January 23, 2025
Our trip to The Gambia at the end of last year was hugely successful and particularly special in the twentieth anniversary year of this friendship and partnership.
In a whole school assembly in January, The Gambia Team 2024 spoke about the many skills and qualities they developed during the visit: independence, empathy, collaboration, patience, communication, flexibility and adaptability.
They shared some of their highlights of the trip too which included teaching at the Mama Tamba Nursery School, visiting a maternity health centre, exploring the capital city, as well as a boat safari along The Gambia river and seeing the Wassu Stone Circles – a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The group also reflected on their time visiting other projects led by Tamba, the Headmaster of the nursery school. They saw first-hand some of developments supported by WGS funds such as a garden with chickens, a juicing facility, soap and lotion making, and the most recent addition of fish tanks, stocked with catfish.
Tamba has overseen the planting of 300,000 mangrove seedlings in an aim to restore the natural ecosystems of The Gambia, and at the site, the group enthusiastically planted banana trees and enjoyed sampling some of the locally grown fruit.
The jeep journeys were an integral part of the trip as students and staff spent hours singing, chatting and soaking up the atmosphere. As the vehicles were open top, they were able to fully experience the surrounding landscape. Music and dancing also played a central role with the group getting the opportunity to play African drums, as well as singing with the children in the nursery.
Since WGS funded the building of Mama Tamba in 2007, 723 students – 353 boys and 370 girls – have completed their nursery education and after moved to the Lower Basic Cycle School to continue their education.
Over 250 WGS pupils and many staff have visited the country over the years and in this commemorative year, we were pleased to surpass £30,000 in fundraising – our biggest total ever. We are very grateful to our students, staff and parents, past and present, who have supported our work in The Gambia – your generosity is very much appreciated.
