We have a winner! (September 2005)
GambiaHELP in the News (April 21, 2005)
E. Sylvan Middle School raises over $2,000 for Gambia HELP (April 3, 2005)
GambiaHELP in the News (April 1, 2005)
Considering making a donation this year? (February 2005)

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We have a winner! A Relaxing Getaway for Two at the Alderbrook Resort & Spa
GambiaHELP's recent raffle for a relaxing getaway for two at the Alderbrook Resort and Spa ended with the drawing of the lucky ticket. The winner ticket was purchased by Sue Stewart of Seattle, WA. Congratulations, Sue! Details of our next raffle can be found here when available. Check back often!

Daily Observer, The Gambia, West Africa
Thursday, April 21, 2005
By Ousman Baldeh

Gambia HELP is the acronym for Gambia Health Education Liaison Project and its endeavors to facilitate education and health care in the Gambia.

Recently, in an exclusive interview at Manjai kunda lodge, Mrs. Shelby C. Tarutis, an American and also the Director of Gambia HELP, said that her organisation is for Gambians and that they are working with the Gambia government and professional to delivered those programmes for community base approach and local development.

The Director further revealed that her organisation wants to assist the Gambia authorities in delivering health services to the local community. Mrs. Tarutis said “we want to bring 5 Emergency physician, who are also professors at the university of Washington Medical School and 10 nurses to do a couple of programmes.” She added that they want to create a mobile health clinic and also to provide some lectures, safe delivery, to develop a bed-net dipping for malaria prevention, she said.

Mrs. Tarutis finally asserted that "we want to recruit key physicians for them to work with the Department of State for health. We had a fruitful discussion with UNICEF Director and also the Permanent Secretary DOSH and they were very positive. We are working with the Gambia Government extensively.” She stated her belief that we should all accept the challenge to make things change for the better so that we will be able to move forwards and make it if we work collaboratively.

The logistic coordinator, Suma Jallow, in his turn appealed to the government to provide transportation so that the goods can be easily access to their destination. Jallow said this organisation is for Gambians who want to move the country forward.

GambiaHELP’s mission is to support health and education projects and build into those projects self-sustainability and has been in existence for 5 years. It's a registered in the state of Washington as a non-profit Organisation and has 501(c)(3) status with the United States government.

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E. Sylvan Middle School raises over $2,000 for Gambia HELP
April 3, 2005
The sixth grade students from E. Sylvan Middle School have been working with their teachers, Rhonda Morris and Patti Denny, on The Gambia Project for several months. This Project was started with lessons about the country and the people. Later lessons in the geography of Africa and The Gambia, in particular produced some beautiful maps of the areas. We have selected two among many to reproduce on this website.

The students raised the funds by working in teams. They approached local businesses and individuals with a story about The Gambia and then asked for donations. The 6th grade students were very successful – raising $2,022.00. Gambia Health Education Liaison Project, also known as GambiaHELP will use the funds to purchase pencils, pens and paper workbooks for students in the elementary grades. Every year GambiaHELP ships a container from Seattle to The Gambia full of educational and medical supplies for the rural people in The Gambia. GambiaHELP has built wells, fenced gardens, provided a milling machine and supported micro-enterprise in rural areas of The Gambia. As the students found out, The Gambia is a country experiencing extreme poverty. The people live on less than $1.00 per day and struggle daily with a declining economy.

These students have not only learned to present a persuasive argument to adults but also learned the value of giving to others less fortunate than themselves. On behalf of our volunteers and GambiaHELP I give a BIG THANK YOU to the sixth grade students at East Sylvan Middle School. A good job well done. You should be proud of yourselves!

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Daily Observer, The Gambia, West Africa
Friday, April 1, 2005
By Salifu Touray

GambiaHELP donates books to DoSE
GambiaHELP, a charity organization based in Seattle USA, has donated 80,000 books and learning materials to the department of state for Education (DoSE) on Wednesday at the BPMRU premises in Kanifing.

In handing over the materials Shelby Tarutis, the GambiaHELP director, said after completing her term as a Peace Corps volunteer at Dankunku Health Centre, she developed interest in helping the health and education sector of The Gambia.

She said this organization has built partnership with the Rotary Club of Fajara, sponsored two computer labs in Armitage and Nasir Senior Secondary Schools respectively as well as constructing a library at Sofanyama School in the Central River Division (CRD). She mentioned several other projects her organization undertook in The Gambia. She, however, acknowledged government’s efforts in the education sector.

Kunkung Jobarteh, deputy permanent secretary at DoSE who received the item on behalf of the secretary of state (SoS) for Education, said the gesture was in tandem with government’s education objectives. He thanked GambiaHELP for the “benevolent gesture”. He said the materials will be put into good use.

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Considering making a donation this year?
February 2005
Here's a list of non-monetary donations that are on GambiaHELP's wishlist to include in future container shipments.