| Overview | Arrival | Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Recap |
This is the last posting for this year's trip to The Gambia. Momodou Manneh, our ever-present cultural interpreter and translator, calls the trip a success. As with other years, with this year's projects we have been able to address the needs of the community while promoting community participation, ownership, commitment, as well as project manageability and sustainability. Additionally, each of these projects has attracted funding from outside and within The Gambia.
To recap, the Micro Lending project is well on its way to creating an ongoing source of income and trained individuals to enhance and build the community. Plans are in process to bring known scholars and community outreach specialists to Dankunku on a regular basis to teach conflict resolution, the elements of health & disease prevention and principles of sustainability and definitions of empowerment.
While at Mbaye Kunda, we checked on the well. The well was provided to the village after a serious storm threatened their potable water resources. The well has a hand pump and animal trough. We were able to get the well in place one year ahead of any other outside agencies due to our small, flexible nature.
The Women’s
Garden at Mbaye Kundahas just started. The Kaafo
is motivated and has demonstrated success with their first garden. This
second garden will be adjacent to the first one.
Several of the challenges ahead include the clearing of the 5-6 acre plot
and the selection of a well company.
I want to take this chance to thank the Bellevue Rotary Club for providing the much needed funds for the garden project. Since my arrival home, we have received notice that the villagers themselves put 5,000 Dalasis of their own money into the project by paying for the clearing of the land. This is a wonderful sign of ownership and a key ingredient for successful development work.
As a postscript, for the next several months we will be raising money for the well renovation, micro lending and garden projects. If you receive a request in the mail asking for a donation to GambiaHELP, please keep in mind that we are a non-profit and that donations are tax deductible. We are supported entirely by volunteers, small grants and periodic fundraising events and activities.
