Banyaka Lower Basic School - the first few years

Chestnut Grove first established contact with  Banyaka Lower Basic School [MAP] in The Gambia in about 2003, when some Chestnut Grove teachers went on holiday there. They were captivated by the students and this resulted in a link being set up whereby the students from both schools would learn from each other and also Chetsnut Grove would provide help to improve Banyaka School. Since that time Chestnut Grove teachers have taken out lots of stationery and teaching equipment to help the Gambian students learn more effectively. They donated two computers and paid for and installed solar panels to provide the school with electricity. They paid for six disadvantaged students to be aided to go to school for a year. They had discussions with the Gambian Education Department which resulted in new classrooms being built, new toilet facilities and a stand-pipe to provide clean running water.

Update December 2009 - Banyaka LBS, sponsorship and sheep

In 2009 Chestnut Grove strengthened their connection with Banyaka LBS by linking with Pageant. Each year they undertake a fundraising event, and the money raised from that is now channelled through Pageant. They had a planned event in May 2010, and as a preliminary, on 8th December 2009, the students undertook a question and answer session with people having an interest or expertise in the chosen issue - 'The rights of children to an education'.

Ian Howard attended this event on behalf of Pageant and took part in the question and answer session. He explained exactly what Pageant had done in the past to help improve the education of students in The Gambia. He came away with a very generous cheque for £500,
 

		£280 of this was used to sponsor two children, Michael and Fatou under Pageant's Sponsorship Scheme. They are now at St Francis UBS, but are being sponsored by Chestnut Grove pupils, as theye attended Banyaka LBS for their primary education. There are some other children sponsored by Pageant members who are still at Banyaka LBS, so Pageant visits the school on a regular basis, usually twice a year. We have always found the school to be well run and that the head teacher and staff make the most of the assistance that Chestnut Grove and others give them.
Michael	Fatou

£15 paid for the school membership of Pageant, and the rest of the money was used for a small project at Banyaka LBS in February 2010. At the request of the head-teacher, it was used to buy a few sheep with a view to eventually having a small flock to help raise funds for school materials. (Sadly, this was unsuccessful, as a form of 'sheep flu' was prevalent in parts of The Gambia that year, which killed off many sheep, including those at Banyaka.)

The Chestnut Grove Year 10 students had again decided to support Pageant, funding the same two students, who were then starting the equivalent of their GCSE year. (We were delighted to find that Michael had been made a School Councillor.) When Ian and Pippa visited Banyaka LBS in October 2010 it was decided, again after discussion with the head teacher, to spend the remaining £612 on fitting windows and floor tiles in a new building, currently used as an overflow classroom, but eventually to be the school library. The two photos below show the building as it was in October at the time of Pageant's visit.
 

Update May 2011 - Pageant visit Banyaka LBS

A Pageant team returned to Banyaka LBS in April 2011 to find that the windows and tiling had been done and the building looked considerably better, as seen in the photos below. Since then a group of Guides with their leaders has spent some time at Banyaka and made a further donation for the library, so we looked forward to seeing it in October 2011.

after fitting new windows and laying floor tiles

Update October 2011- Pageant at Chestnut Grove

Pippa and Ian visited Chestnut Grove School again, to answer questions from the new Year 10 students, and to receive another generous cheque for the money raised by LAST year's Grade 10 - we will be taking this out with us later this month. Michael and Fatou are now in Senior Secondary School (roughly equivalent to Sixth Form College), but even after paying their increased fees (a total of £380) there will be £465 for a small project at Banyaka LBS. We will report back as to what the money will be spent on this time and with some new photos of Fatou and Michael. We were delighted to find that this year's Year 10 students have again chosen to support Pageant with their fund-raising this year - our thanks to them and to all at Chestnut Grove School.

Fundraising Totals

The following amounts have been raised by Chestnut Grove at their annual fundraising events, and channelled through Pageant to sponsor children at Banyaka LBS, and for projects at the school.