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Early in 2005, Pippa and Ian went to visit the school at Abuko, in response to a suggestion by Wandifa, as he thought it needed some assistance. This school is a village initiative, launched to provide local primary facilities for the children, who would otherwise have to travel 5 km to school. It had been started with just two year-groups of children – Grades 1 and 2 – and was using buildings that were once part of the Veterinary College and were now surplus to the college’s requirements. When they arrived there were two classes in progress, both of Grade 1 children. There was not enough accommodation for both Grades at the same time, so Grade 1 is at school in the mornings, Grade 2 in the afternoons, with approximately 100 children in each Grade (50 to a class). One class was learning about the local plants that are sources of food while the other class was doing PE out in the playground.

general view of Abuko School	the school name board
some school buildings
inside a classroom	learning about local plants

Vic and Jackie Edwards, a couple who joined Pageant after meeting Ian and Pippa on a previous visit, also went on this visit, bringing a large quantity of pencils and exercise books for the children. Each child was delighted to receive his / her very own book and pencil – however, there were not enough for all the Grade 2 children who came in the afternoon. To remedy this Wandifa was given enough Dalasis to buy further supplies and took them to the school the following afternoon. Inevitably, the most popular event was the donation of a sweet to each child – and a full quota was left with the teachers for the afternoon children, as well as footballs, pens and other goodies.

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children at Abuko school	meeting the staff
distributing gifts to the kids	head teacher and class teachers with gifts from  Vic & Jackie

The main problem for this school was overcrowding – the furniture that they had was old but sturdy, and the children were to sitting 4 to a desk. The problem would get worse in the following year when another year group arrived.

pictures showing overcrowding at Abuko School four children per desk

Another serious problem was payment for the teachers – the two class teachers (both student teachers, hoping to qualify later that year) had not been paid for at least two months. They were both teaching in the mornings and trying to earn some money in the afternoons – they said they were keen to help in the village initiative to provide a local school, but they obviously could not work without pay for a sustained period.

the caretaker	class teachers
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The State Education Department was supposedly helping with a new building, but at the time there was little evidence that anything would be ready for the following September. Pageant sent about 35 small (i.e. child-sized) chairs to help with the seating problem in the container which arrived in April. Pippa and Ian planned to go back later in the year to discuss further assistance. Before they left, Ian and Pippa met the ladies who provided the small lunch-time snacks for the children – another example of community effort – and the children of both classes sang them a selection of songs, ending with the Gambian National Anthem. It was a memorable visit, sure to be repeated.

the Abuko dinner ladies
singing the Gambian National Anthem	Vic & Jackie handing over the spectacles

In addition to the gifts for the school, Vic and Jackie had organised the collection of a considerable number of pairs of spectacles through their local optician, Optical Express. These were distributed by medical assistants to people attending up-country health clinics. Pippa later received a letter of thanks from Bakary Congira, a Clinic Assistant working in Basse, Upper River Division, in which he says “On behalf of the Association GFPA Branch staff in Upper River Division and the beneficiaries I wish to thank you for your kindly support in the offer of lens (spectacles). The beneficiaries are thanking and praying always for your good gesture. … We thank you very much and hope for more support.”