility, when we next visit the country.

In keeping with the Danczuks predilection for selling photos of themselves, we will happily send photos of pupils "on their way to doing a Danczuk", for an appropriate donation.  Just let us know!

And finally ...

All is going reasonably well in our annual fund-raising drive (we aim to take around £5,000 to Sohm each year). But, there is a bit of Brexit fall-out to deal with.

The slide in the value of the £, means that we will get around 10% less with our money in The Gambia, when we visit in 2017.

  

Forget Marmite - remember Gambian kids

 So, we will need to raise 10% more this year, or the kids in Sohm will suffer.

Our message: Forget Marmite, remember the Gambian kids!