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Pippa and Ian report on their visit to
Bakalarr
# Basic Cycle School on 17 February 2005:
"We were welcomed to Bakalarr by lines of
singing children flanked by smiling teachers, village elders and
parents and spent a wonderful day of celebration in the school that
we have come to know so well.
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arriving at the school
with all the kids lined up |
greeting the village
elders
(Mr Gitteh doing the introductions) |
The highlights of the day were:
The opening of the Home Science Lab, a project carried out in
memory of one of our earliest members, Joan Saward. Joan loved the
Gambian people, particularly the children, and was a keen seamstress
herself. It seemed appropriate to use the money sent to us by her
family to provide a dedicated room at Bakalarr where those children
opting for Home Science could work undisturbed by other, less
interested pupils. The chosen room has new louvered windows that can
be closed to keep out the dust, a lined ceiling, curtains at the
windows, a smooth concrete floor that is to be painted to seal it
and freshly painted walls.
The sign above the door has been beautifully
painted and Pippa was very pleased to be asked to cut
the ribbon for its official opening. More sewing machines for use in
the Lab are in the container currently on its way, and we
have already sent some large tables that can be used for
measuring and cutting fabric.
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Pippa cuts the
ribbon |
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the new Home Science Lab
in use |
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The home science teacher, in the centre of
the picture above right, is the wife of Mr Gitteh, the headmaster.
She is also a truly wonderful cook! Her 'breakfast', as they call
the mid-morning feast they always give us at Bakalarr, is our
favourite Gambian meal!
The opening of the multipurpose court (or lawn, as the Gambians
call it!). This raised, edged concrete court has been constructed in
the central playground of the school and is to be used for
basketball, volleyball, tennis, handball and badminton. The
basketball posts have been made locally and the court will be marked
out with different coloured lines for each sport. The central posts
for the various nets can be easily removed and the senior
sports-master, Mr Jawla, is delighted with the addition to his
sports facilities. We had taken basketballs, handballs, volleyballs,
tennis balls and shuttlecocks with us and Ian performed the official
opening of the court - it seems a far cry from our first visit to
Bakalarr, when the only piece of sports equipment in the school was
one deflated football!
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the court under
construction |
basketball posts being
constructed |
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Ian declares the court
open |
basketball post and net |
Presentation of the gifts
These were from a group of children who had
given up the Christmas presents they usually got from one of our
members, Joelle, so that Bakalarr could receive some specially chosen items.
On behalf of Joelle and the children, we presented Bakalarr with
fourteen sets of football kit, three goalkeeper's shirts and gloves,
footballs, an Inter-House Sports Trophy and 1st, 2nd and 3rd medals
for overall performance in sport for both boys and girls. These gifts were received with the biggest cheer we have ever heard
at Bakalarr and several members of the football team immediately
donned their new kit to pose for some photos.
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Pippa with the
Inter-House Sports Trophy |
football team members
in their new kit |
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Ian chats with the team |
football team and
teachers pose on the new
multi-purpose court |
In the top left picture. Pippa is holding the
Inter-House Sports Trophy, and Joelle's medals are hung around the
'skeleton'. This was part of the materials we took for the Physical
Science theory lessons for Mr Jawla, seen at the left in the top
right picture. We also took a torso with organs that you can put in
and take out and lots of posters showing muscles, bones, blood flow
- you name it, we took it
We explained the way the gifts had been
donated and since our visit the Bakalarr children have written
letters to each of the UK children involved.
(Joelle's Gift Scheme idea was to send a voucher to each child that would
normally have received a gift from her. This voucher outlined the
problems faced by children at Bakalarr and described the items that
would be sent in their names. Pageant is going to take up this idea, and
hopes to offer a range of items that can be donated in voucher form
for next Christmas.)
At the end of our visit the children sang a 'Goodbye' song written
by one of the Bakalarr teachers - it was a very moving end to what
had been a particularly special day in our trip."
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