03 April 2009
Hello from The Gambia!!
Hello everyone!
Here we are in The Gambia again for two weeks of work, play and enormous fun! This time the team includes Pippa, Tina, Frances and Claire - it's Claire's first ever trip to The Gambia!!
Today (Thursday 2nd April) we started our day with a visit to Abuko Nursery School to see how well the new water tap was functioning and providing for the children and staff there. We had realised there was an urgent need for this tap due to safety concerns about the well that was previously their only source of water. Whilst Pippa was busy in conversation with the nursery teachers, we entertained all the children with a few rounds of The Hokey Kokey which they loved!
After our brief stay we piled back into the van with Wandifa and Yankuba and headed to King's Kid Academy which now has children from nursery up to grade 5. We had promised that this visit we would teach the older children of the school so we spent a couple of hours in the top two classes doing English and Art activities. With each class we discussed different environments including the desert, jungle, river and ocean. The children collaged their own backgrounds using coloured tissue paper and then cut or tore silhouettes of animals/plants/objects found there and then stuck them on. The pictures looked really effective as we encouraged the children to let their creative flare run wild!
On our way back to the hotel we stopped for a much-needed refreshing drink at Lamin Lodge, a restuarant which floats on the River Gambia. We saw many herons, lots of fish and several monkeys - we held on to our belongings very tightly, especially our sunglasses and PAGEANT caps!!
We had a couple of hours swimming and relaxing at the hotel before setting off to meet Sainey and Alhassan for dinner. Linda also joined us! It was great to catch up with the twins and see them both looking so well and hearing all their latest news. They are very much looking forward to accompanying the PAGEANT team on our trip up country next week as it'll be the furthest they have ever travelled in The Gambia!
Keep watching for further news!!
Love to all at home, Frances and Claire xxxxxx
PS Note from Claire to mum.... have you phoned the dentist? Love you!
Here we are in The Gambia again for two weeks of work, play and enormous fun! This time the team includes Pippa, Tina, Frances and Claire - it's Claire's first ever trip to The Gambia!!
Today (Thursday 2nd April) we started our day with a visit to Abuko Nursery School to see how well the new water tap was functioning and providing for the children and staff there. We had realised there was an urgent need for this tap due to safety concerns about the well that was previously their only source of water. Whilst Pippa was busy in conversation with the nursery teachers, we entertained all the children with a few rounds of The Hokey Kokey which they loved!
After our brief stay we piled back into the van with Wandifa and Yankuba and headed to King's Kid Academy which now has children from nursery up to grade 5. We had promised that this visit we would teach the older children of the school so we spent a couple of hours in the top two classes doing English and Art activities. With each class we discussed different environments including the desert, jungle, river and ocean. The children collaged their own backgrounds using coloured tissue paper and then cut or tore silhouettes of animals/plants/objects found there and then stuck them on. The pictures looked really effective as we encouraged the children to let their creative flare run wild!
On our way back to the hotel we stopped for a much-needed refreshing drink at Lamin Lodge, a restuarant which floats on the River Gambia. We saw many herons, lots of fish and several monkeys - we held on to our belongings very tightly, especially our sunglasses and PAGEANT caps!!We had a couple of hours swimming and relaxing at the hotel before setting off to meet Sainey and Alhassan for dinner. Linda also joined us! It was great to catch up with the twins and see them both looking so well and hearing all their latest news. They are very much looking forward to accompanying the PAGEANT team on our trip up country next week as it'll be the furthest they have ever travelled in The Gambia!
Keep watching for further news!!
Love to all at home, Frances and Claire xxxxxx
PS Note from Claire to mum.... have you phoned the dentist? Love you!
