After preparing and fundraising for the past 6 months, I’ll be finally off to the Gambia in 10 days. It’s been hard work at times but definitely well worth the effort. When I decided to work for Mondo Challenge in July last year, I’d just finished studying for my Maths degree at Sheffield Uni and had no money whatsoever. Luckily, I have had some very kind donations from various groups of people which have been vital in making my project possible. I would like thank the Knutsford Catenians, Knutsford Rotary, Knutsford Lions, Philip Barker Charity, Piper Hill High School, St. Nicholas High School, and all of my family and friends who have helped and sponsored me. I would also like to thank the Cinnamon Club for putting on a brilliant night earlier last month and for helping me to raise the rest of the necessary funds for my project.
Many people have asked me what it is that I’m actually going to be doing in the Gambia, who are Mondo Challenge, why did I choose The Gambia and why did I even consider going to work in Africa in the first place?! So before I travel out, here’s a little bit on what I'm going to be up to:
What I'm going to be doing
I will be working in the region of Makumbaya in The Gambia, West Africa as a voluntary teacher at Makumbaya Lower Basic School. The school has well over 600 students aged between 7 and 12, but only 15 teachers, 2 of who are unqualified and 2 who are trainees. Therefore, the children have to be split into morning and afternoon classes to cope with the numbers. The school has running water from a well on site, but has no electricity, no plumbing and very few teaching resources. My main task will be teaching the children English, which is The Gambia’s official language but not the first spoken by its people. I will also be teaching Maths, sports and arts and crafts among other things to make school life more fun!
Who is Mondo Challenge?
Mondo Challenge is a small non-government funded organisation that started in 2001. Their vision is ‘People first, money second’, aiming to improve the lives of people in developing countries through the work of its volunteers, whilst maintaining sustainability so that communities can support themselves. Since it began, Mondo has had a direct impact on well over 6000 people in the 9 countries it supports, many of who are at the poorest level. The fact that they pride themselves on supporting their volunteers was so important to me, especially as I have never done anything like this before!
Why The Gambia?
Working in a place which is safe and politically stable was, of course, my top priority when deciding to work as a volunteer. The Gambia, one of the safest but also one of the poorest countries in Africa, is dominated by the Gambian river. It is completely surrounded by Senegal except for its small Atlantic coast and is also a former British colony. The Gambia is often referred to as The Smiling coast of Africa due to the friendliness of the people; (this has often been the first thing mentioned by ex-volunteers or by people who have visited The Gambia previously). It has vast wildlife (particularly birds) despite its small size, with many great wildlife parks that I hope to visit. Music and Drumming is also a huge part of the culture which I’m really looking forward to experiencing (drumming mainly being because I used to be a keen drummer!) As well as rekindling old habits, I also hope to become an integral part of the community that I will be living in, by learning Mandinka (one of the local languages) and living life the true Gambian way! Being able to help a community in need while experiencing a great new culture and way of life made me decide to work in The Gambia.
Why even consider going at all?
Having had the privilege of a full education in a country where there is constant peace and stability, I feel that I need to give something back. (Sorry, couldn’t think of a better way of putting it!) I know that I will never have to live through the war and poverty that some people face in certain parts of the world and I feel passionately that people should have the right to a good education. I feel that the best way I can try to make a difference is through teaching, and even though I’ve had no formal teacher training, I have always enjoyed working with people. I've done some voluntary teaching while at Uni and after in a couple of schools, and my plan to train as a secondary maths teacher when I return to Britain in five months time.
Having not been to Africa before as well as not having had formal teacher training, I’m not without my concerns. To be honest, I’m bricking it. Not knowing what will happen when I arrive, being poisoned by nasty insects, catching malaria or any other diseases that mosquitoes might carry, catching rabies, becoming seriously ill from drinking dodgy water, being alone, offending the locals in a way that gets me killed, among other things, all worry me. I am though, very excited about meeting and working with new people, including other volunteers. I hope to learn a lot about African life and gain a better understanding of it, as well as learning from the teaching experience. It isn’t going to go smoothly all the time, I’m expecting the unexpected. I hope though to have a positive impact in some way and help the school to progress.
I will be updating this blog throughout my time in the Gambia and hope to keep everyone back home informed. I hope to write again soon.
>
