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We visited Wesley School in Banjul, to meet a newly sponsored child and were
greeted enthusiastically and shown round by the headmistress, Bernie
Sadie.
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some of the children |
It became apparent that her main problem is the school kitchen. The
building is largely sound, but damage to the chimney and the flues
from the 'stoves' has resulted in the whole interior becoming
heavily blackened and some of the cement-work has been damaged.
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inside the school kitchens |
The
pictures show the kitchen and some of the children helping the
teachers to serve the food - as ever, the children were bright and
cheerful, keen to show us their school and to be photographed! The
headmistress agreed that as much of the labour as possible should be
provided by the community and has sent us an estimate for cost of
materials and skilled labour for the renovation work - £710.
Andrew Rattray is a new Pageant member who
contacted us through the website because he wishes to fund a project
by his own efforts. After discussion, and partly because his mum,
dad and uncle all went to Wesley Methodist Chapel in Launceston,
Cornwall, he has decided to fund the kitchen at Wesley Lower Basic
School. The money should be available in time for our next trip to
The Gambia in February 2005 - Pageant will lend any shortfall to the
project if the total amount has not been raised by then. Andrew
intends to raise the funds by launching a scheme to sell tickets to
his customers for a free selection of books from his latest
catalogue - the launch to take place at the Brighton Remainder Fair
on 16 January 2005.
Stop Press 17 December 2004 - So far Andrew has raised £222.50
Update June 2005 - the refurbishment
of the kitchen has
been completed. Here are the latest pictures. More to come!
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Wesley children outside
the refurbished kitchen
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Exterior of the
refurbished
kitchen |
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Children being served
their food from
temporary outdoor kitchen |
Final touches to the
kitchen |
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