Team Gambia 2024 fundraising tops £18,000

A group of intrepid young people from Solihull Sixth Form College have returned from a life-enhancing trip to The Gambia, having raised over £18,000 this year for a school in the West African country. It was the ninth visit to Africa with the College’s Team Gambia project with more than £92,000 has been raised since the initiative was launched in 2013.

A group of 28 learners signed up to this volunteering project back in February and since then have been fundraising for the Abuko Nursery and Lower Basic School, which is situated near Serrakunda, the largest town in the country. Each student was set a target to raise £400 each and through a variety of fundraising events, many exceeded that goal. Their efforts culminated in a week-long trip to The Gambia in mid-November, where they were able to witness first-hand how the money they had raised is being put to use to improve the education and life chances of the children attending Abuko Nursery and Lower Basic School.

While in The Gambia, the students spent every morning at the school and taught the children (aged 4 to 6) in small groups. As there was a language barrier to overcome, many of the activities that the learners undertook with the children were active and visual, such as singing, craftwork, word and picture matching and there were lots of outdoor fun and games too.

One of those to undertake the trip was Alice Bristoll, who commented:

"I enjoyed experiencing the wonderful country of Gambia with my friends, but it was helping the children by improving their education that made the trip unforgettable. Seeing the pure happiness from the children made my days and it made me appreciate my life at home. The poverty was surprising, especially seeing it in person."

Fellow learner Louka Bramwell added:

"My favourite part of the trip was visiting the markets, particularly in Serrakunda, and properly experiencing and interacting with the life of the local people. The thing that surprised me the most was how friendly and positive the people were despite living in such harsh poverty. The culture and togetherness of the Gambian people was heart-warming to see and experience."

Solihull Sixth Form College joined this venture, started by Hamstead Hall School in Handsworth Wood, in 2013. The nursery school now comprises of 8 classrooms with almost 300 children benefitting from the facilities. In 2021, the nursery school was officially handed over to the Gambian Education department which ensures the sustainability of the project.

Vice Principal Janice Hamilton commented:

“Every year that Team Gambia undertakes this trip is a pleasure. I’m proud to see that the work we are doing is making a real difference to the lives of children at this school, but I’m also delighted to see what our young people get out of it too. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them to experience another culture and help children who have not had the same life chances they have been fortunate to have. They develop valuable team-work and leadership skills from being part of this project and I see how they grow in confidence, whilst also really helping the children at the school.

“Over the years, our young people have also taken out mountains of resources, such as medical supplies, sports kit, reading glasses and stationery. Students have also been supported from the Kitson Fund, Shirley Lions and by the the OCR examination board. We are very grateful for all the support we have received.

“All of our young people did so well on this trip and they were a credit to the College, themselves and their families. They worked really hard in the build-up to the trip, raising money for the school, and I am blown away by how much they raised this year. A huge thank you to them and to the family and friends who supported them along the way. All the money we have raised since 2013, more than £92,000 in total, directly benefits the Abuko Nursery and Lower Basic School and the wider community. This year’s fundraising has been used to paint and stencil the perimetre wall and build a dining area, while work will soon begin on a shelter from the sun.”

As well as working at the school, there was time for the students to experience more of the local environment and culture. They visited the mangrove in Lamin, the Bijalo monkey sanctuary, bartered at Serrakunda fish and textiles market and visited the National Assembly building in Banjul.

6 December 2024