20 February 2018
19 February - Final Visits
Monday was announced as being a public holiday, so our original plans for school visits had to be changed.
We started off in Brikama, visiting the large hospital there to give out some beautifully knitted baby hats to the maternity wards. Then to the local market to buy some fertiliser for the gardens organised by the ladies in Wandifa & Abdoulie's compounds. These bags are extremely heavy and even Abdoulie could not lift them onto the top of the van unaided.
Next stop, Gambia College, to drop the list of prize-winners and some microscopes in to the Science department. Nakulang (head of science) had come in, even though it was a holiday, and was busily engaged in clearing out his office when we arrived. We discussed the workshops, which we all felt had gone well, and agreed that we hope we will be able to manage to do some Physics, Electronics and Chemistry as well next year.
Back via Abuko to drop off the fertiliser (the minivan was labouring a bit under the strain!) and then visits to a couple of old friends: Samba, an erstwhile sponsored student, who is now an Inspector in the Gambian Police; and finally Billy, who used to run the café near the Arch in Banjul, beloved of many Atlantic Hotel visitors.
We reached the hotel in time for me to have a last short sit in the sunshine... to be remembered with great fondness and not a little envy once I am back in UK tomorrow, I am sure!
I will add some photos to illustrate some of the past week's events once I am back in UK, so keep watching this space for a few more days...
Posted by Dave for Pippa.
We started off in Brikama, visiting the large hospital there to give out some beautifully knitted baby hats to the maternity wards. Then to the local market to buy some fertiliser for the gardens organised by the ladies in Wandifa & Abdoulie's compounds. These bags are extremely heavy and even Abdoulie could not lift them onto the top of the van unaided.
Next stop, Gambia College, to drop the list of prize-winners and some microscopes in to the Science department. Nakulang (head of science) had come in, even though it was a holiday, and was busily engaged in clearing out his office when we arrived. We discussed the workshops, which we all felt had gone well, and agreed that we hope we will be able to manage to do some Physics, Electronics and Chemistry as well next year.
Back via Abuko to drop off the fertiliser (the minivan was labouring a bit under the strain!) and then visits to a couple of old friends: Samba, an erstwhile sponsored student, who is now an Inspector in the Gambian Police; and finally Billy, who used to run the café near the Arch in Banjul, beloved of many Atlantic Hotel visitors.
We reached the hotel in time for me to have a last short sit in the sunshine... to be remembered with great fondness and not a little envy once I am back in UK tomorrow, I am sure!
I will add some photos to illustrate some of the past week's events once I am back in UK, so keep watching this space for a few more days...
Posted by Dave for Pippa.
